HikeArizona.COM

Friend's Hiking Club is headed to:

LABARGE / CHARLEBOIS SPRING BACKPACK - Superstitions
Sat - Sun, Dec 13 - 14

Leader: Steve Desrochers (luv2hikeinaz@cox.net)
Phone: 480-926-7939

Length: 16 miles R/T
Rating: Moderate/Difficult

MEET @ XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, 7:00 AM

Please contact the hike leader by December 8, 2003 if planning to participate.

This hike takes you through the heart of the Superstition Wilderness to
Charlebois Spring where many prospectors, ranchers, and explorers have
established their camps. Near Charlebois, what is thought to be the "Master Map" of the Spanish gold-seekers is etched in stone; come see for yourself.
Many short excursions are located nearby. After a wonderful, but cool night, under the stars, we will hike out an alternate route enjoying different views of the Superstitions. Water should by reliable.

If you're going to have a lot of people, La Barge would be a better choice. More camp sites. The camping areas at Charlebois have been planted with cactus by our friends at G&F.

In response to Wiz's reply:
We generally camp away from any spring by quite a bit. Generally, when doing this trip we head WSW from Charebois across the creekbed where there is plenty of room.
Charebois (near the spring) was getting trashed & overused.... I'm not sure that planting all of those cactuses was the answer, but I can empathize with their (USFS/G&F) plight.

Wiz wrote:If you're going to have a lot of people, La Barge would be a better choice. More camp sites. The camping areas at Charlebois have been planted with cactus by our friends at G&F.

Having just been there last weekend, I can say I didn't see all these supposed cactus that I had heard were planted, although I did see some signs reminding people to not camp within 1/4 mile of the spring (and these were being ignored by several campers )

Across the creekbed there were plenty of spaces, some quite fitting for larger groups even!

Paintninaz wrote:

Wiz wrote:If you're going to have a lot of people, La Barge would be a better choice. More camp sites. The camping areas at Charlebois have been planted with cactus by our friends at G&F.

Having just been there last weekend, I can say I didn't see all these supposed cactus that I had heard were planted, although I did see some signs reminding people to not camp within 1/4 mile of the spring (and these were being ignored by several campers )

Across the creekbed there were plenty of spaces, some quite fitting for larger groups even!

Really! Someone has been busy clearing them out, then. There was sure a pile of cactus last time I camped there.
The trash is, of course, a problem wherever you go, not just at Charlebois.

The cactuses are still there (prickly pear). They (gov't, I presume) also moved into place various rocks/logs into what was, before, a dust bowl.
The brush seems to be regenerating, and the area is much improved IMHO.
FYI - As always seems the case, Charlebois spring is flowing quite strong; running all the way down to LaBarge Cyn.