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| AB Young - Buckhead - West Fork Loop, AZ | |
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| | AB Young - Buckhead - West Fork Loop, AZ | | | |
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AB Young - Buckhead - West Fork Loop, AZ
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| Hiking | 14.44 Miles |
3,106 AEG |
| | Hiking | 14.44 Miles | 8 Hrs 9 Mns | | 1.97 mph |
| 3,106 ft AEG | 50 Mns Break | 14 LBS Pack | | |
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[ show ]
| partners | | Joe came up with a good one this week. It only got warm a few times, but the breezes and tree cover made it quite tolerable.
It was confusion right off the bat on this one. Having no idea how we got off the trail 50 ft in, we just crossed the creek and hit the AB Young on the other side. This is still a steep one, things have not changed. Pines at the beginning, Pines at the top and exposed everywhere else.
We stopped at the East Pocket Lookout and talked to the Lookoutkeep whose name was Guy. Strangely he was a Michigan dude, hailing from the next town over from where I used to live.
After some pleasant FS walking, we got to the exciting part. Joe had actually spent some time this week and came up with some options. Nestled between the two Technical Canyonering options of Illusion Canyon and Immaculate Canyon, Joe came up with a route that us non-canyoneer types could manage. Steep in spots, sure, but nothing crazy or scary. Only one 50 yard spot with thick prickly stuff. Some really cool undercut areas and one area with a JJ ladder to descend 20'. A great job of putting together this route.
We exited the canyon into the West Fork of Oak Creek 4 miles from the Trailhead. There was a group taking a break there that looked at us with a confused look as to where we'd come from.
This was actually my first time in the lower portion of the West Fork. Quite a gorgeous place. The people got thicker the closer we were to the TH.
Our road walk on 89a to get back to the Bootlegger is not recommended. |
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Wildflowers Observation Light
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| _____________________
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry  |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
