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| Hiking | 11.50 Miles |
2,750 AEG |
| | Hiking | 11.50 Miles | 8 Hrs | | 2.03 mph |
| 2,750 ft AEG | 2 Hrs 20 Mns Break | | | |
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| partners | | since i knew of a couple of large meetup groups going next weekend and i tend to want a little more peace and quiet on the trails and at camp, southpawaz and i decided on this weekend. i had been out here in 2008 and attempted the peak, but got sick and stayed at the saddle, and then again in 2009 just to upper ash spring for a photography trek. i wanted to have a go at the peak again, and this time i made it.
we got up early from tucson and drove out, set up our camp, then drove to near the trailhead sign to park and we headed on up. surprisingly very few folks on the trail! we ran into three older gentlemen in the color heading down as we were heading up, and then when we came back, we saw some backpackers setting up camp near the lower spring. it turns out that i knew these guys - and not from any hiking or backpacking club (or website) either. how serendipitous!
i was in full-on tibber mode through the colorific section below upper ash spring and the aspen stand. then the camera went away somewhat and gave way to the huffing and puffing up the mountain. coming back was faster, as usual, and we noticed even more color.
i don't know why i waited for a few years since doing this last! oh yeah - the thought of a zillion people on the trails did not appeal to me then, or now. so glad we did this one early. although the aspens weren't in full glory, the rest of the colors were just beautiful. and those pesky aspens can be fickle anyway. when i did this in 2009, i had a report of beautiful aspen leaves from the day before and overnight a breeze came through and that yellow canopy was no more.
oh! one more thing. i did get a look at the airplane wreckage, but we didn't go to it, and i didn't get very good pictures because of the distance and the lighting on the way back down. since seeing RWStorm's photos of the wreckage, that is something i'd like to try to get to another time. |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Substantial
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| There are just two switchbacks left. And another half-mile to the destination... |
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Route Editor
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