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| Hiking | 7.90 Miles |
2,000 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.90 Miles | 7 Hrs | | 1.98 mph |
| 2,000 ft AEG | 3 Hrs Break | | | |
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[ show ]
| partners | | I am surprised no one has come up with this Loop or maybe they have and never posted it OR I missed it. Anyway, I am calling this: Tibber's Loop. Kelly decided to join me in spite of my on/off again or Sun/Mon timeline. I was at BTA the nite before so we agreed to meet at the TH at 9AM. As I drove up, I saw that smiling Volunteer Ranger Jack's face. That's always a good way to start out my hiking day  . We got to catch up a bit before the 30 member hiker group and Kelly showed up.
Haven't been up the Peralta for awhile and I let Kelly set the pace. I had been suffering from a migraine for a day and 1/2 and had taken the Immitrex earlier that morning. I'm not sure what was bothering my leg power, my legs in general or the Immitrex but we powered up. Kelly stopped more than I think she normally would to take pictures. But heh, when you're with Tibber, pictures are the word of the day  .
It was a brisk morning and would more or less stay that way for most of the day. I saw a couple new arches on the way up and refreshed my mind as to the surroundings. At Fremont Saddle we took a small break and then admired the water and mud flowing under some ice patches. I got some video of it but I should have stayed in one place so you could see it better.
As we headed on the south side of the saddle, we saw someone out on the lichen edges. He looked like he might be having lunch. I had seen him ahead of us earlier. We continued onto the Cave Trail where I had to remind Kelly of the U-turn before she got cliffed out  . As we got to the area just before you climb up along the eastern wall, we took a peak over the side. Kelly saw/heard that the hiker wasn't sure where he was and she directed him to the well-trod path we could see below. We invited him to join us until his turn at the Bluff Spring Trail turnoff. He is a newbie hiker from the South Mountain area and this was his first hike in the Supes. He had the 60 hikes book but it didn't really help him for the Cave Trail.
We made our way to the Cairn store. He found it amusing though I'm not sure he initially knew what cairns were for. I get a kick out of the store and I figure if this is the least trail wreckage folks could cause; it's more tolerable than something else they might do  . We stopped briefly at Geronimo's Cave before making our way down the Devil's Slide to the bathtub (love this pic Kelly took of me: http://hikearizona.com/photo=319197), carefully walking down the Bald Man's Forehead, over to Cathedral Rocks and around and eventually down to the intersection with Bluff Springs Trail.
We bid adieu to Curtis and started for Lower Barks where we thot we'd have lunch. It is always nice to enjoy your lunch while listening to running water . As we got to the two giant boulders, there was no going straight down the middle. Kelly skirted the water to the right while I headed up and to the left before coming back down to the creek bed.
The water was still running pretty briskly and there were many good size pools along the way. I let Kelly lead so that I could concentrate on filming as she found the best route for us. I was in full-on Tibbermode but she didn't seem to mind. If we came on a somewhat tricky area, Kelly was always careful to make sure I could cross or boulder hop safely. We both had wobbles or rock-n-rolls from time to time but kept our feet dry.
It really was a glorious day and though my legs were tired from the early part of the hike, the tiredness shifted from my legs to the bottom of my feet but nothing annoying.... not when you have this great scenery to enjoy. The water didn't stop the entire way except for a very short section. And there was, ready Kelly  , "a lot of water". I was surprised how well I remembered parts of the hike thru the Canyon but since this is my fourth time since 2009, let's hope something sticks with me.
Usually the last 1/4 mile or so there isn't any water coming out of Lower Barks at the Dutchman Trail but not this time. Not only was there water on the Dutchman, we would encounter water across the trail at the next drainage as we headed back to the TH. Kelly put me in the lead this time and though I think I'm moving at a good clip, I'm still it's only 1/2 the pace Kelly could fly up those couple hills. She was fun to watch going thru the canyon as she is so light on her feet and can jump up and down boulders with ease. I called her "Spiderwoman" many times.
It really was a wonderful day. We never did take off our long-sleeve shirts (mostly due to the gusty winds) so that's perfect. Lower Barks will always be special to me because it was my first off trail hike in the Supes where Snakemarks tutored me for almost the rest of the year; I had so much to learn).
Here is the video:
Part 1 - http://youtu.be/mg2QG6MfSss?hd=1
Part 2 - http://youtu.be/i2mXrIayvAY?hd=1 |
| _____________________
For me, sometimes it's just as much about the journey as the destination.
Oh, and once in awhile, don't forget to look back at the trail you've traveled. |
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