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| Hardscrabble to Hells Hole Hill, AZ | |
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| | Hardscrabble to Hells Hole Hill, AZ | | | |
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Hardscrabble to Hells Hole Hill, AZ
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| Hiking | 12.41 Miles |
2,887 AEG |
| | Hiking | 12.41 Miles | 9 Hrs 21 Mns | | 1.71 mph |
| 2,887 ft AEG | 2 Hrs 5 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | I spotted some walls on a hill in a place called "Hells Hole" coming off Hardscrabble Mesa. Pretty irresistible.
I've had good luck with just random walks in that area so I was hoping to find other interesting stuff along the way to HHH and it worked better than expected.
While crossing a shallow drainage to get over to the right ridge I was lucky to hit a really nice spot - better than the other nice "creek shrines" I've previously happened upon up there. Two creeks came together there and there was a small pool -and the ancient residents left many petroglyphs, metates, and mortars.
Continuing along to a high point I noticed some pottery pieces and flaked black rock at my feet. Expanding the search I found plenty more pottery (a few painted pieces) and some low ruins. On my return I found a bigger ruin concentration there.
Maybe I should have quit there because the next couple hours were tough. Getting to HHH I contoured around another high point but it was steep and loose and the vegetation was thick. Elk paths helped but it took a lot out of me. The hilltop itself was pretty cool: a nice place for a fort/lookout and that's what it was. Some walls but no pottery - people didn't really live there.
Next task was to get out of Hells Hole and I figured going over the high point couldn't be worse than the contouring. I was right: but it was just as bad. From there it was a slow walk back. Missed Happy Hour  but otherwise a good outing. |
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