| |
|
| | |
|
| Hiking | 3.75 Miles |
519 AEG |
| | Hiking | 3.75 Miles | 2 Hrs 12 Mns | | 2.21 mph |
| 519 ft AEG | 30 Mns Break | 7 LBS Pack | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
[ show ]
| partners | | Now loosened up after our Moonshine Creek hike we were eager for the next hike. We began this following the loop trail which as described was relatively flat along an old road. The hike wasn't taxing on the body and it was quite peaceful but the scenery didn't change much so we were eager for the promised jaw-dropping views. Eventually we came to an opening where a small job off the trail brought us to the views over the valley to the west. For a first-time view from Mt Graham it wouldn't disappoint but after the scenes we encountered our previous two hikes it didn't quite hold up for us.
Once we took in the views from the overlook it was back to the trail/road. Not long after we encountered a deer feeding not far away. With but a few short deer videos the day before I sought something with a bit more substance, so while Tracey stayed where she could see the deer I circled around for some closer shots from the other direction. Although most of the hike the area between trees was pretty open, here there seemed to be more dead-fall so it was quite a challenge attempting to walk silently and not falling while carrying my small HeroHD wide-angle camcorder in one hand and the S3 in the other with video running. Eventually I worked my way around to where the deer was between us and started to close the gap to it. Unfortunately there were just enough trees I had no hopes of focusing either camera directly on the deer so I kept working side-to-side in search of the perfect angle.
And that's when I encountered a downed tree I had to cross that appeared solid upon lightly testing with my foot, only to collapse to powdered sawdust when I put my full weight on it. In an instant my mind went back a few weeks to Calloway were my previous camera met its end and decided no matter what I'd save the cameras. In this case with a camera in each hand the elbows were going to have to stop the fall. They did... and the cameras came through unscathed. The same couldn't be said about my left elbow, but then it was just a scratch from falling into the only solid downed tree in the vicinity.
With the loud crackling followed by a loud crash I thought the deer would be long gone, but as I raised my head up it was standing there looking straight in my face. As long as I didn't move it didn't either, but the moment I attempted to bring my cameras to face in that direction it took off. So after the 10 minute "video hunt" all I came up with was a bunch of swinging around with nothing in focus. Thankfully Tracey managed to get some great video of the deer seemingly tracking my progress with twitches of its ears and nose, all the while trying to decided if and when to bolt. The only photo I came up with during that time was one of some bear scat, which would be as close as we'd come to any bear encounters this trip. After that excitement we settled down to complete the hike with a heightened sense of more deer. There were more but nothing else as close.
About the half-way point we decided to cut straight east up and over the summit of Grant Hill. We followed some obvious deer trails as we wound around thicker growth toward the top. Funny... summit, or top, or peak just doesn't describe the flattest hill I'd seen on some time. If it weren't for the GPS providing altitude readings I'm not sure we would believe we crossed the summit. But once accepting it we set a beeline back to the trail head, as it was infinitely more interesting that continuing on the old road/trail. Near the trail head we encountered a ravine we didn't feel like dropping down and climbing out the other side of so we caught on of the less-defined roads for the rest of the return trip.
Back at the trail head we had a bite to eat before taking on what would be our last hike for this 2-day trip to Mt Graham. |
| _____________________
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
