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| Hiking | 10.26 Miles |
1,286 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.26 Miles | 5 Hrs 2 Mns | | 2.08 mph |
| 1,286 ft AEG | 6 Mns Break | | | |
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| partners | | I hiked this 10 years ago  and I remembered at the northeast corner of the loop I saw some trail junctions. I went on the Route Editor and looked at the aerial photos and found some of the equestrian trails in that area. They all looped back to the main loop, so I drew in some new tracks over them and mashed up a new route to download. Andy was interested enough to abandon his previous plans for training deathmarch up and down Ord.
We got started early and hike the first mile or so in the dark with headlamps. I thought I had missed the ovens yet again, but i happened to notice it just as the wash emerges from the canyon on the west side of the loop. It was still pretty dark, but we were able to see it well enough and get semi-decent pics.
Most of this is following the wash, but it's not very loose sand, so it isn't the slog that wash hiking can sometimes be. At least to me it isn't. the northeast corner of the loop we found the trails I had mapped out and started hiking them, making loop-de-loops around that area. At one spot the trail goes up to a knob that has great views of Saguaro Lake, Four Peaks etc. the trails are clearly equestrian trails and have been beating into the rock and dirt a foot or so deep.
Along the way on these we found what looked like is possibly a stockyard for rip rap and other material on the highways. There's a service road that leads to it from the Bush Highway. Once we got back on the main loop, we were back mostly to wash hiking again. the one part goes through a slot canyon of sorts, which is interesting.
The hike back along the horse trail that parallels the Bush Highway was almost like wash hiking because the dirt is all beaten into dust from the horses. Some of this trail by the bus parking area looks like it was re-routed a bit from 10 years earlier.
Best part of the hike was up in the northeast corner, which has the best views. The rest was pretty easy and cool to see the oven and other things along the way. Glad i was able to find the side trails and explore those some. |
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