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| Backpack | 40.00 Miles |
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| | Backpack | 40.00 Miles | 4 Days | | |
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| partners | | Our section-hiking crew took on the Mighty Amazing Mazzies recently, although not without some trepidation because none of us are getting any younger. But because none of us are getting any younger we had to knock this tough section out.
We set up the car tricks Friday, leaving a vehicle at Doll Baby and Barnhardt TH’s. We were escorted through Passage 23 by the Passage Steward Extraordinaire Roger, Scatdaddy here on HAZ, and he planned to exit down Barnhardt.
Saturday we met up at the FR201/25 junction, piled into one vehicle and motored up to Mt. Peeley TH. FR201 is always an adventure even under the best of conditions. We were the third vehicle at this remote spot. We chocked the wheels, checked and rechecked packs, then headed out.
At the AZT junction a trail runner flew by and quickly disappeared up the trail, “up” being the operative word. Everyone being relatively fresh, we managed the switchbacks with no problems. Water was still evident at the wash crossing just shy of the Wilderness Boundary.
Roger was in “steward” mode so he went ahead to take on some persistent deadfall. We caught up in time to document his first victory. See Rambo photo.
I had not been over this trail since 2010, from when I remembered a “pucker point” where the trail narrows and lays in next to a rock wall on one side and the ground drops off precipitously on the other. Memory had placed this spot much closer to the TH, so it was good to put it in perspective. I wasn’t remembering things that hadn’t happened afterall, at least in this instance.
We had lunch on a saddle near several campsites. Use on the AZT has exploded this year, as evidenced by numerous small smooth tent sites visible from the trail.
Roger was on the hunt for one remaining deadfall, the largest of three. We found it a mile or two short of Bear Spring and had at it. The trail is now clear of downed trees from Mt Peeley to about a mile north of the rocky ridge.
This is a far cry from conditions after the fire in 2007. When we hiked it in 2010 literally hundreds, if not thousands, of trees lay across the trail. Bravo to Payson Joe (HAZ screen name) who cut nearly 500 (if not more) of these by himself. What an incredible contribution to the hiking community! Serious thought was given to closing the AZT after the 2007 fire, but Joe and others stepped up and opened the trail.
We reached Bear Saddle, our home for the evening, in late afternoon, ready to set up and get horizontal. One of the two thru-hikers that we saw today blew into camp shortly after us and camped at the site near the junction. The other hiker, also from Germany, had passed us a few miles back, headed for Barnhardt.
We watered up at Bear Spring before dinner. Bear Spring, as well as the recently renovated Chilson and Hopi Springs (Thank you Roger!) have been appropriated as someone’s personal animal harvesting—I won't say hunting—location. Screening vegetation has been cut and salt blocks and game cameras have been left at all three. And we hear about "entitled" hikers.
Day Two
Out of camp and on our way, another gorgeous day. Views from above the Y-Bar junction are awesome. Well, the views for the entire trip are incredible. The German fellow passed us and quickly disappeared, this seems to be a trend. We continued at our own pace.
A mile or so out of camp there is a switchback that in 2010 almost closed the trail. It was a washed out gully requiring handholds to get through. A youth crew has since rebuilt it and did an incredible job, one would not recognize it. The ridgeline above has grown up to 10-15 ft tall pines; 9 years ago it was a jack-straw deadfall plane. A chunk of the Y-Bar trail is visible; a youth crew recently brushed the top end of it.
Roger showed off the Chilson Spring renovation before heading back down Barnhart; I hadn’t seen it before. What a bunch of work!
We broke for lunch just past Chilson Camp. Some early maps show a cabin here, one has to wonder why anyone would build a cabin up here. One thought is that a hundred years ago the country wasn’t all rock and manzanita; there are remnant grasses here and along the Divide Trail for some distance. Perhaps this was better grazing land at the time, and that drew the ranchers.
