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| Hiking | 10.19 Miles |
1,288 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.19 Miles | 6 Hrs 13 Mns | | 1.95 mph |
| 1,288 ft AEG | 1 Hour Break | | | |
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| no partners | | A couple years ago I decided I wouldn't go to work on my birthday (and risk public embarrassment), I'd go for a hike and celebrate another year of ambulation.
This year I wanted to visit some sites along the Gila River - petroglyph and ruin sites that are marked on the topo maps but might be hard to access due to possible tribal and private property restrictions.
My first attempt to drive near took me to a remote area, and the road I wanted to turn down looked more like a driveway. I stopped to look at my map and noticed what looked like a mannequin in a hoodie with something covering his face near the trailer's front door. When I saw the mannequin move I decided to shift a bit further down the road. Now I was past the trailer but noticed another hoodie clad figure also with a face covering, behind the trailer. This one started moving toward me and seemed to be carrying a long gun. Hey, I've seen "Breaking Bad"  . I decided to park elsewhere.
My next try was better and I found a track that moved in the direction I wanted to go...no signs...no fences. I parked and started across the Gila bed and it only took me about half an hour to get over to the hills. As I approached the first petroglyph site I noticed a pick-up truck approaching on a track parallel to the hills. In the truck were 3 tribal members, tribal brass actually, a Councilor was taking the Chairwoman on a cultural tour. I told them my story and we all looked around the petroglyphs for quite a while. They wished me Happy Birthday and "a good hike". There was no talk about restrictions but the Councilor did emphasize the importance to them of their "sacred ruin" (Fortale$a). I said I would certainly stay off that butte and he told me I could get a good view of it from the adjacent hill.
I walked down the river, mainly open desert with a few pottery sherds and quite a few tires, to "Point of Rocks" where there more glyphs then up the hill where indeed a good view of the ruin could be seen. I spent some time looking at rocks on the NW side of the butte and went over the low hill W of the butte but didn't find anything interesting. Returning on the south side of the butte I found quite a few more petroglyphs as well as some impressive ruins associated with the ones on top.
Walking back I passed another ruin site shown on the map, but this location is now used as a private tribal ceremonial site (based on a down sign I saw) so I moved along.
Good day out, much better than being at work on your birthday. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
