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| Hiking | 18.25 Miles |
2,810 AEG |
| | Hiking | 18.25 Miles | 7 Hrs 30 Mns | | 2.70 mph |
| 2,810 ft AEG | 45 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | | A small cold front moved in that would make Friday, March 31, 2017 a perfect hiking day. I opted to do the Dutchman Trail #104 from Peralta Trailhead to First Water. Started about 7:30am and the day proved to be spectacular. I love the solitude and ease of walking along the first stretch through Barkley Basin through some wonderful stands of saguaro cactii. The climb up through Miner's Canyon to the pass northeast of Miner's Needle is a pleasant, not difficult, climb with some great rock formations to look at. From the pass to Bluff Spring Canyon was uneventful but so nice to soak in all that makes spring flowers from recent rains a sight to behold. As I approached and entered into La Barge Canyon I had this overwhelming feeling - I NEED TO REPENT!!!! I'm an Arizona native and have never set foot into this canyon - that my friends is a sin. I was amazed at the beauty, vegetation, water, tree canopy over the trail - it was an awesome experience to be there and I LOVED it. Even though it was a cool day, as I was walking along the sandy trail with knee-high grass on both sides just before the spot where Charlebois Canyon and La Barge Canyon merge, there was a nice Western Diamondback stretched out across the trail. I saw him in plenty of time, but he still spooked a little and assumed the most unusual strike pose I'd ever seen (see picture). He wasn't about to move, so I had to nudge him back into the grass with a stick before moving on. Then, still a little nervous, I slowed my pace and kept the stick with me for a while (lol). When I got out of the grass and started west beneath Black Mountain toward Needle Canyon I encountered another venomous friend, a Gila Monster (see picture) who was, of course, unconcerned with me. Water was to be found in most creek beds still, a few Mexican Poppies still out, but plenty of yellow from the Brittle Bushes stained my pants from brushing through them. Beautiful sights, great weather and another heavenly day in the Superstition Wilderness. |
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Wildflowers Observation Substantial
Brittle Bush, Mexican Poppies, Hedgehog Cactus |
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