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| Go John - Overton - Clay Mine, AZ | | -
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| | Go John - Overton - Clay Mine, AZ | | | |
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Go John - Overton - Clay Mine, AZ
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| Hiking | 4.76 Miles |
638 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.76 Miles | | | |
| 638 ft AEG | | | | |
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none
[ show ]
| no partners | | Written a couple weeks ago: I was going to do a Spur Cross to Elephant Mtn Saddle hike but thanks to LosDosSloFolks trip report, due to muddy trails, I found a Plan B up in Cave Creek Park. I planned a route and started out on a heavy broken-cloud afternoon up the Go John Trail (my 20th time since 2008 which seems to be the magic year for past trip reports this past several days). I hadn't been up this way for a while and didn't realize what a nice grade and trail it is to get to the saddle. I was hoping for poppies, which of course there was, but they were cold like me so I would see fluted Poppies for most of the day. There would be scattered Lupine as well and like the other hikes I've done recently, the growth is stunted for a lot of them. Once again, did the freeze cause this? or is it just early? There were quite a few hikers out as I made my way up the hill. I did a lot of filming on this hike too as I continue to document our green desert.
I headed north down from the saddle and noted the fencing over the mine shaft that, back in the day, we could hike right next to. The trail, I believe, came straight up that backside (north). In fact, if you read the hiking guide you will see it describes almost a completely different trail as it went nearly straight up the hill from the trailhead and down the otherside. I specifically remember hiking that. I think it was changed by the spring of 2007 to its new layout. As I continued down the mountainside I noticed the burned trees and some cactus, but there were a few wildflowers scattered about too.
At the junction with Overton I encountered a couple hikers as I made my way up and over the saddle. I was getting quite cold by this time and the wind wasn't helping  . If the sun would stay out it was tolerable. I hiked down the long switchbacks noting some cool geology off to the right (north); guess I never noticed the curving lines on the mountainside rock. It's nice once you get down to the flatter part as the saguaros start to line the trail. I noticed another mine shaft off to my left (southeast) that I hadn't noticed before.
The sun would try to come out now and then but the wind kept blowing. I did get some photos of the green desert floor below. The rockery along this trail is so pretty as well. I decided when I came to the Clay Mine Trail that I would take that as I had never been. I saw a horse group down the other trail but they must have gone the other way. I thot this trail was going to what I thot was the Clay Mine that you can see from the Overton Trail but it wraps around the hill and down. I hiked along the southside past the bench and then saw the horse riders coming up so decided just to hike over to where they had stopped for their photo op done by the Trail Guide. He had hobbled his horse while he aligned the 8 other riders for the group photo. It's always nice to visit with a horse  .
I headed back and around the hillside to the junction with the Go John. This is really a nice trail with lots to look at between the rocks and flora but it was cold. The sun was teasing me to do the rest of the hike I had planned. I continued down the Go John admiring the extreme green desert floor with the beautiful cactus and filming it. There were many cold poppies too so I decided I was done for the day. I was pretty chilled so I think it was the better decision as I didn't warm up until I was almost home. It's tough being Tibberlocks!
Part 1 Go John, Overton [ youtube video ]
Part 2 Overton, Clay Mine [ youtube video ] (I haven't reviewed this one yet)
HAZel RS 2:11, 2.3MPH (7 min break)
WATCH 2:11-4:20PM, 2119-2530 elevation, 120 avg bpm/151 max burning 736 calories. Temp 57.1 mostly cloudy, breezy, 38% humidity. |
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Wildflowers Observation Light
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For me, sometimes it's just as much about the journey as the destination.
Oh, and once in awhile, don't forget to look back at the trail you've traveled. |
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