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| Barnhardt - Y Bar Basin Loop, AZ | |
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| | Barnhardt - Y Bar Basin Loop, AZ | | | |
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Barnhardt - Y Bar Basin Loop, AZ
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| Hiking | 16.20 Miles |
3,368 AEG |
| | Hiking | 16.20 Miles | | | |
| 3,368 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | | First, I cannot emphasize it enough: do this loop clockwise, starting on the Y Bar trail. I started up the Barnhardt trail at 8 am to hike the loop counterclockwise and saw three deer in the canyon below as I hiked up. Plenty of water flowing over the waterfall. It was a beautiful sunny day and hiking the Barnhardt trail on the backside of Mazatzal Peak was great - flat, open trail with minor ups and downs. I found a dead Northern Pygmy Owl on the trail with no apparent signs of injury - I included a photo in my photoset. Did I happen to mention that it's best to do this loop clockwise? Barnhardt ends at the Mazatzal Divide Trail and I turned left to continue hiking on a good trail. Eventually I arrived at Windsor Saddle, turned left, and began the 5.7 miles of agony that is the Y Bar (aka Share Tree) Trail going down. Bruce Grubbs in Hiking Arizona's Superstition & Mazatzal Country recommends starting the loop hiking up this trail with good reason. It is a very rocky trail with mostly fist size and larger rocks which makes for a very uncomfortable down hike as well as preventing one from looking around as you have to focus on your feet most of the time. I did encounter a lone javelina on the trail, so that's something. Overall a great hike, but probably best done clockwise - did I already mention that? |
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| Posted from my turquoise Princess rotary dial phone. |
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