| | -
| 1 label |  |
|
3 |
-
| 1 label |  |
|
|
-
-
-
| 1 label |  |
|
|
-
| 1 label |  |
|
|
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
|
| | |
|
| Hiking | 14.20 Miles |
2,296 AEG |
| | Hiking | 14.20 Miles | 8 Hrs 30 Mns | | 1.72 mph |
| 2,296 ft AEG | 15 Mns Break | 10 LBS Pack | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
[ show ]
| partners | | Between work and other plans neither Patrick nor I would be joining in the weekend festivities at Reavis, so a day hike would have to suffice. And what a great day for a hike it was!
Well, the first part wasn't that great... eating dust from a Nissan Xterra along Hewitt Station Road. With the gut feeling these folks (turned out to be three seniors... at least more senior than myself) were headed to Rogers Trough as well, there's no way I was going to follow them all the way.
So when they turned off Hewitt onto FR172 I told Patrick we'd pass them while crossing the wide wash. I'd planned on it in the widest spot but the Xterra stopped so suddenly at the edge of the wash the best option was to pass right away. Which I did, but whoa, there's a big hole there! Too late, can't stop now so pedal to the metal it was. And at the moment I suppose the Xterra driver realized they were being passed and he started to go again so now it was a race across the wash. I had to blow through a rock pile before I got ahead but it was do or die so I never let up until we got by. Since their paces was slower to begin with, now neither of us had to deal with dust as I was long gone. Even though we would encounter a number of other vehicles on 172, all were courteous and promptly let us by so the rest of the drive was uneventful.
The hike...
We set off from the TH but had to stop at the Wilderness sign where we took pictures of each other. For me the first effort I felt was climbing the first rise along the canyon, after that whether I put out any effort or not, I simply don't recall any. So my thought is the weather, the scenery and the company were in such perfect harmony all else was effortless. All in all, I couldn't ask for a better hike.
Ok, the details...
Seeing an opening in the brush and footprints we turned off to the Reavis grave-site only to realize it was a false trail. So back on the trail, we went for a few hundred feet before getting it right this time. A few photos and we were on our way.
Soon after we encountered the first signs (and smells) of horses, and not too much later we found a hat on the trail, which I figured was probably from one of the equestrians. Now with a hat on your head, you'd think one would notice if they lost it, wouldn't you? Whatever, I picked it up thinking we may see them later and I could return it.
Hunters were out and about and we heard one shot, but it didn't prevent deer from meeting us on the trail, or grazing peacefully in a meadow. But with any hunter's approach they seemed to melt away in the blink of an eye. The first we encountered was on the trail just around a tree from us so I told Patrick to take a picture then I'd step around the tree for a head-on shot. Just before I moved it started walking toward us and for a moment we though it was going to walk right up to us. But we soon found all it was doing was seeking an escape route off the trail which happened to be in our direction, and when it found the escape route it turned and took off through the brush. Alas, in my haste to start a video while switching modes on the camera, I later found out I must have hit the record button before I changed modes, so when I subsequently pressed record I turning it back off. So not only no photo, but no video as well for me. Oh well, I've been encountering plenty of deer and elk lately so no big deal.
As we were crossing the first meadow near Reavis we saw another two does, feeding at the edge of the meadow and quite unconcerned we were there. Just then the hunters on horse-back entered the meadow behind us but immediately too a hard turn back to their left. Figuring one of them had lost the hat we yelled to them and asked if they'd lost a hat, and sure enough one of them had. So I ran over to them and returned the hat. Later Patrick said it was possible the guy just said yes to get a free hat, but I told him based on the white line around his head, it sure appeared he'd been wearing a hat.
Ok, on to Reavis where we sat down for a short lunch break. After hearing there was little chance of apples we didn't bother to go looking, but rather we looked up at the hill were Patrick figured the 'Reevis' benchmark was located and pondered whether to climb the 500' or not. Gauging time and terrain we decided not to take that side-trip and instead, have more time to drive down FR650 and visit the Rock House along the way. We would need the time because unlike FR172 which has more frequent maintenance, FR650 has received NO love since the heavy monsoon rains this year. In fact it's the worst I've ever seen it.
On the other hand, the Rock House is the best I've ever seen it. Whether someone just signed or renewed grazing rights in the area, they have put up a new windmill, water tank, water trough and corral. And while doing so they cleaned up the area around the house. The only sign of the trash of the past were two Coors Light cans almost hidden by the fireplace in the house, which may have been missed during the clean up.
But back to the end of the hike. On the return trip we met more hunters, non-HAZer hikers/backpackers as well as, what, maybe 5-6 HAZers? It was good meet folks I've only read about and connect names/screen names with faces, even though it was a short encounter. After chatting and the requisite photos we were on our way. Of course I can't forget to mention meeting Chumley back at the TH, all decked out in the brightest orange imaginable... presenting a nice target for hunters? I hope not. |
| _____________________
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
