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| Weaver's Crosscut Loop from First Water, AZ | |
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| | Weaver's Crosscut Loop from First Water, AZ | | | |
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Weaver's Crosscut Loop from First Water, AZ
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| Hiking | 18.94 Miles |
2,868 AEG |
| | Hiking | 18.94 Miles | 8 Hrs 58 Mns | | 2.39 mph |
| 2,868 ft AEG | 1 Hour 3 Mns Break | | | |
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| partners | | I slapped together this bridged figure-eight loop around Weaver's from First Water TH in 2018. It could be a true loop with Quarter Circle U Trail. Aylor's Arch is a great add-on option for either. However, we both voted for the core easier figure-eight today.
Second Water Trail #236 out and over Black Mesa Trail #241 basically hiked itself in the chilly morning air. Along the way, I recalled despising ascents in my inaugural years. I must have been a bigger crybaby back in the day, it's an eased ~500 ft ascent over miles up Black Mesa... lol Heading down to boulder basin it was apparent I was on a hike, needing to pay attention to footing. We passed a group of campers well off-trail. The pipedream of strangers running to offer crisp warm bacon mid-hike is still a dream.
Dutchman Trail #104 sandwiched between Palomino and Black Top Mesa was our bridge to the twin-loop figure-eight. It is the lushest stretch of the hike and in the top-two highlights. Which is cool because we got to travel it in both directions.
Weaver's Needle Crosscut is the show no matter how you arrive and tackle the gem.
Terrapin Trail #234 is catclaw-free and shows signs of recent maintenance. Bruce chatted with Rachel and fam for about four hours. It doesn't matter who we encounter, they all spawn from Michigan. Gasp... lol
Synopsis
Virtually all catclaw over the trail has been declawed from traffic, just smooth whips now.
We crossed paths with others about 1.5 dozen times, several were previous encounters. All except one group of 7-8 seemed to be full of life and having a great day. The aforementioned group, Team Excitement, must have lost a bet or been forced to backpack.
Recorded a loud Scrub-Jay. eBird said Woodhouse Scrub-Jay but it was a tiny sample, with a loud Curve-billed Thrasher nearby.
This was my first trip out of First Water TH since the 2020 Superstition Fire. The worst impression of the burn is the drive in. I solo looped Weaver's from Peralta TH last August on an uncharacteristically cool day. My impression stands. There are large torched areas. The overwhelming geology is still the core lure for me. |
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Wildflowers Observation Light
Wiry Lotus occasionally throughout. Nice displays of Fairy Duster. Several large swaths of verbena. Dessert Marigolds. The oddity was what we figured to be Wild Cucumber in several dry locations. Guessing it is Gila Manroot, also in the cucumber family. The visual difference is deeply lobed leaves vs wider lobed leaves. |
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