| |
| Coffee Flat Mountain 4621 Summit, AZ | |
|
| | Coffee Flat Mountain 4621 Summit, AZ | | | |
|
|
Coffee Flat Mountain 4621 Summit, AZ
| | |
|
| Hiking | 20.00 Miles |
|
| | Hiking | 20.00 Miles | | | |
| | 18 LBS Pack | | |
|
|
| |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | I’ve been eying Coffee Flat summit for a while. Cloudy skies and temps in the 50s and I was sold. Fiends cancelled so I went anyway solo. I’ve been up top Coffee Flat but never to the actual 4621 summit. I had an 18 pound pack with the usual supplies. I brought my water filter but decided to carry enough so as not to slow down. Could have left a few hours earlier but it was either dark in the am or dark in the pm so I chose the pm. The time zone was loose rocks and sharp plants so I set my clock forward.
Not many people were at Peralta at start so I beat the crowds mostly folks headed up to Fremont Saddle etc. On the day, I passed only two backpackers the entire trip. This is a great time of year perfect weather and the wildflowers are just emerging. There is water still running through the canyons and probably more soon with pending rain. My route was to be Dutchman’s 104 to Whiskey Springs 238 for a short while, then cut up to Circle and follow the ridge to the 4621 CF summit and proceed back the same way. I calculated the distance at 7-8 miles x 2 but decided to head back a different way. I prefer loops but I chose the longer possibly safer way around making the hike 20 miles. I saw lizards and birds and lots of bees working the spring flowers. I came across possible big cat prints and definitely old coyote crap but no mammals.
The terrain was manageable but slowed me down to a crawl in places, like dragging a dead body around. This was mainly due to the slope, hidden rollers, scrambling, scree and climbing (and coming from the Boomer Generation). Up top at the summit it was still and eerie quiet and I managed to get up there between storms so very cool. There was no apparent summit register so I did add a small glass bottle with a few cards inside. Hope some other HAZ members will drop by and make a note. This one was tough for me. At my age I probably won’t be back at least not via that route. I had lunch, and took in everything that is any reason for ever making such a trip. I was considering Picacho Butte being right there, but decided to pass regrettably as I was already behind schedule. There are a few places in Red Tanks I wanted to explore that will have to wait as well.
Admiring the view I contemplated my return options other than an out and back. Dropping down into La Barge was the quick way back but, I didn’t like the look of the steep slope. I also heard that the upper box is a catclaw nightmare right now. Being solo means being more responsible. I was also eying the somewhat steep hike down Coffee Flat Canyon in the direction of Buzzards Roost. I knew I’d hit Coffee Flat 108 somewhere near Reeds Water. That would be a really long bushwhack though. I decided to head towards Red Tanks divide and follow the somewhat familiar trail around Red Tanks and through Randolph Canyon, Coffee Flat and Dutchman. I once read that Tom Kollenborn found a horse route up and over Coffee Flat Mountain. The steep cliffs make it impractical but possible on horseback. As I was heading down, I kept thinking to myself, “What would a horse do here?” All the sudden I was finding cairns. Not modern cairns but old school cowboy cairns. I was picking up debris as well so somebody besides me was thinking it was a practical route. I hit the divide and with sigh of relief I switched to trail mode. All of the trails were really nice and if I got a scratch I didn’t notice it.
I really like wading through canyon water so Randolph was a super cool foot bath. Also Coffee Flat trail is always so very nice and sandy soft on my old feet. I got back in the dark and headed home apologizing to friends and family for being out of communication and exceeding my estimated return time. I took extra pics so hope you will take a look and enjoy. |
|
Wildflowers Observation Moderate
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
