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| Hiking | 6.48 Miles |
2,028 AEG |
| | Hiking | 6.48 Miles | 5 Hrs 3 Mns | | 1.82 mph |
| 2,028 ft AEG | 1 Hour 29 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | My plan was to go to Adero Canyon TH, in Fountain Hills, and hike around for only an hour or so, due to time constraints.
After 45 minutes into my "limited time" hike, I got a phone call negating my constraint.
So …… what to do ……. .
I looked around and surveilled the taller of "The Twins", Peak 3804, and decided to go up and revisit the peak.
This would be my 6th time up Pk 3804, with the first time being over 20 years ago.
That "20 years ago" hike up Pk 3804 was before most of the FH trails were developed in the McDowels. I remember (20 years ago), following an 'almost invisible' jeep track that ended at the base of the peak. I wandered a bit past the jeep track, closer to the 'up' portion of the mountain, and located a vague, narrow, hike-track that led up a ridge. I'm sure it's never been maintained, and it probably predates FH's existence.
The first 5 times up Pk 3804 were all the same, as far as following the tiny, switchback track. Yes, it's steep, but I always had good footing, and never got off track. And yes, vegetation was plentiful, but that little track always seemed intuitively easy to follow.
However this 6th time up Pk 3804 was much different.
Since I hiked it last, the vegetation has really taken over. Mostly it's the 1 to 1 & 1/2 foot dense grasses, all the way up, and on top also.
The tall grass changed the hike in two ways.
#1 - The grasses obscure the ground from view, including alot of the, tiny trail.
#2 - The few hikers that go up Pk 3804 get 'off trail' and flatten the ridge grass while off the trail, then wander around to relocate the trail. It makes the ridge appear to have 'tons-of trails'.
With the steepness, that grass is more slippery than scree. It's like walking on 50 to 60 degree angled ice. Coming back down was OK, as long as I stayed on the trail, which I didn't.
HA - I knew instantly, when I was off trail coming down. I had no grip at all on that grass.
The top of Pk 3804 is a bit wider and longer than a tennis court, and has a big cairn in the center. I believe there used to be a flag in the cairn, years ago.
(I think it was Mazatzal that mentioned he hiked up 3804, years before I did, then took a right turn, and hiked 3 peaks away to Thompson Peak - I also think he mentioned the flag)
At one end of the top, there used to be an almost complete circle made of boulders. Possibly a wind break, or campsite, or whatever.
Well, on this hike, I thought 'the boulder circle' was gone. I was wrong.
When I got home and compared my 2014 hike photos with this hike, I discovered,
Yes - The "circle of boulders" is still there, but almost out-of-sight, due to the long flowing grass.
The grass makes the whole top look different.
I'm glad I got the phone call, so I could say "Hello" to the top of Pk 3804 again. |
| _____________________
Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
J.R.R.TOLKIEN |
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