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| Hiking | 7.00 Miles |
400 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.00 Miles | 4 Hrs 30 Mns | | 1.56 mph |
| 400 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Perfect day for a desert hike, and I like this trail a lot. I had it to myself today, starting at just 9:15. I found lots of evidence of recent rains (some mud puddles, even!), and the grass was in full bloom. I saw zillions of butterflies, lots of lizards, and dozens of mini-frogs in the creekbeds. I saw one phainopepla flying away, but didn't hear it "peep". I think I bothered a woodpecker at one point (entering LaBarge creek, southbound), 'coz he squawked and squawked at me for several minutes.
There was lots of boating activity on Canyon Lake today, and plenty of motorcycles on Apache Trail. One good thing about this trail is that you get up and away from the noise quickly, and after twenty minutes there's nothing but natural sounds. Oh, except for the occasional jet eastbound out of Phoenix. They don't interrupt much, actually.
Because of the recent rains, the footing was loose in more parts than usual... and that's saying a lot for this trail, which has fair footing at best. Also, there's a lot of overgrowth on the edges of the trail; generally benign, but this must be The Year of the Catclaw. I got my shins all torn up. Again. At least the cholla is staying back away from the trails a bit.
There was a gentle breeze throughout the morning, and the sun was bright. I don't think it got much above 90 degrees, although of course it feels hotter when you've been in the sun for a few hours straight. I hiked the trail as described, continuing over to the junction with the Second Water Trail, which I think makes 3.5 miles. That was a good place for lunch. I found a large-enough boulder in the creekbed and sat in its shade for a half hour. "Lunch" was two packages of crackers and cheese.
I found the hike out of LaBarge creek (on the return trip) to be tough today. I'm sure it was just me. I took smaller, slower steps than usual, and stayed cool-enough. I had plenty of water, lots of energy from my snacks, and lots of time. I did stop and take pictures at one point, and it felt good to catch my breath and resume. I'm just gonna have to keep doing this type of hike more often, is all. |
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| It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves. Edmund Hillary |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
