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| Hiking | 9.00 Miles |
2,139 AEG |
| | Hiking | 9.00 Miles | | | |
| 2,139 ft AEG | | 13 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | | Having turned off of the highway near Tombstone, I rolled along Middlemarch Road toward my beloved Dragoon Mountains on a warm Sunday afternoon. Parking at the turnoff for Forest Road 697, I set off on foot into the parched limestone hills. Familiar sights and good feelings greeted me as I trudged up the rocky road toward my goal. The last leg of the journey up the summit cone of China Peak was just as steep as I had remembered. After photos, a bit of revelry and summit smiles, I started back down. Opting for a slightly different return route, I followed China's forested southeast ridge over to peak 6942', leaving broken branches and cat-claw induced blood along the way. Reaching a group of old mine tunnels, I began to follow Forest Road 4390 down, where three guys were gathered around their pickup truck, desperately looking for a lug wrench to change a flat tire. I was amazed that they had actually driven so high up the mountainside on this so called "road", and wished them luck. The sun was setting as I went through the granite wall pass, where I got to enjoy the San Pedro Valley blazing brilliant red-orange. Very nice. I spent a good while searching for the "Button Cacti" rumor said existed in this area. By headlamp, I eventually located a single, dead plant. Success!...kind of. The guys in the pickup came bouncing by soon after...how they were able to turn around on a road barely wide enough for their truck, I'll never know. After reaching my truck I drove west, and located a nice campsite a couple of miles west of Sheepshead. I set up my tent, enjoyed campfire quesadillas, then retired for the evening with plans of Black Diamond Peak the next day. |
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| "…you never know when a hike might break out" -Jim Gaffigan |
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