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| Hiking | 11.20 Miles |
4,200 AEG |
| | Hiking | 11.20 Miles | | | |
| 4,200 ft AEG | | 10 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | A great loop in the Ritas with Brian that took in a couple of peaks. Up Old Baldy to the Saddle, north on the Crest Trail past the turn off for Mount Ian and down to where the trail is about to meet the Douglas fir trees. From here we hiked up slope to Rice Peak. It was another great summit. 2nd time since last June, but no pen or pencil to write in the little book.
From Rice we dropped down a bit and passed the small saddle between Rice and Peak 9059, which we summited. Not much to see on 9059, so we left and proceeded towards Pine Saddle. After noticing a neat rock out cropping we headed over to look down on Pine and Shovel Saddle. Very nice.
After the outcropping and while starting back down the steep slope towards Pine Saddle we observed a lot of rooting in the ground. We thought it was bear, but also noticed lots of small holes like you might get if someone was sticking their ski poles into the ground. Turns out, it was a troupe of about 6 to 12 Coatimundis, which we must have disturbed. When I went over to a view point to look up at the rocky summit we had just left, I heard sounds below us on the snow and looked down to see the troupe crossing the snow. They went up a rocky area and either went out of view or ran off.
Brian and I resumed our descent to Pine Saddle, and then proceeded to Florida Saddle. After a rest there, we completed the loop going past Armour Springs, through Shovel Saddle, and down to the lot arriving just after dark. Hermit thrushes, Whippoorwills, and turkeys were calling around dusk. A very nice spring hike.
Added a bit more AEG for the hike to Florida, but rounded down for the most part. |
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Armour Spring |
Dripping |
Dripping |
| | | A bit more than dripping, but because the ground soaks it up there is not much you can use besides the tiny stone box built against the rock face. The face had a good amount of flow. | | _____________________
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