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| Hiking | 7.39 Miles |
1,363 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.39 Miles | 4 Hrs 9 Mns | | 1.78 mph |
| 1,363 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | The informal trailhead is off Fuller Rd., just past a “private property” type sign, 200 yds. south of Ralls Rd. You can legally ignore the sign, as you are on the Kaibab National Forest. The private property is beyond the fence. Don’t cross that.
We -- Eric, a local -- and I folwoed an unnumbered jeep trail that parallels the fence. In a half mile, near the corner of the property, we split in the jeep trail, then started heading cross country towards the northwest slope of Strawberry Mountain.  ⛰
After crossing a rather steep wash, we started up Strawberry Mountain. Eric was concerned about cliffs and brush, but honestly it was not bad. I found an elk trail that not only made relatively easy going of the 600 ft. in 0.6 miles, but gave us some great views across Strawberry, towards the KRIM (Payson) tower on the Rim, plus west towards Fossil Creek.
There was a small manzanita forest near the false summit, but they were young plants, yet to grow tall, stout, branches, so travel was bueno. There were still a few flowers, and plenty of mushrooms, to photograph. 
Even better photo ops were available on Strawberry Mountain’s east edge, particularly across Pine, towards Milk Ranch Point.
From Strawberry Mountain's false summit, we headed south, into a forested gully. There was a trickle of water in the drainage. I got a great photo of sunburst illuminated leaves. Then we climbed the 300 ft. towards the true summit.
Strawberry Mountain’s true summit is wide, flat and grassy, with scattered trees. It was also quite muddy due to all the recent rain. Much more so than it’s soil slope. We found a jeep trail, which apparently runs towards Maple Spring Tank. Probably a good thing, as we were speculating on how hunters could possibly drag their elk kill back down the hill.
We followed the jeep trail for a bit, but continued south, cross country, when it turned west. I was looking for a good OP I had spotted on sat view, but which no one from Haz has yet posted a route.
Eric and I hit the south rim of Strawberry Mountain a bit west of the OP. As we worked our way east, we bumped into the oddest thing: A cable television junction box, full of coax cable and other electronic gizmos.
The OP I had seen on sat view was visible from the junction box, so we headed over.
The views were everything I had hoped for! I could see 270°, including Milk Ranch Point, the town of Pine, Houston Mesa, Payson, Buckhead Mesa, Four Peaks, the Mazatzal Mountains, Pine Ridge, Oak Spring Canyon, the Hunt Ranch, Hardscrabble Mesa, and points west. We thought we could see Mingus Mountain.
I stopped at a very large, and tall, alligator juniper. While I was watering it, I noticed a hunting stand up high in the tree. No hunter, though I did have my orange pack and red hat on so I would stand out.
We lost the jeep trail around Hunt Ranch’s back gate, so we continued cross country to the saddle that separates Hunt Ranch from the one we parked near. There, we picked up another jeep trail, a steep one, that looped us back to the trailhead.
Hike Video: https://vimeo.com/494951404 |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Substantial
None the day we ere there. Eric tells me the mountain turned fiery overnight. Win some, lose some.  |
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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
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