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| Hiking | 8.21 Miles |
977 AEG |
| | Hiking | 8.21 Miles | 2 Hrs 58 Mns | | 2.77 mph |
| 977 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | I planned to hike Black Canyon Trail today, as the segments north of Rock Springs Cafe are an underrated source of beautiful spring flowers, in quantity, quality and variety: Chuparosa, lupine, fairy duster, wiry lotus, lily, buckhorn cholla, and more!
Thursday at noon, my shuttle hike fell through. Not wishing to do an 22 mile out & back, I had to scramble for an alternative. This was it.
Eight years ago, as Pass Mountain Trail #282 squeezed between the archery range and the mountain’s lower slopes, it was often deeply eroded. Now, it is pristine. Wide & smooth. Even the cholla don’t seem as bad. There are several memorial benches for older folks to rest on. There’s also a lot of saguaro, more than anywhere else in the park. Many of the saguaro are quite spectacular, including one specimen that I swear had two dozen arms on it.
I stopped at the Viewpoint to take in the fantastic 240° views: Southwest, across Mesa, to the Sierra Estrella 40 miles away; 13 miles northwest, across Fountain Hills, to the McDowell Mountains; 21 miles northeast to Four Peaks; and just a few miles east to the Goldfield Mountains. That small mountain, all by itself a mile north, is the appropriately named Lone Mountain.
The section between the Viewpoint and the Saddle is the most isolated, least travelled, part of 282, so of course I encountered Loud Phone Talker. 
I forgot to look for the geocache at the Saddle.
From the Saddle back to Wind Cave Trailhead was a trudge; exercise, nothing more. (Other than being amused by Cat Peaks being named "peaks".)
I only saw three flowers all day. 
Hike Video: [ youtube video ] |
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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
