HikeArizona.COM

The big e-mail question of late has been "Where can I go?"

I'll throw out the easy answers

- In the Valley -

Easy to Moderate Crack O'Dawn hikes are good for a least two hours throughout the summer anywhere.

Sunset hikes are fair but, aren't as good in my opinion unless theres a good breeze. It's just been my repeated experience that snakes enjoy this time of day a lot!

Night hikes during a full moon are great.
Usually can get in two days before and after too.

- outta the Valley -

Please add your suggestions

I can't really think of much close by other than the county and state parks. Who knows, some of them may close, too. Randy's been pitching Colorado; the Gila Wilderness in N.M.; or the Sierras in California. They all sound great, but of course there's drive time involved getting there.

I've thought about flying home to South Carolina for a week or so. There are some new trails in the mountains that'd I'd love to hike some day. Don't know if I could handle the summer humidity, though!

Maybe I'll take up cross-stitching for the summer.

BLM Wilderness areas: Aravaipa, White Canyon, Fishhooks, Big Horn, Eagletail. State Trust Lands (permit required and easily obtained): the area Southeast of Florence Junction (Mineral Mts. great area to explore), The Picacho's, Galiuro's and Tortilla's Mts.

Aravaipa is a great idea!
For those interested
http://azwww.az.blm.gov/sfo/aravaipa/permitandfee.html

White Canyon is a pretty good thought too. The canyon stays remarkably cool until the sun creeps in around 9 or so. I went in August. It's was unbelievably cool. Just beware when the sun gets in it turns hot quick!

Thanks Nighthiker

-------------------

We did Canyon de Chelly as a day trip long ago. It was definitely worth it! However, I'm finding it tougher to justify burning so much fuel for a day trip.

This Aravaipa Canyon, does it have water in this year of serious drought? Have any of you visited recently?

My company is currently looking at a mapping software package (http://www.esri.com/, these are the folks behind the scenes on NationalGeographic.com's MapMachine). If we buy it, I'm the lucky guy who'll get to work with it. The really cool part, and the Haz applicable part, is that I will get to attend a training class for a few days in Boulder, Colorado!! I don't know yet if we're going to purchase the package, or if so, when I'll be going to Boulder, but I will definitely try to extend my stay so I can get in some hiking there!

Any one know of some good hikes in the Boulder area?

There may be some water, but be very very careful at this time of year. The route runs thru the creek bottom involving many flood distributed brush piles to be pushed thru. All the buzzworms my crews have seen have been mohaves....-R

Call Safford BLM office for details and required permits.

I talked to the Mesa, Tonto National Forest office this morning and to be more specific about the closure, they gave me these parameters:

Anything West of 87, (Beeline) and South of the power lines running Northeast to Southwest is open but restricted. that does give you Indian Spring Peak, Maverick Mountain, Diamond Mountain, and Black Mesa.

4Wheelers can follow the powerline access road fron the Beeline, I think it is Forest Road 393 heading Southwest. I've taken it in the Cherokee and it's not all that bad of a road.