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| Apache Trail - Supes Western Borderline, AZ | |
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| | Apache Trail - Supes Western Borderline, AZ | | | |
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Apache Trail - Supes Western Borderline, AZ
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| Hiking | 2.90 Miles |
1,194 AEG |
| | Hiking | 2.90 Miles | 2 Hrs 44 Mns | | 1.09 mph |
| 1,194 ft AEG | 5 Mns Break | 12 LBS Pack | | |
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none
[ show ]
| no partners | | Rather than starting early and dealing with 43% humidity, I waited until early afternoon brought it down to around 25% before hitting the trail. So what if it was already 101° and would hit 104°? With a steady breeze at least I wasn't swimming in sweat.
I parked along Apache Trail between milepost 206 & 207 and set off with a quick ascent to the ridge, which approximates the western borderline of the Superstition Wilderness, just east of and roughly parallel to Apache Trail. Although the views were great in all directions, the views east over First Water Creek canyon were awesome. It's hard to believe there is so much more to see than the power lines along Apache Trail if one just takes a short climb.
I was a bit surprised to find some quite fresh bighorn sheep droppings at the first high point I reached... fresh enough they were still swishy. (No, I didn't pick them up for the squeeze-test, I checked with my hiking pole.) Unfortunately five Turkey Vultures buzzing me would be the only wildlife I'd see today.
Wanting to keep my hiking-in-the-sun time to 3 hours or less, I continued southward along up to each highpoint and across each saddle until I had 90 minutes under my belt, when I climbed up to one more highpoint before working back down toward Apache Trail. I didn't want to walk along the road to complete the loop so I stayed up on the east side until I was forced down to the road, when I crossed and dropped down the other side and take a more direct line back to the Jeep.
Just before crossing the road a Southwest Ambulance drove by headed toward Canyon Lake. While its lights were flashing, it really didn't seem to be in any hurry so maybe it wasn't for anything too serious.
I didn't feel like strapping on my GoPro so no video, but I made up for it by taking tons of photos. I posted 50 on HAZ with the full set of 90 on my web site. |
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