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| Hiking | 16.65 Miles |
2,212 AEG |
| | Hiking | 16.65 Miles | 8 Hrs 34 Mns | | 2.14 mph |
| 2,212 ft AEG | 47 Mns Break | | | |
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| partners | | The plan was to park near Buzzards Roost off Elephant Peak Road and make a loop from Coffee Flats to the Dutchman, down Whiskey Springs Trail, up and over Red Tanks back down to Coffee Flats and then take Coffee Flats Canyon back to the start. Jason and I would start there and Wally, Chris and Scott would start from Peralta Trail. We made it to Milk Creek Canyon about 5am and started hiking out. It was windy and was trying to rain.
We reached Coffee Flats via Whitlow Canyon, Jason was struggling with his chest and a cough. We could see headlamps along the Dutchman and assumed (correctly) that was probably Wally and Chris.
By the time we made it to the Coffee Flats/Dutchman junction, Jason was really having problems. He decided he should probably turn back at this point. He told me to keep going and he would be ok. I probably should have cancelled and hiked back with him, but he made it ok back to his truck.
I started up the Miners Saddle and met up with Chris and Wally near the Whiskey/Dutchman junction. We saw Scott hiking up and started heading up Whiskey Springs. Scott caught up with us near Whiskey Springs.
We decided to modify the hike and just the Red Tank Loop and started up to meet the Dutchman Trail. Lots of evidence of recent high water flow along La Barge Creek. Red Tanks was a little overgrown and had the same catclaw forest as Whiskey Springs.
We stopped at the sycamore grove near the Red Tanks/Dutchman junction and had some lunch. Then it was on to the Dutchman heading south to Bluff Springs.
Lot of backpackers out near Bluff Springs and we passed several other groups heading up the Dutchman.
The parking lot at Peralta was full and we could see lots of hikers going up Peralta and a few hiking up Bluff Springs.
Wally and Scott are speedy hikers and left Chris and I in the dust most of the way back. I was feeling the duration and elevation towards the end, but we still made a steady pace of almost 2mph the entire hike. That’s not bad for me, especially after 16+ miles.
I will work on another day to hit the lower Red Tanks Trail, but this one was a nice one as well. Jason ended up going to the doctors and found out he has bronchitis. It was nice to finally meet Scott Hika. And, it’s always a pleasure to hike with Chris and Wally. |
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"Hiking is just walking where it’s okay to pee." –Demetri Martin
instagram: @andydilling |
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