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| Hiking | 4.60 Miles |
1,180 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.60 Miles | 2 Hrs 10 Mns | | 2.12 mph |
| 1,180 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | This was the perfect hike to take the kids out for the day after Thanksgiving to burn off some fried turkey. We started out from the Goldmine Trailhead, which saves a little time driving all the way down to the southeast end of the park. We did this with our friend Rafael and his two sons, Ardi and Noah. The lot was pretty full as would be expected on what is basically a holiday still, but we could still find a spot.
We did the loop counter-clockwise, starting with the Dynamite Trail. This was the first time I've ever hiked this trail, and I think it's probably the nicest one in this park. The views are pretty nice. Superstitions, 4Peaks, Camelback, Piestewa are all visible the first mile or so. The Estrellas are also visible as you continue to ascend. The views to the southwest of the Malpais Mts and beyond are also nice. The trail is a gradual climb and not too rocky or steep.
The Goldmine Trail on the way back was the rough section for everyone. The climb up wasn't too bad for everyone, but still a challenge in spots. Then the climb back down on the other side was dicey in spots. Dmitri did extremely well on this section, never complaining and showing a surprising amount of dexterity across the loose rock. Less than 2 years ago in a section like this, he would have needed one of us to hold his hand throughout the entire stretch. Today he made it all himself and was in good spirits the entire time.
We checked out the graves of Kennedy and Carter at the bottom of the hill and them made our way back to the cars and off for lunch. The temperature was just about perfect, a little warm but not hot at all. didn't need a sweatshirt at all and the breezes once in a while kept us cool. Saw a lot of other hikers and a few bikers, but overall the crowds weren't bad at all, not like the ant trails in busier parks. |
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Route Editor
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