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| Hiking | 8.44 Miles |
1,512 AEG |
| | Hiking | 8.44 Miles | 4 Hrs 6 Mns | | 2.14 mph |
| 1,512 ft AEG | 9 Mns Break | 10 LBS Pack | | |
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It had been 8 years since I last visited Strawberry Mountain. On that previous trip, I used the mountain as part of a longer hike, so there wasn't much time for exploration. However, this time I had the morning before I needed to hit the road for the furnace, so I had the opportunity to do some exploring.
Instead of using the trailhead mentioned in the hike description, I started at the Pine/Strawberry trailhead off SR87. I was the second car in the lot, with the first belonging to an older gentleman who was doing some trail maintenance on the Pine-Strawberry Trail #15.
The ascent was steep right from the beginning, and there was a faint use trail in some spots. I did my best to stay close to the East/South rim to enjoy the views, but the dense Manzanita bushes made it challenging.
Upon reaching the top, I came across a live trap that had been tripped. A little further, about 100 feet away, I found a loudspeaker attached to a solar panel. Upon inspecting the area, I noticed a game camera pointed towards the loudspeaker. On the side of the camera, it read "Mountain Lion Detection, AZ Game and Fish," along with a person's name and phone number.
Continuing south, I stayed near the east rim until I reached the rock outcropping at the far south. The views of Pine from there were fantastic. Originally, I had planned to circumnavigate the top of the mountain, but it was taking longer than expected. Instead, I hopped on the two-track path that essentially splits the top of the mountain until I reached the non-peak area. From there, I cut to the west to explore some of the west side. On my way back down, I chose a slightly different path to avoid some of the Manzanita. However, I preferred my route up.
During the hike, I spotted birds, squirrels, a couple of cows, and a doe white tail. It was a pretty hike, especially if you stick close to the rim to enjoy the views. |
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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry  |
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