DESTINATION Davis Spring Trail #31 1 Photoset
2012-09-24 | |
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| | Hiking | | 9 Hrs 20 Mns | | 0.00 mph |
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| no partners | | I parked at the trail head across the street from the Palisades Ranger station and hiked the Butterfly Trail 2.4 miles to the Davis Spring Trail junction. I've always liked the Butterfly Trail. There are some very nice overlooks and the vegetation on the north aspect of the range is lusher. Too bad, I was too late for the raspberries that grow along the trail.
I immediately took the wrong trail and had to back track. Fortunately, I was paying attention to the map and didn't have to go very far. The actual trail is less obvious and stays on the ridge line headed north. The trail on the ridge line was discernible, but not in great shape. After approximately a quarter mile it dropped into the drainage to the east and pretty much disappeared. From there to Pictograph Spring I had to rely on topography and compass bearings to navigate. The occasional cairn and yellow flagging seemed to confirm the route. Although, I found flagging and cairns buried deep in nearly inaccessible thickets of thorn bushes with no hint of trail.
There is a large flat area midway to Pictograph that has very different vegetation. I believe the tress are cedars with an open under-story. It was very quiet and very park like. I would like to return and spend some time there glassing the area to see what animals might show up.
There was a small amount of running water in the creek at Pictograph. I spent just a few minutes eating lunch and searching the area for any pictographs, which I didn't find. The only thing I did find was a USGS survey marker from 1927.
On my return I climbed the ridge west of Pictograph and stayed on it, instead of the route the map showed, which was mid-slope and had a lot of loose soil. This route was much easier and I wished I had taken it coming down. Pictograph is at 5440 and the high point is the saddle next to Mount Bigelow at about 8200, so it was a good climb heading back.
If you don't mind bushwhacking, and you don't mind bleeding a little, then this might be just the trip for you. |
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