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| Wrightson Wilderness Loop #1, AZ | |
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| | Wrightson Wilderness Loop #1, AZ | | | |
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Wrightson Wilderness Loop #1, AZ
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| Hiking | 16.13 Miles |
4,470 AEG |
| | Hiking | 16.13 Miles | 10 Hrs 32 Mns | | 1.63 mph |
| 4,470 ft AEG | 37 Mns Break | 18 LBS Pack | | |
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| no linked trail guides |
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| no partners | | I started this day hike at the Madera Canyon Picnic Area from the Bog Springs Trailhead. After a short ways I got super spooked by green eye shine that wasn’t running away. It was just a deer but I had a heart pounding encounter with a cougar last year that left a mark for sure. Anyway I chickened out and returned to the parking area and headed up the road to the Bog Springs campground. From there I jumped on the Kent Springs Trail and headed towards the Junction with Four Springs Trail. This section was very steep but the trail was well groomed and easy to hike. I passed Sylvester Springs and Kent Springs along the way. The creeks were running nicely and both spring basins were overflowing. Four springs trail was as steep as anticipated but reasonably easy to hike. The trail tops out on a ridge at 8,000’ and from there becomes a bit more challenging with breathtaking views. If you’re afraid of heights and have vertigo (which I do) it may not be the trail for you. The trail continues until you top a ridge and you pass over to the south and east facing side of the mountains, looking towards Florida Saddle. The trail was easy enough to follow but steep. There was a lot of dead vegetation along the trail here and it’s a safe bet that in the summer it is likely overgrown. Armour Spring was mostly frozen solid but there was some dripping. The trail joined the the Crest Trail 0.2 of a mile north of Florida Saddle. As I headed towards Mount Wrightson the trail was was still steep and gaining elevation until it topped out at close to 9,100’. From there the Crest Trail drops as it heads west towards Baldy Saddle. The views of Mt. Wrightson from the east side were spectacular. Until that point I hadn’t seen a soul. As I approached Baldy Saddle I saw a lone hiker in the distance but they were long gone when I reached the saddle. I had planned to summit the peak but the combination of trails to that point was too miles longer than anticipated so I heady down using the longer Super trail route. Once I was on the south facing side of the mountain I was delighted to see that the trail had received some much needed maintenance. The trail had been very overgrown but was now wide and very nicely groomed. The miles flew by and I was soon at Josephine Saddle. From there I headed down the Old Baldy trail to the parking area. I saw a handful of people as I neared the trailhead but there weren’t many people out that day. I had to road walk back to the picnic area where I parked. I took a small unmarked trail that runs parallel to the road for a bit but got back on the road where it petered out. I was happy to see a large rafter of turkeys just past the gift shop. I see turkeys in the road near sunset on every trip and adore them. There are some real rope draggers in Madera Canyon.
I’ve called this hike Wrightson Wilderness loop #1 but is just one of many loop hikes around those mountains. |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Isolated
Some leaves clinging here and there in lower elevations |
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Some here and there but mostly dead or dying |
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