| |
| Corral Ranch Road Spring, AZ | |
|
| | Corral Ranch Road Spring, AZ | | | |
|
|
Corral Ranch Road Spring, AZ
| | |
|
| Hiking | 2.75 Miles |
927 AEG |
| | Hiking | 2.75 Miles | 3 Hrs 19 Mns | | 1.01 mph |
| 927 ft AEG | 35 Mns Break | | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | 2-18-2023
Corral Ranch Road South
I’ve been eyeing a shorter way to the ridge above the mines at the end of Corral Ranch Road.
Left the truck shortly after the cistern
8:33 – on the road.
8:45 – left the road and headed South
9:06 – past first cliff. Skirted around to the East
9:33 – washed out on two breaks through the second cliffs and took a break one hour in.
It was shady and cool. Not a terrible amount of catclaw or underbrush. To this point is terribly steep but not slippery or slidy.
9:53 – Found a passable (barely) crack up through this set of cliffs and found a few geodish crystals.
10:05 – Base of 3rd set of cliffs found some cool columns and a small window.
10:10 decided to head down instead of up this set of cliffs. There is a way up but I lost a bottle of water somewhere and decided to play it safe. Cliffed out twice and had to backtrack to find a way down through the cliffs in spite of leaving a few cairns.
10:44 – stopped for a break on the way down on the edge of a 20’ cliff. Heard voices in the canyon so stayed a while and headed down a different way.
11:10 – took a face down tumble in the canyon. catclaw and brush helped cushion my fall
11:18 found a pipe and a shovel.
11:19 – found the cistern made by the scouts.
11:53 – back at the truck
Exit 29 on I19
FR 4145
Past the corral and camping areas
Past 4876 –
Past the tall rock cistern and parked in a wide spot where the road heads UP.
Checked my pack the night before and then right before I headed away from the truck I thought I better check again and I thought I was all good.
At the one hour mark I stopped for a break in the shade and discovered that a bottle of water had fallen out of the side pocket of my pack. Seriously considered heading back then. Still had over a quart left after a rest.
There are lots of breaks in the cliffs that someone more agile could turn into a shortcut.
I played it safe and hugged the second cliff because there was very little brush right at the base.
Used up too much energy checking out possible shortcuts.
From the road this way around the cliff looks like a diagonal shot. It was, though very steep.
At the base of the final cliff I was pretty sure I was done but decided to check around to the West. There are two drainage areas that look too clogged with brush to make a better way.
At this point I found a window about 20 feet up and below it were some tall columns.
Wayyyy up on the ridge there appears to be another window. The rock there are perfectly vertical and look like knives standing on end. These rocks are the eventual goal for C and me.
Took a different way down but cliffed out twice and ended up backtracking about 200 feet in elevation to find my way.
I was really surprised to find a shovel in the brush. Picked it up with the intent of leaving it somewhere as a cool find for someone else. As crashed through the brush I ended up a few feet away from a concrete watering trough below the spring. No water.
This was a real challenge because of the steepness. The road was in view almost all the time.
Might go back in a few weeks with more water and get on the trail at first light.
Trying to get in shape to do Atascosa peak and John Montgomery’s arch in 3 weeks. |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
