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| In Search of Overlook Arch 2, AZ | |
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| | In Search of Overlook Arch 2, AZ | | | |
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In Search of Overlook Arch 2, AZ
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| Hiking | 6.20 Miles |
2,041 AEG |
| | Hiking | 6.20 Miles | 5 Hrs 55 Mns | | 1.11 mph |
| 2,041 ft AEG | 20 Mns Break | | | |
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| partners | | For once in a blue moon Tracey would have a holiday off so where should we hike?
Somewhere not too far to drive, somewhere where we won't return to a vandalized vehicle, somewhere without holiday crowds... and so on.
Then a couple days ago Tracey chimes in with "How about we take another look for Overlook Arch?"
Since it would cover the type of terrain she really doesn't care for, it was just a bit of a shock she mentioned it. Ok, but just to be sure, I made a back-up plan in case she changed her mind.
Although it would be cooler than my search 3 days prior, I filled my CamelBak the full 100 oz plus a 20 oz reserve bottle in my pack. I packed the walkie-talkies on the off-chance I climbed to check out a few spots while she waited.
About half-way on our first ascent Tracey saw a bighorn sheep looking at us from the ridge to the south. Moments later, another sheep is looking at us from another spot on the ridge. Then another, and another, and soon there are five bighorn sheep curiously looking down at us, as though thinking "those stupid humans, that's not the way up!"
We tried to get a few good photos but with a white hazy sky against a dark ridge along with a lot of zoom the results were poor. My 'best' shot of the bighorn with the largest set of horns had the worst focus. In the end, only the three I included in the photoset were anywhere near a good photo. Oh well, we can't stand here staring back at the sheep all day, let's get moving.
As we continued the ascent Tracey kept glancing toward the sheep, hoping as we got a little closer we may have a better shot. The sheep are no longer on the ridge, so where did they go? Then Tracey spots two bighorns well below us. Now we know bighorn can cross rugged terrain pretty fast, but this was too fast. Then we noticed the first group of five are descending well above these two. So now we have seven bighorn in sight at one time... but all too far for a photo.
](https://hikearizona.com/dex2/images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall")
Oh well, it was so cool just to see how graceful they are as they quickly travel up and down the rugged slopes. Even breath-taking as we watch one drop a full 20 feet down in one jump, continuing down another few hundred feet within the matter of seconds. It made us feel like we had lead in our boots...
At the cliff base Tracey took a look at all the scat and agreed it was large cat scat, although nowhere near recent. Shortly after that we reached the saddle to catch a full 30 seconds of sunshine before it retreated into the clouds again. We may see another 5 minutes' worth during the hike, only for it to clear at the end.
But what about Overlook Arch?
First off, with Tracey along we had another set of eyes so we wandered near the original coordinates, climbed up a bit across the canyon but found just as much as I did three days ago... nothing.
Ok, now having read and re-read over-and-over the section in the book describing where the arch should be, we are headed for the next canyon southwest. But as brush-choked as it is we climbed the ridge while scanning all around. We spotted probably a half-dozen 'arches' but of course they were simply one rock fallen against another, and in most cases the hole was less than a foot in diameter.
By now it has become frustrating... without access to any known photos of the arch and no description as to size, shape, type of rock, etc., how will we know if and when we have located it? All we know at this point is we have NOT found it and it's time to head home. Maybe next time, maybe never, but I love the area anyway. (I just wish the approach was a bit easier)
Now going down the other side of the ridge and into the next canyon we will cross some of the most challenging terrain of the whole hike. So much for short-cuts.
It's one thing if you KNOW you can get all the way down a series of pour-offs before dropping down a few that you may not be able to climb back up... that's easy. But doing it when you have no idea, well that's when you are committed. Once committed, well there's no going back, so we made it through.
Everything from there was easy enough... it would all be ground we (or I) had already covered. Once over the saddle and on the final descent we scanned for signs of bighorn but by now they're back home watching some stupid humans running into each other chasing after an oblong, legless pig.
It's Thanksgiving so Tracey and I are thankful neither one of us has a clue who is playing football where, and neither of us are into this Black-Hole of shopping. What I don't get... how can it be Black Friday on Thursday? I guess as long as retailers can sucker folks into the frenzy it makes no difference.
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