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I have seven hikes left for the guidebook [Day and Overnight Hikes in the Tonto National Forest] and I am going to burn some accumulated vacation and get them done in 10 days.
I'll post some of these as events. Some, though, you would really have no realistic shot at meeting up with me.
I have a plan, but its' still rough, and I am open to suggestions and/or participation.

My 11 year old son may be with me for all or part of this. He's actually an excellent hiker.

The Itinerary - as of this moment:
Tonto Guidebook End-Run Itinerary

DAY 1
11 June wed
DRIVE to Icehouse CCC recreation area.
HIKE Sixshooter trail 197 3.8 miles south to
Telephone trail west [3miles] to
Icehouse Trail north 3 miles.
[10 miles]
CAMP TBD in area.
{ALT dinner in Globe then DRIVE to Rose Creek CG and CAMP}

DAY 2
12 June Thur
DRIVE to Reynolds TH
HIKE Hell’s Hole #284
[10 miles]
CAMP Rose Creek CG

DAY 3
13 June Fri
DRIVE to Parker Creek TH
HIKE Parker Creek to
Abbey’s Way to
Rim Trail #139 to
Moody Point to
Parker Creek
[13-15 miles]
[NOTE: Abbey’s Way may be cut – decision made on trail.]
CAMP Rose Creek CG

DAY 4
14 June Sat
DRIVE to Hells Gate TH
HIKE Hell’s Gate North to South
[12 miles]
{DRIVE} to Young, then to Hells gate TH
DRIVE to Pine
CAMP Pine TH area
[ALT motel in Pine]
[My wife may meet me in Pine Saturday night - in which case any other folk would be on their own...]

DAY5
15 June Sun
HIKE Oak Springs
[3-5 miles]
DRIVE to Deadman Mesa
CAMP Deadman Mesa

DAY 6
June 16 Mon
HIKE Deadman Mesa Trail to confluence of Fossil Creek and Verde River
[5-8 miles]
CAMP confluence

DAY 7
17 June Tue
Rest
Explore
Swim
CAMP at confluence

DAY 8
18 June Wed
HIKE Verde River trail to Twin Butte TH
Power lines back to Deadman Mesa
[13 miles]
[ALT Deaman Mesa trail back to car. This depends on finding the route to Verde River trail on Tuesday.]
CAMP Deadman Mesa

DAY 9
19 June Thur
Drive to Fossil Spring TH
HIKE Fossil Springs
CAMP Fossil Springs TH OR Verde Hot Springs

DAY 10
20 June Fri
DRIVE Home
Pass out.

Tony I think you're going to pass out before day 10

Day 1 you could camp at Kellner? Campground mid-way up FR651, but it's probably best to boogie over to Day 2

As far as I know there is no hotels in Pine. There is one in Strawberry and lots in Payson but haven't seen one in Pine.

It would be cool to add the Haigler Creek Canyon trip to a book. The only info Ive seen is on Todd's site and from what I read, its enough to pique my interest for a nice wet stroll from the campground all the way out to Hells Gate and up to a shuttle car at Little Green valley. If I do this trip later in the summer I'll fill out a trip report since there isnt much for the Hells Gate wilderness.

Dschur wrote:As far as I know there is no hotels in Pine. There is one in Strawberry and lots in Payson but haven't seen one in Pine.

My friends, Steve & Tamara, own the Rimside Grill & Cabins in Pine. They are just about directly across Hwy. 87 from the Pine Trailhead.
They are terrific people & if you stay there, you will like the cabins AND their food! google rimsidegrill

I will forward that good advice to my wife, but the deal has been for twenty years that I pick the campsites, and she picks the motels.

Tony

(UPDATE: The Rimside lost out to some place with a pool in Payson. I tried. -TP)

For the record, I completed 6 out of 7 hikes before my feet just gave out. (The northern third of the Verde Trail crosses bluffs made entirely of lave rock - emphasis on rocks. Just pounded the @#$% out of my feet).
That leaves only Fossil Creek on my list. Will advise when I have a plan for that.

Tony

That's still pretty good. Feet take quite a while to toughen up to such regular pounding.

My boots starting falling apart on the way out of Fossil Springs yesterday; perfect timing.
That was my last hike for the guidebook.
Thanks to all for the companionship, advice, and encouragement.
I have a dozen hike descriptions plus all the side material due by the end of the month, so if I disappear from here for a while - that's why.

You guys rock.
Thanks again.

Tony Padegimas

good luck on your book
let us know when it comes out

tonyp wrote:Thanks to all for the companionship, advice, and encouragement.

hey we're not done with you yet, join me next weekend for a hang and fish trip into Willow Valley. Hike to the confluence (WCC) and camp with the bears.

Thanks, but I have 12,000 words to write between now and the end of June (plus my day job.)
There will be another day...

Tony

The material is off - typos and all - to the publisher.
According to Amazon (yeah - you can search my name on Amazon) the book comes out November 2008.
54 total trails (not all of which are listed on this site) and 230-250 total trail miles covered, depending on whether you count duplicate hikes (for example: My "East Superstitions Superloop" encompassed the "Angle Basin" and "Oak Flat" hikes). Two good pair of boots destroyed. So it will be a few weeks before I do any hike that requires more than tennis shoes.

Tony Padegimas
(So ya know what to Google if 'n yer interested...)

Hey guys,

Day and Overnight Hikes in the Tonto National Forest is out, judging by the dozen copies that materialized on my porch.
I'm not certain who carries it locally (yet), but an internet search with "Padegimas" and "Tonto" will yield several sites where you can buy it online. (I'd leave a list of links but ... you know...)
Thanks to all who helped either on the forum or on the trail.

Tony

free book for te-wa ;)

Currently 32% off at Amazon
http://hikearizona.com/books.php?REV=1&ID=121

Can't beat ten bucks; my copy is on the way. I love new hiking books!

Only 4 left in stock--order soon.

This is the current note on Amazon. Must be a good sign.

I ordered mine yesterday. I look forward to reading it. Especially since I tagged along on one of the hikes!

It's a great little book! Very small and good to bring along in a pack. And the trips seem to be mostly 10+ miles, which is great. The descriptions are very detailed, each taking up at least two pages. Well worth the ten bucks!