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| Hiking | 12.06 Miles |
1,009 AEG |
| | Hiking | 12.06 Miles | 4 Hrs 56 Mns | | 2.44 mph |
| 1,009 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | I had time to hike on Wednesday, but delayed a day so I could celebrate — if that is the right word? — Veterans Day with a ruck march and some land nav. With comfortable footwear and without knee-deep mud.
Despite being on a forest road, FR 3037 is a pleasant stroll. Pinto Creek had a trickle of water, and the morning sun just peeking over the canyon walls made the late fall color pop.
I counted four pump stations / water gauges along FR 3037. The mechanicals are protected by razor wire-topped fence. In several cases, there were post-mounted, locked, small metal boxes nearby. (Which I assume contained stream gauges.) Perez Cabin is across Pinto Creek from the second gauge. The cabin is partly collapsed and filled with pack rat nests & hantavirus. 
Pinto Creek was an inch deep, with a trickle of water. I wonder how much of that was due to the third, and largest, pump station, which was absolutely gushing water? I saw no water at the other pump stations: I assume because the copper mine’s were sucking it all up.
After 1.7 miles, at the fourth pump station / water gauge, Haunted Canyon Trail #203 starts on the right. 
Crossing a spur, Trail #203 climbs 200 ft. in ¾ mile, which seemed steeper than it was. Probably because the stinknet-covered spur is highly exposed, despite being dotted with juniper. It was only 43℉ when I started 90 minutes earlier, so I actually appreciated the sun. Otherwise, the trail climbs a very consistent 100 ft./mile all the way to Tony Ranch.
After a mile Trail #203 drops back down to the bottom of the canyon, which it crosses many times in the final three miles to Tony Ranch. I’ve heard the canyon can be quite wet, but two months after the summer monsoon, it was dry except for a few small puddles. The most pleasant part of the hike, the canyon bottom has lots of shade, even in early afternoon.
Trail #203 is really well plotted and built. I missed a handful of creek crossings, for a few feet here or there, but if you pause for a couple of seconds, where Trail #203 continues should be fairly obvious. (No need for the spray-painted red arrows on several boulders.) 
There are few cacti, but catclaw all along Trail #203. I got painfully snagged on several occasions. I’ve heard poison ivy lines the canyon bottom, but I at least managed to dodge that. The deadfall is minor and easily avoided.
Tony Ranch Spring is next to the trail. Can’t miss it. The spring was barely a trickle, but the small spring box was nearly full. (With many bees.) The trail then crosses a small meadow before reaching Tony Ranch cabin.
There’s an array of rusty metal junk outside Tony Ranch Cabin. Several signs warn that Tony Ranch cabin is "No tresspassing, hunting, camping or fires". On the other hand, there is a trail log inside the cabin, so I figured it was at least legal to take a peak. 
In the cabin’s front room, to the left, there is a dodgy metal bed frame meshed with plastic cord. Right is a wood table and metal cabinet, with various bits & bobs, including the logbook. The back room was empty. I was not sure the rickety wood bench would support my fat rear end while I signed the log.
After spending nearly an hour at the cabin, I started back. Thankfully, other than the short climb out of Haunted Canyon up to the grassy spur, it was all downhill. I really thought I was hauling, but somehow I only averaged 2.4 mph. At least, for once, I made it back to my patient wife ahead of time. (Even if by only 30 seconds.)
Hike Video: https://vimeo.com/645729516 |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
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Tony Ranch Spring |
Dripping |
Dripping |
| | | Little metal box nearly full, but only a trickle coming out of the pipe. Lots of bees. | | _____________________
| http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
