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| Hiking | 10.16 Miles |
810 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.16 Miles | 3 Hrs 57 Mns | | 2.57 mph |
| 810 ft AEG | | | | |
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[ show ]
| no partners | | I hiked south from the Cinch Hook Trailhead, at the intersection of AZ-87 and FR 6038.
I could hear Pine Creek from the top of the Rim. That had me wondering if I would be able to cross the creek, or if it would be a raging torrent like the one that killed that poor family in nearby Ellison Creek last week.
Despite the recent heavy rain, Pine Canyon Trail #26 was not muddy and footing was never an issue. However, plant droplets had me soaked by the time I reached the bottom of the switchbacks. I only had to duck one fallen tree, but there were several more hovering just upslope.
Halfway down the switchbacks, I saw some colored bits in the dirt & leaf litter. I kneeled down, discovering there were scads of plastic beads. Thankfully, who ever dropped them on the trail also dropped a small plastic tub. It took me about 15 minutes to pick them all up. It also inspired my hike video’s music selection. 
With all the vegetation along the canyon bottom, by the time I got to Pine Creek, I was even wetter.
Pine Creek did appear up a bit, but not much. It was nowhere near a raging torrent. The massive tree that previously served me as a bridge, did not appear safe to cross, so I searched a bit for a dry crossing. There were too many trippy plants to either side, and I was wet anyway, so I rock-hopped across.
New signage has been installed all along Pine Canyon Trail #26. I stopped by Tiny Cave, where I took my first break. Lacking hundreds of 12 year old girls, it was blissfully quiet, the only sound the peaceful rush of Pine Creek.
Pine Canyon Trail #26, between Cinch Hook Trailhead and Camp Lo Mia, is one my Top 10 Arizona Hikes. 
The recently installed Bearfoot Bridge is a half mile south of Tiny Cave. The bridge has a dedication plaque and some bear prints in the cement. It’s a really nice build. Apparently, there is also a “livestock crossing”, though I have never seen any cattle or sheep in Pine Canyon, while neither elk, deer nor bears comprende ingles.
Despite the Bearfoot Trail #13’s sun exposure, it was quite slippery, due to a thin mud layer, in many spots.
The wierdest thing I saw all day happened when I stopped to admire an oddly twisted manzanita. As I looked up — it was quite high — I spotted half a deer leg hanging in its branches.
Once Bearfoot Trail #13 gets up a couple of hundred feet, it starts twisting to an absurd degree. More twists than the plot of a daytime soap. There multiple twists where one side of the twist is only only 10 yards, and less than 10 ft. elevation difference, from the other side of the twist. The trail also drops, or ascends, several contours, for reasons I could not fathom, when it seems like it would have been easier to follow a contour. Those odd ups & downs add up to 2/3s of this hike’s total gain. Not to criticize, because the trail crew really did a fantastic job. 
Since I started spending more time photographing flowers, I’ve figured out that they are one of the best places to look for wildlife. (Bugs, obviously, not mammals.) Bird song serenaded me throughout the day. During one break, I tried to lure the birds in by scattering crushed vinegar chips, but they weren’t buying it. At various times, I saw deer, elk and bear scat, but the only big critters I saw were a pair of female elk having lunch across AZ-87 from Old Country Inn in Pine, where my wife & I stopped for post-hike linner and rehydration.
Hike Video: [ youtube video ] |
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Wildflowers Observation Light
Quantity is low, but variety high. |
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| http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
