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| Galiuro/Redfield Side, AZ | |
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| | Galiuro/Redfield Side, AZ | | | |
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Galiuro/Redfield Side, AZ
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| no partners | | I have backpacked or hiked most all of the current trails, old trails in the Galiuro Wilderness and adjacent Redfield Canyon Wilderness. So the side canyons have occupied me. Some are nice, some are tough, and some are boring and a thrash through brush. This had been my destination when I had the "4F" weekend, and I am glad my plans were thwarted. Not a place to be in bad weather.
I had no information on this canyon, other than I knew it on the TOPO and the road I had driven many times crossed it. I saddled up Fri midday, after a leisurely launch from my house. The road in was sort of torn up due to the storms, and took me a little longer than the usual, including squeezing the Toyota under a partially fallen tree then looking for another out if the tree came down while I was back there.
Nice summer flowers. I cinched up the back pack and walked down the canyon. Getting older, miles of rock hopping takes its toll. The canyon open and uninteresting at first, then small pools, some sections of slickrock. Some rock hoodoo formations. Little drops, then coming into the first real walls, and giant sycamores, and water oozing from the ground, water everywhere. A little stream begins, the canyon opens then starts dropping and tightening up in earnest. Some sections I would call spectacular. Slickrock bowls full of water, and splayed streams through the apron of rock. My photos will do no justice to this place. I was just short of my destination, my legs tired, when I got into the ginormous boulder jumble. Boulders the size of house trailers. I found a cleft stuffed with leaves and flood silt, that would be my camp, just around the corner from a dark still pool at the base of a short pour off.
After rest and dinner, I pushed through the boulder jam without the back pack. Up on the unstable thorny slope out of the canyon, descended back in, the climbed through the mess. Only one way through it without a rope. A good nights rest in my protected soft bed, then out with a daypack for a nearby place I have been several times before, but of course never this way. I visited the Cave House, looking much the same. A lot of running water and the main canyon appeared hit hard by flood run off.
As I hiked in I passed a great area to camp. So I saddled up and scrambled back through the canyon to the place. A large apron of rock with running water at it's foot, massive sweeping cliffs in a shallow alcove. A little protection and great open sky views with hoodoo rock formations. I was here early so I read, went swimming, and did a little local exploration. In the evening the bats came out to play, from the many holes/ shelters in the cliff face. I did have to use my bivy as a pesky wasp was way too curious and landed on me several times but did not sting.
Once the moon set, good star gazing. Early dawn brought bat and bird shows along the cliff face getting the insects I suppose. There were lots of mosquitoes which required the deet. There was also a lot of poison ivy but I avoided most of that.
I walked out trying to get some better pictures in different light. The areas of woodlands were almost gothic, dark, backlit with the early light, the pools black or silver depending on the light.
Well this was a great trip. As usual all to myself, even on the road drive in and out. This place is one of the special ones, with a couple of things I will need to come back and see more in depth. I love new places, in and around the old places, the hidden gems. This is one of those. |
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