Route Editor
Route Scout
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DESTINATION Ash Creek Trail #307 55 Photosets 2024-08-18 2024-08-18 2023-07-17 2021-10-08 2021-08-27 2019-10-12 2018-09-02 2017-03-11 2016-11-10 2016-10-13 2016-10-02 2016-09-10 2016-05-19 2015-10-19 2015-10-16 2015-06-28 2015-05-09 2014-08-16 2014-07-12 2013-07-23
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| HAZ Member neight33's 65 Photosets 2025-08-21 2021-10-22 2021-10-08 2021-09-27 2021-09-25 2021-09-24 2021-09-22 2021-09-21 2021-09-07 2021-08-27 2021-08-13 2021-08-12 2021-08-11 2021-07-31 2021-07-30 2021-07-27 2021-07-19 2021-07-14 2021-07-08 2021-07-03
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Route 
I have lots of mountainous hiking experience, but she didn't. I was physically prepared, she wasn't. 100 percent my fault. 
We left the house at 5am, by brother drove us to Old Columbine and we started hiking around 8am. It was slow-going and very treacherous, averaging 2 hours a mile. Without GPS, I would have gotten lost. Mt Graham is also known for its high concentration of black bears. We had one bear encounter, a mama bear and cub playing at the creek. 
Luckily she ran off, but only stayed on the other side of the creek watching us as we hiked out of sight. We eventually lost daylight and had to unexpectedly find shelter for the night. We'd gone about 6 miles in 11 hours. ](https://hikearizona.com/dex2/images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall"){kind=small}
We tried to finish the next day, but the terrain got too treacherous for my companion and she was exhausted. We decided to call for search and rescue. I'm not including my Route Scout recording of the botched second day (it was only about half a mile). It was mainly me trying different ways to get out, then calling it quits. It was a hard pill to shallow. 
On a positive note, the rescue team did compliment me for being on the "trail" and giving them our exact coordinates (my relative did). Apparently they rescued a father and son who claimed to be on the trail but was nowhere near it. They also agreed that it was too treacherous to "hike" us out, 
--didn't I already determine that--and lifted us into the helicopter. We were so close to the end!! 
I have thoughts about trying it again, because I know I could do it! 
But then I remember the bear. 