| | -
| |  |
|
1 |
-
| |  |
|
1 |
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
|
| | |
|
| Hiking | 10.72 Miles |
2,011 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.72 Miles | 4 Hrs 22 Mns | | 2.61 mph |
| 2,011 ft AEG | 16 Mns Break | | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | The Galiuro Mountains have been on my radar for a while now. Getting down there with adequate preparation and sufficient time has been the issue up until now. triplogs for this area are replete with cautionary tales regarding access and trail conditions. Today's brief taste has me wanting a lot more of this wilderness and mountain range.
My son agreed to accompany me for a quick overnight car camp on Ash Creek up FR 660. The valley leading up Ash Creek just off Sunset Loop was full with probably 10 encampments of toy haulers, 5th wheels and trailers towing primarily UTV's. Interestingly, I did not see or hear a single OHV for the entirety of our visit, even though Ash Creek Trail doesn't reach the wilderness boundary for a number of miles.
We camped at one of the 3 or 4 very nice campsites along the dry creek. My ambitious plans had me going up at Ash Creek and coming down at High Creek with my 19 year old son providing the shuttle. A blown tire on the way in to our campsite forced a change of plans as I didn't want him navigating FR 159 to High Creek on my spare and by himself.
The plan changed to go up Ash Creek and be back at camp by noon.
The trail is really separated into 2 parts. The lower trail is an incredible forested valley that follows Ash Creek under a canopy of oaks, ash, some pines and at the higher elevations some of the largest fir trees I have seen outside of Oregon. The first part of the trail is an old jeep trail that is really easy to follow. Once the trail hits the wilderness boundary it becomes more overgrown, but easy to follow with nothing prickly.
Switchbacks take the trail out of the Ash Creek watershed and up to a ridge that leads to Bassett Peak. The views from the ridge of the Pinaleño's and the valley below are impressive. I made it to the top of the ridge (just below BM 6996) but had to turn around to make it back to camp by noon.
Ideally, my next exploration of these mountains will be a 3 day backpacking trip because the Galiuro's deserve more than a half day hike. The beauty here parallels and in some ways is similar to the Eastern Mazatzal's. Although I just dipped my toes, the access via FR 660, navigation and trail conditions have me planning a return trip in short order. |
|
Autumn Foliage Observation Light
The maples were a nice color red, but everything else has seemed to go from green to brown. |
|
| _____________________
Wildflower seed in the sand and wind
May the four winds blow you home again |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
Route 
