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| Along the S.F. and Blue Rivers, AZ | |
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| | Along the S.F. and Blue Rivers, AZ | | | |
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Along the S.F. and Blue Rivers, AZ
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| no partners | | Wow, great weather, water and lots of animals. 8 coatimundi, a rafter of about 20 turkeys, a herd of about 20 deer, three bears ( not THE three bears), 5 javalina, 2 beavers ( twilight observation as I camped near the beaver dam), all kinds of birds; I liked the little black ones that dived in and out of the riffles on the rivers.
Drove in early Fri am, saddled up just down stream of Martinez ranch and marched down the San Francisco River to the Blue confluence just a few miles downstream. Couldn't find out if the "way" was still open to motor vehicles but it is being driven. 7-8 crossings of the river, which had a good flow and was knee deep at spots, and made the trekking poles hum once or twice. Lots of slippery rocks and cold enough I was glad for my neoprene socks which I brought at the last minute. The cottonwoods and sycamores were a mixed bag, some done, some still turning and some full on. Wide and sandy along this stretch of the San Francisco river, with plenty of evidence of some past flooding onto the banks, which probably accounts for very little evidence of homesteading here.
The Blue came in with a good flow not as much of course as the San Francisco. Nice rock formations here, and an incredible mesquite bosque bench. I turned upcanyon for the Blue River, it is wide with a manmade dam a short distance up and evidence of quad drivers heading up. But soon enough it canyons up with some wild volcanic rock formations, the stream and the cottonwoods. It is never very narrow but had pretty decent walls on both sides. I knew the next 6 miles at least should have some fair rock walls. I went up a ways then camped on a soft grassy bench covered in cottonwood leaf litter. Nearby was a beaver dam, already the water behind it deep and slow, it was flowing over the dam but who knows, might have the Blue lakes here until the floods from snowmelt of spring. The beavers had been busy destroying the cottonwoods lining the one bank. I had a nice fire on a large sand cobble bank, then in twilight went down and sat near a bush and waited. Two came out from a hole in the bank, lazily swimming and I was interested as to how they would get up the steep bank. However one saw something; slapped it's tail and the both went under. Later that night I thought I heard a bear and shouted and thumped on the bivy; I heard a loud thud into the water, probably gave that poor beaver a heart attack.
Next day left camp and just took water and cameras and went upcanyon. Here I saw the turkeys and the deer, but no pics, it was still darkish in the canyon bottom and I didn't have my camera ready. I walked far enough that the area was looking more like hills and desert, but the Blue was flowing still pretty strongly and quite clear. I came back to camp, then walked down to camp near the confluence as I wanted to explore more around the area. After I set up camp, then saw the javelina and the coati as I was sitting having supper. Damn! couldn't get to the camera fast enough again.
Next morning up for coffee and more local exploration and morning light for photos, I was walking up the Blue again and heard a weird moaning noise in some brush. I stepped unfortunately into a deep hole and was rescuing my camera waist pack when a large splash up river, and three brown behinds were running away from me. I shouted " Wait, can't I have one picture!" The last bear looked over its' shoulder, probably giving me the finger, then they were gone onto the brushy bench. Damn again!
Later I found a ruin site on a bench with a nice river view. It appeared to have been pot hunted extensively, but there were still shards, some decorative, and chippings. Looked to be about 10 rooms but hard to tell due to the scattered rocks. Old beer cans, and even a shattered plate at the site.
I dallied at leaving as the water was cold and it was a beautiful area. I had not seen one fire ring, the most trash at the ruin site. I finally got back to the Jeep and set out up the 4wd road, rougher because some folks had been spinning their tires and tearing up the road. I got to pavement in one piece, at least the Rubi is shifting in and out of 4 lo much better now, and I tried out both lockers on the one hill climb.
Could not have been better circumstances for this trip, a great area with great wildlife and pleasant solitude. |
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