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| Hiking | 19.24 Miles |
3,099 AEG |
| | Hiking | 19.24 Miles | 6 Hrs 28 Mns | | 3.31 mph |
| 3,099 ft AEG | 39 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | I arrived at the West Fork trailhead around 11a.m. on a Saturday morning in July. The West Baldy Trail had crowds of people: picnicking, hammocking by the creek, and hiking to the "summit." My goal was to complete the loop, starting with an ascent up the West Fork. I was impressed by how beautiful this forest and creek are. However, I was disappointed how difficult it was to find the turnoff for the true summit. I intentionally did not download a route scout track for the hike because I expected the intersection would be more intuitive. I was still able to catch some great views from the Mount Thomas ridgeline.
Descending the East Baldy Trail was fine, but less exciting than the West's ascent. The east trail was noticeably quiet. I didn't see a single person until I got all the way to the creek, only a mile or two from the East Baldy TH. The connector trail was not enjoyable, but I had made good time and I was thankful to be be hundreds of miles from the Sonoran Desert in July.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and I'm glad I did the loop. I'm not much of an-out-back hiker if I can avoid it.
After Baldy, I drove just a few minutes away to one of my favorite places in Arizona. There's a really cool waterfall between Baldy and Mcnary on the North Fork of the White River. Access only requires a WMAT hiking permit. |
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| - there's nothing like finding Water in the Desert - |
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Route Editor
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