Our pace slowed as the temperature rose and we approached Horse Camp Seep. We met a crew of riders coming up from the camp area there—three gals who had started at Pine appeared to be having a great time with their horses. Must have been some tough horses! After a short rest we decided to continue to Hopi Spring so our daily mileage would be more evenly distributed. Hard to pass up the great campsite but we didn't want the next day to be a killer.
Campsites near Hopi Spring are quite limited. We watered up at the new trough, then went back down the path to the trail. Horses have churned up the muddy soil to the spring, but the whole mountainside is muddy this year. After some searching we found level areas a few hundred feet downhill from the trail, just past Hopi. In among the decaying deadfall we found an old fire ring, and the next morning a pickaxe. We weren’t the first to camp here, but it’s been a long time since anyone else did.
Day three we were up and on our way much earlier to avoid some warm afternoon miles. Brush Spring was the goal. I was the last one ready to go, oh the shame!
Just after we started a young woman from California blew by; she’d camped at Horse Camp. She started at Mexico April 10 so she’s making great time. Oh, to be young!
The rocky ridge did not disappoint! What views! And wind! We got some good pictures, checked emails, and then—this being the $5 versus $25 tour—continued on our way. There's a nice tent spot just below the ridge.
The big down-hill made for a quick couple miles to the bottom, where we found pools and a trickle of water. The other water system wasn’t working all that well so I pumped for everyone and probably converted a few members of the group to a more substantial water treatment system. Regrettably, I believe I left a Gatorade bottle sitting on the rocks. Mea culpa x3!
We had lunch at the Red Hills junction, then dropped into and started up the gorgeous wooded canyon. This passage has no steward, evidenced by the 10 or so deadfall that we couldn’t move—one being a ~24-inch log that will have to be cut twice. There was still plenty of water in the canyon bottom all along this section, until it starts to climb.
It’s a steep rocky climb out of this canyon, especially later in the day. Memory has totally failed me; it is nothing like what I remembered. After a break at the well-signed junction on top we continued down-down-down to Brush Spring. Again, there was plenty of water in the streambed a half mile before Brush Spring.
All of the burned trail signs and water-source signs along the AZT in the Mazzies are new—another huge accomplishment by Roger and Joe!
Brush Spring is a great campsite for hikers and horse riders. We pumped water from pools that we found through the brush just north of the huge burl oak. There are also a sign and path to water as you leave the area. Either is fine.
A great night here as well. The pre-emptive dose of vitamin I before bedtime is a great trick that I will remember.
Day four is a wake-up and out! On the trail by 6:15! We have learned the joys of an early start, haven’t we? I hauled out a couple pounds of clothes left in the bushes by the big tent site, this to balance the karma regarding the forgotten Gatoraide bottle from yesterday.
Some overcast made for dramatic light and the photogs did their thing. We made it to the high saddle and headed downhill before the “light rain” that we’d seen in the forecast materialized. It snuck up over the mountain behind us and quickly increased. We huddled up, found rain gear and a ground cloth that will suffice for those who don’t have rain gear, stood around for a few minutes and then moved along. Within 30-40 minutes the rain dissipated and we began to dry out. The views down the mountain to the East Verde River are breathtaking, especially in the light under the storm clouds.
At the road to LF Ranch we debated taking the river route, unexplored by any of us, or the road. The road looked very smooth here, so we went with it. Yeah, a mile further but a smooth mile, a definite mile. Maybe not the best decision but so be it. After plenty of up and down along the road and a break at the gate, we made it! All done, all safe and sound, no injuries or helicopters, the Mazzies are done. This connects our AZT hikes between the road above Roosevelt Lake to the Babbitt Ranch powerlines. Plenty left to do-and most of it the harder parts-but this was a big piece of tough trail, now all done.
We had lunch at El Rancho in Payson, which never disappoints, then headed south to undo the car tricks. I was worried about getting Tracy’s Hyundai up FR201 to retrieve my truck at Mt Peeley TH, but no problem! |
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Wildflowers Observation Substantial
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Shawn
The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see. |
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