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| Government Hill and GOVT HILL BM, AZ | |
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| | Government Hill and GOVT HILL BM, AZ | | | |
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Government Hill and GOVT HILL BM, AZ
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| Hiking | 7.11 Miles |
2,498 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.11 Miles | 6 Hrs 42 Mns | | 1.88 mph |
| 2,498 ft AEG | 2 Hrs 55 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | About the triplog title.
Government Hill and "GOVT HILL” BM are not in the same place.
I first used the trail, ’Haunted Canyon W TH to Saddle.’
I then continued on with ‘Government Hill Trail’. From Government Hill, I descended the ‘hill’ to the west, down to Bull Basin Trail. There’s no trail down to Bull Basin, and the descent is steep, but very doable.
Bull Basin runs north-south here. I crossed Bull Basin going west, but not very far.
My plan was to continue west, off trail, and up another mountain peak. From that peak I was going to go two short peaks north, to a peak that has a benchmark symbol on TOPOs. From Bull Basin Tr, west to the BM, is only about 4 tenths of a mile in distance, and 500 Ft ‘up’.
As it turns out, I hiked only about 300 ft west of Bull Basin Tr and discontinued the pursuit. The vegetation was that very thick, 6 to 7 ft high, intertwined ‘stuff’, that I knew was going to exist for more than half the way up the mountain. (And more than half the way ‘down’ the mountain on the return).
Even in the planning stage of this hike, I was almost sure I wouldn’t do that last part of the planned adventure, as Google Earth gave very good (bad?) satellite views of that thick stuff.
(I experienced this same type vegetation last week, and was not pleased - It took forever and was exhausting).
Once the thick brush stopped me, I retraced my way back and made the hike an out-and-back.
As many know, ‘the hill’ named Government Hill has a benchmark. It’s benchmark has ‘No-Name’ on its disk.
The disk displays the elevation (5445) and that’s it. No other stamped info, other than the normal “USGS” and “$250 fine for disturbing” etc.
The BM I didn’t reach is on a No-Name peak - (TOPOs call it Pk 5501, just because of its BM elevation).
Here’s the fun part - The No-Name peak’s benchmark is named (and stamped), “GOVT HILL”.
So, …….. Here we have a mountain many hike to, called Government Hill, with a no-name disk, and we have a no-name mountain with a disk named “Govt Hill”. I’m sure there’s logic to all this - or maybe not.
I have a copy of the “Govt Hill” data sheet, with excellent info on how ‘To Reach’ the “Govt Hill” BM, on the No-Name peak. I have inquired, twice, to the USGS for info on the No-Name BM located on Government Hill, and they state “they don’t have a record of that No-Name disk”. Interesting.
For the most part, this hike was a good adventure. Alot of water is still running down Haunted Canyon Trail, and Paradise Tank is full. Government Hill Trail had alot of ice on the ‘smooth rock parts’, which was avoidable by hiking a bit off trail.
Sadly, the Government Hill’s summit log sheet (Blank side of some sheet music) was all wet and barely readable. I hung it out to dry while I was up there, and also added another dry sheet of paper.
One new experience for me, on this hike.
I talked with a hiker who was hiking with four dogs. Each dog had its own personal locator beacon around its neck, with a curved, wire antenna coming out of it. If they got out of sight, or lost, the hiker had a transmitter/receiver that would lead him to any of his lost canines. I thought that was really cool.
I’m sure HAZ hikers with dogs know all about ‘Canine PLBs”, but it was a first for me. |
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Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
J.R.R.TOLKIEN |
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