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| Peters and Red Tanks Loop, AZ | |
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| | Peters and Red Tanks Loop, AZ | | | |
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Peters and Red Tanks Loop, AZ
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| Hiking | 19.35 Miles |
3,243 AEG |
| | Hiking | 19.35 Miles | 9 Hrs 48 Mns | | 2.44 mph |
| 3,243 ft AEG | 1 Hour 52 Mns Break | 20 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | It was great weather for another trip up to the Superstitions to hike portions of the Red Tanks and Peter’s Trail. The objective was to hike the northern most portion of the Red Tanks Trail (2 miles) and the first 1.5 miles of the Peter’s Trail. I only needed to do a short section of the Peter’s Trail so when I finish it from the other end I won’t have a 20 plus mile hike. It took almost a 20 mile hike though to accomplish this. As usual the superstitions didn’t disappoint. I was a little surprised at the lack of water in the creeks after the storms just a few days earlier (we got just under an inch last week in Tucson). There was more water in LaBarge last month when I was through here, of course that was after the tropical storm passed through. The sky was slightly overcast but the sun still shown through a bit, made for pleasant hiking but the pictures are a little flat and lacking in color.
I started out on the Bluff Spring Trail at about 0650 before sunrise. I got a couple hundred yards in and this rock grabbed my boot and I tripped and fell (hate it when they do that). The good news is I caught my fall with my hands, the bad news is I broke the tip of my middle finger again, the same joint I broke 20 years ago. It was just starting to get back to normal from the first break too. I continued with the hike because who needs a left middle finger anyway, I still have my right middle finger if I need it. The only time it was a bother was when I needed to button a button, tie a boot, cinch a strap or reach in a pocket. The sun lit up the peaks as I was in Bark’s Canyon. There were a few pools of water in the creek but nothing running and the pools were minimal. Not sure I would use the water unless it was absolutely necessary. Probably every animal in the area has been using it. Made it to the Dutchman Trail in 1.5 hours and didn’t check the condition of Bluff spring, so no water report. Continued on the Dutchman to the Peter’s Trail Junction in 3 hours. Travel along this portion of the Dutchman is smooth going. No water in LaBarge Creek along this portion of the trail (not counting LaBarge Spring).
The Peter’s Trail I thought was in pretty good condition, meaning I had no issues staying on trail. Does a steady uphill climb pretty much up to Peter’s Mesa (not strenuous). The trail about a half mile in turns to the north and heads up a small unnamed canyon and follows this pretty much up to just below the mesa. As the trail ascends this small canyon there is a rock wall spanning the creek, maybe 50 to 100 yards long, too long and porous for a dam I figured it must be some kind of corral or fence. Once on the mesa I took lunch and a half hour break. I wanted to finish up this portion of the trail so when I come in from the other end from the Tortilla Trail Head I won’t have a 20 + mile round trip hike. I suspect that the Forest service Road 213 to the east end of the Peter’s Trail will not be navigable; at least it doesn’t look good from Google Earth.
I headed back down the Peter’s Trail to the Dutchman and then the Red Tanks Trail. I took a short water break at LaBarge Spring which was trickling at about a quart a minute. I resupplied my water here and was kind of surprised the water was not really cold like you expect from a spring but it was good. There were some 3 leafed plants around the spring kind of viney looking, I am familiar with poison oak and it wasn’t that but do we have poison ivy here. Either way after I picked my pack up out of it I left it alone. I have a rule, if it has 3 leaves or if it rattles or hisses leave it alone. The Red Tanks Trail is easy to follow and allowed for lots of site seeing to the east of Music Mountain and the south of Coffee Flat Mountain. No water in the creek along this trail until you get close to the trail junction of the Whiskey Spring Trail. It did not appear to be running but there were some pools with lots of algae, again only if it was necessary.
The Whiskey Spring Trail I have been on before but this time in the opposite direction, slightly uphill most of the way but nothing to break a sweat over. Whiskey Spring had water in the trough but I don’t think it was running, it was a little low in the trough. I didn’t leave the trail to check it out, kind of did a fly by glance. There are great views from the Whiskey Spring Trail junction with the Dutchman Trail of where I was on the Peter’s Trail, Music Mountain and I believe Tortilla Peak to the north and to the south over Barkley Basin. It was now 3:00 with 4.5 miles to go and I started to feel a little easier about making it back by sunset. 20 mile hikes with a good amount of AEG is pushing it for me on these short days.
I have included in the photos a picture of FSR 213 near the Apache Trail road (Hwy 88). As I figured this road is doable but I don’t think it is worth the risk of having something go wrong. There were plenty of scrape marks on the rocks and piece parts of vehicles that have gone before. For me the 3 mile hike (6 miles round trip) to the east end of Peter’s and Hoolie Bacon is the way to go. Looks like a nice loop trail if you have a shuttle would be the Peter’s Canyon route to the Peters Trail and back to the Tortilla Trail Head along Hwy 88.
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Whiskey Spring |
Dripping |
Dripping |
| | | There was water in the trough but it was low so not not sure if it was even dripping. | | _____________________
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