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| Hiking | 10.51 Miles |
2,000 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.51 Miles | 4 Hrs 41 Mns | | 2.32 mph |
| 2,000 ft AEG | 9 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | After checking out some of Booger Canyon from Aravaipa last week, I was intrigued to continue upstream since we had to turn around earlier than hoped.
Another weekend at Cobra Ranch was nice, and allowed me to make an attempt from the north side by descending into the canyon from above.
There's private property about 5 miles up from the Aravaipa trailhead near the top of Hell Hole Canyon. I had mapped out a route to climb out of the canyon and head overland toward Booger. Don't go the way I went! Lol. I ended up doing some stupid class 5 climbing, exposed, on that crumbly composite Hell Hole rock. It offers lots of juggy hand and foot holds ... until they come loose and tumble down the mountain.
I kept telling myself to make smart decisions, but somehow wasn't listening. Don't go up the way I went up! I knew I couldn't possibly make it down that way and at the end of the day found a very nice route down. I recommend it highly!
After following some old roads across to Booger, I dropped in above the dam I had seen on satellite. It's filled in, but a nice piece of old masonry work. Shortly downstream I hit a waterfall obstacle that I may have been able to make it down, but the depth of water at the bottom was unclear, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to get back up. So I found a very long, steep, and difficult bypass, and when arriving back in the canyon bottom found myself below yet another impassable obstacle.
Wondering if that was it, I headed downstream further, with the goal of getting to the point we turned around the week before. With way more energy expended than planned (plus a start at 11:30am!) and a big boulder drop that I could have easily descended, but wasn't sure I could have gotten back up, I decided to finally make a smart decision and turned around. Looking at satellite I think it should be straightforward from here to cover the final little stretch, but you never know. There might be a drop or two that can't be bypassed.
On the way back up, I was able to scramble up and around the lower obstacle where I had dropped in to the canyon and continued up to the upper obstacle. I decided I didn't want to do the big bypass and waded into the pool and climbed up the waterfall. This wouldn't be possible with much more water flowing, but turned out ok, and was a welcome relief from having to go around.
Four easy road miles back to the truck! With the wilderness crew down in Hell Hole, I considered heading down to meet up with them, but instead headed back to the house to start the fire and get the lasagna in the oven. Timing was great, as it was done cooking just as the others returned from their hike!
Recap: Do NOT use my ascent route out of Hell Hole canyon! Use my descent route, which is the farther north route! |
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| I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
