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| Backpack | 31.00 Miles |
6,050 AEG |
| | Backpack | 31.00 Miles | 3 Days | | |
| 6,050 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | The Mazatzal passages have been ones that I have been dreading since we started our section hiking over two years ago because I had heard that it is overgrown and hard to navigate - so first of all just let me say a big THANKS to all the volunteers that have obviously been working to clear the trails  It really is in great shape (except for all the ankle twisting rocks, but I have learned that is just what you have to expect on the AZT - not much to be done there).
That said, these three days were some of the hardest trail miles I have done to date. It may be because we did back to back long weekends (Four Peaks and Pine Mountain were last weekend) and my body hadn't recovered yet? Who knows, but when we finally got to LF Ranch and started the long hike out to a car we left at Doll Baby TH I just wanted to sit down and cry. And we still had to make the scary drive back up to Mount Peeley to get my car and then make it back off that road to drive back to Prescott. Got home and told my hubby that I was going to take a shower, then a bath, then a shot of whiskey, then I'd hug him and tell him all about the trip (in that order - and since I kind of smelled he was willing to wait).
But I digress - so day one was from Peeley to just past Barnhart Trail TJ where we found a lovely campsite. We did stop at Bear Spring to filter some water (plenty there, and the bees were kind enough to share). We had leapfrogged another section hiker (Terry) that morning, and ran into her again at Bear Spring. But then she left us in her dust and we never saw her again. One thru hiker came past as we were setting up our tents. He was trying to get to Pine in two days (wow). Saw no one else all day.
Day two was a struggle. It started with rolling an ankle and going down hard on my knees and hands. Fortunately it was not on the otherwise narrow trail that hugs the side of the mountain with a drop off on one side  It's always on the flatter, "easier" trail sections where I feel confident about actually lifting my head for a moment to look around - but the trail has to teach me a lesson and throws a rock right under the side of my foot causing the ankle to roll and make me collapse. Sigh. So, with a sore ankle and roughed up knees, I carefully picked my way as we made our way into passage 24 (after a lunch stop at The Park). Our initial plan was to get to Brush Springs, but it was such slow going that we only made it about a mile into the passage where we camped in the pines near some pools and seeps (where we again filtered water). There was water in many of the creeks and pools along the trail, so I did not check out the other water sources this time. We heard what we think was a fox screeching after it got dark. But then it got very quiet, and colder than I thought it would be since the day was quite warm.
Day three was another slow day with lots of rocks and ups and downs - with that last downhill to LF Ranch and the long hike out to the TH. But again, the trail in Passage 24 was also in great shape - thanks to all who made it so much better than I had planned for.
This brings our total miles done to 652. Getting there. |
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Wildflowers Observation Moderate
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