| | -
| |  |
|
1 |
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
|
| | |
|
| Hiking | 11.70 Miles |
1,560 AEG |
| | Hiking | 11.70 Miles | 6 Hrs 30 Mns | | 1.80 mph |
| 1,560 ft AEG | | | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | I did this hike with my co-worker Gordie, who did Keet Seel with me, and Ted, a former co-worker who has been thru numerous misadventurous hikes with me. Fortunately no harrowing incidents happened on this hike.
At the trailhead, we saw Jack and said hi. Nice to start a hike with someone you've met before and know thru HAZ. Makes me feel very at home in AZ.
We did the loop clockwise, starting down Second Water Trail to Boulder Canyon then back on the Dutchman Trail. At the Indian ruin in Garden valley, I stopped to show Ted and Gordie the pottery shards there and give what rudimentary knowledge I have of the history of the area.
Boulder Canyon had the closer vegetation as expected, and mildly bushwhack in a few sections. for the most part it was easier than I expected.
At the east end of the loop, I took a survey of everyone to see the chances of hiking the extra 2.4 miles to the top of Black Top Mesa. No one really said a firm, "NO", but no one was really enthusiastic about it. Ted offered the idea of maybe doing it on another hike, which I took as a polite "no". So we hiked another quarter mile to some shade and had lunch.
All of the other hikers we saw on our way back along the Dutchman Trail. The hike back on that trail always seems to be a slog, probably because my feet are pretty sore and the rockiness of the trail exacerbates that.
On the way home I made sure to buy a lottery ticket in AJ to try to summon some hillbilly mojo. I won $5 from previous drawings so I let it ride and rolled it over in the next drawing. Gordie was a little unsettled by a guy pumping gas in his lifted black mud covered pickup with a pistol on his belt. I had to point out to him that for AJ, that's a pretty normal sight. |
| _____________________
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
