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Looks like I will be leaving for another camping trip next week, Mogollon Rim or the White Mtns. Five maybe six day trip. Planning a longer trip for August, maybe White Mtns. next month.

The high country above 9,000 is nice right now, but lots of afternoon showers. Very green, lots of wildflowers.

Favorite places to hike in the White Mountains
Escudilla Wilderness
Mt. Baldy Wilderness
Rattlesnake Point
Maverick
Pacheta Falls
Hannagan Meadows
Blue Range Primitive Area
Favorite places to eat out
Greer

You like those overpriced places up in Greer? I used to tell everyone to eat at Java Blues in Springerville. But now they don't have the veggie-oriented dishes on the menu like they used to. Too bad, they are starting to taste just like Booga's, Safire, Bear Wallow Cafe, etc. Cowboy food with gravy. Ugh. I just can't eat that greasy food these days. And it is so bland and unimaginative. Ugh. I started going to the Chinese place again, and they seem to have gotten better.

And Bluebird Cafe went out of business, alas. (The places I have mentioned are in Springerville, except for Bear Wallow Cafe in Alpine. Alpine Grill is much better.)

In 11 years up here I still have not ventured much onto Apache land. Maybe sometime soon...

I've been dieing to camp at Pacheta lake (if I can find it) and check out Pacheta Falls. Looks like a fantastic camping trip with some possible hikes in the area.
It's south of Show Low, but you kinda have to go the long way around down to and through Whiteriver.

If you go take lots of pictures to share!

trailhobo wrote:I'd like to check out Show Low soon... I'd like to camp overnight... any suggestions? Are there some good spots on the trails out there to camp? Take a long trail and make it a weekend thing?

When you say you want to camp overnight please specify if you are car camping or backpacking so we know more about how to help you.

Show Low is ok, and you can dayhike around there, but it is not a great backpacking destination, although I guess backpacking could be done for very short overnighters on some of those loop trails over there, such as Los Burros or Country Club Trails. However it is better to go further east to around Greer, Mt. Baldy, Big Lake, or Hannagan Meadow, OR further west, around Heber/Forest Lakes, etc. All the different ranger districts within the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest (Black Mesa, Lakeside, Springerville, Alpine, Clifton) have hike booklets that are free. You can literally call them on the phone and ask them to snail mail them to you and they will! Info is also on their websites about trails, and also there is a ton of info on this website. Also, you should buy a copy of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest map, as it is helpful as to dirt roads. (But it is not too helpful for trails.) You can camp almost anywhere it isn't posted.

Came back late today, lots of rain. Stayed dry and avoided getting hit by lightning. If a tree gets hit in the forest it does make a lot of noise.

It sure has been crazy up here. Anyone who wants to come up here and hike with me, my truck is broken so I am biking now. But I would be happy to have someone to carpool with--as long as they drive!

Actually, though, although I have the next couple of days free, after that I am not free until Aug 14-15.

They start school way too early up here, spoils the summer. I have to start bus driving on the 12th.

Payson starts school tomorrow... July 28th....

Ugh, tomorrow? Poor kids.

This obsession with messing with the school year also really messes up summer camp programs for kids, which are forever trying to adjust their summer schedules to the latest education fads.

Our school year is going to be longer, but will end the day before Memorial Day weekend, instead of a week before it. I don't mind it being longer on that end, it could go into June as far as I am concerned. I do object to school in August, though.