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| Hiking | 11.60 Miles |
1,880 AEG |
| | Hiking | 11.60 Miles | 7 Hrs 42 Mns | | 2.60 mph |
| 1,880 ft AEG | 3 Hrs 14 Mns Break | 20 LBS Pack | | |
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[ show ]
| partners | | Since Sam had the day off, I wanted to find something that he hadn't done in the Supes that I wanted to check off my list. Aylor's seemed perfect and Sam was all for it, so it was a go...
Left the TH at 7:25 and we have a good pace going. A little ways past the Junction of Dutchman and Second Water Trails, Sam mentions how scenic the Dutchman is. I decide to pull out the camera just in case I want to use it and realize that I have brain farted and left the camera in the car.  Now I know that you just can't do this type of Hike without a camera, especially me. We are not that far yet and with Sam's very understanding encouragement, I decide to hoof it back to the car and get it. I actually thought I made good time. 1/2 mile in 10 minutes, half hiking, half running.... 
Meet back up with Sam and we get started again. This is the first time I have actually gone out the Dutchman, and I found that it was a little tougher going out than coming in. Don't know if it was because I had just worked up a good sweat and was already sucking wind getting back to the car, or if it's just really not as easy....
We still made pretty decent time getting to the "turnoff", which we actually missed. We went all the way to the Junction of Dutchman and Black Mesa Trails. The Description stated that the "turnoff" was just past the Black Mesa Junction, but my GPS printouts all showed the turnoff before. So after talking with a Ranger who was inspecting the Junction sign, we decided to backtrack a little and take a small wash towards Palomino. The wash was easy to travel and shallow enough so that if any plant growth blocked it, we could easily get out and go around. Sam's GPS was getting pissed because it wasn't agreeing with our Route, but since we could see our destination, we pretty much winged it. After a bit, we decided to leave the wash and head more due East towards Palomino. The bushwacking was very light and soon we came to a much bigger drainage with a little bit of water flow. South of where we came into the wash, we could see a narrow area with big red pillars on either side and from studying the Description and looking at the linked Photos, we knew that was where we wanted to be. 
After following the Drainage past the red rocks, we saw the Mine linked to the Description, and shortly after, we saw a Cairn leaving the Drainage. Probably a good thing we didn't have to Boulder Hop too far in the Drainage, as my legs were telling me that I had done enough of that the day before....
It became a little unclear from there, but there was another Drainage going East towards Palomino. Wasn't sure how choked the Drainage would be with bushes and such, so I erred on the high side and traversed a somewhat steep, scree covered slope to the north of it. From the looks of the path I took, someone had either done this Route before us or I was semi following a Game Trail. It was difficult at times, but looking down into the Drainage, it did look a little thick, so I hesitated about descending into it, if I could help it. According to Sam's GPS, we were off Route again a little bit, but as long as the mountain was getting closer, I was ok with where we were and Sam seemed ok with that. Eventually we came to a spot where the slope ended and we were forced down just a little to cross the Drainage to hit the approach "ramp" up Palomino. It was starting to get a little warm, so when we hit the large red rock area at the base and just to the West of the slot going up, we found a nice shady rock and took a nice break for fluids and to refuel.
Got cooled down and started the Hike up the "ramp/slot" area. You could see a distinct Path going up and it was Cairned in a few places as well, so it really took no Route finding at this point. However, it was pretty steep going and we did a little slipping and sliding, but then we were up to the Saddle. Great views to the South, so we stopped for a few minutes and then turned to continue on. Sam commented that there was something weird up at the top, but we couldn't quite figure it out from the Saddle. As we started up again, it became clear that it was a Mailbox. I've read alot of the Triplogs and seen the Photosets and never once saw any mention or documentation of a Register or Mailbox up there, but sure enough, it was there. It was a big, brand new Mailbox, mounted on a post, held in place with rocks. "Palomino" was written on the side, with the date of 1-31-12. Open it up and there's a brand new Register. Sam read the Register and it sounded like some guy from New York put the Mailbox up there.  There was already a page or so of signatures, but didn't see any HAZers in it. We got our names added, barely, as Sam was hopping up and down wanting to go on and see the Arch. 
From there, I was a little unsure about where to go, so Sam and I went separate ways to figure it out. He went down to a flat area and I went up to the top of the next Spine. Sam won the prize for finding the correct way, so I came back down and we went over to the third and last Spine. I knew from the Description that there was an area in front of the last Spine to view the Arch close up, so we followed a small path down a little and came to a stop on some boulders with a wonderful view of the Arch. Took some pictures from there and began to wonder how everybody was getting to the top of and also into the Arch. So we hiked back up the way we came and climbed up the Spine that the Arch was on. Pretty much figured out how everybody was doing what, but decided against it as it was getting late and we would have probably spent another hour messing around getting to the actual Arch itself. I'll save that kind of fun for another trip when it's not so hot and I'm not so fatigued from all the Hiking in the last two days....
We took a few more pictures and then booked it and slid on down. We actually found more Cairns on the bushwacking return trip to the Dutchman, so we were more truly on the Route and it went really fast getting back to the big Drainage. After the Boulder Hopping was done and we were getting ready to exit the Drainage, I told Sam I needed a small break. I was getting pretty hot and decided I needed to cool off. There was no "Swimming Hole" here, the pools were small and fairly shallow, but I found one large enough and fairly clear of algae to lay down in and cool off. I think it was here that Sam decided that I was officially insane.... After he got done laughing his pumpkin off, he decided that the Photo Op was too good to ignore. I didn't care, I knew I would stay alot cooler for the Hike out....
We hoof it back and meet up with the Dutchman Trail and pretty much flew up the Trail, only taking a couple of small breaks. Got back to the car in great time and finished another awesome Hike....Thanks Sam for doing this one with me. I've been wanting to do this Hike for quite awhile, but was not comfortable doing it solo, so having someone with me and great company to boot, was a bonus.  |
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Wildflowers Observation Light
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First Water Creek |
Light flow |
Light flow |
| | | First Water Creek had pools and light flow. More than I've seen in the other two trips down Dutchman. |
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Little Boulder Canyon Creek |
Light flow |
Light flow |
| | | The Creek had very light flow with a few pools between the Mine in the Aylor's Arch Description, and Dutchman Trail. | | _____________________
| Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out & proclaiming, "Wow What a Ride!" |
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