| |
|
| | |
|
| Hiking | 11.94 Miles |
1,842 AEG |
| | Hiking | 11.94 Miles | 7 Hrs 30 Mns | | 1.76 mph |
| 1,842 ft AEG | 42 Mns Break | | | |
|
|
| |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | If you want to hike out to Willow Spring, use the posted trail. Do not follow the route I took on the first half of my hike today. I did this hike for the workout (bouldering rocks!) plus a chance to see some new stuff.
The first part of the hike followed the FW Upper Creek Loop. When the creek trail bends back towards Dutchman, I continued south following a route I picked up from the SAR website. The route was what I expected for the most part, until I ran into a jungle, then it got nasty for a bit. I must have missed a turn, cause I can't imagine anyone wanting to go through that. After reviewing my route a week later and comparing it to the SAR route, I did miss a turn; I should have stayed above the fray and skirted around to the NE, where the brush ends, before bending back to the SE.
Merged onto WB canyon at the end of the SAR route, then bumpy smooth sailing to the spring. Good water at the spring, but nothing (or nothing good) anywhere else.
Snapped some pics at Willow Spring, then headed over to the stone corral to see if I could find some good shots there. I found the south anchorage and I could see the anchorage on the other side. I am assuming that the thick brush that's there now must have been there when Adolf Ruth cleared that out and built the wall. It's truly amazing what people were willing to do out here in this wilderness.
I followed the official Willow Spring route back to FW trailhead. Ignore the large cairn to your left as you head back. The cairn invites you to leave the creek into the bush to the west. It's part of the official route, but it's so overgrown in there that you'll quickly regret leaving the creek. I did.
I exited WB creek along a cairned route below Tim's Saddle and followed the path up and over Tim's and another saddle farther along. I hooked up with Dutchman again at Parker Pass. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed Dutchman after all of that boulder hopping.
Fun hike, but only if you like off trail and boulder hopping. Lot's of both today. The weather was perfect. I didn't see anyone (and didn't expect to) until the last couple of miles on the Dutchman trail. Then I saw a few families enjoying the outdoors on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon. |
  |
Willow Spring |
Dripping |
Dripping |
| | | Pools in the reeds, trickling out and down the slick rock as you approach. | | _____________________
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
