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| Hiking | 9.60 Miles |
1,510 AEG |
| | Hiking | 9.60 Miles | 4 Hrs 48 Mns | | 2.13 mph |
| 1,510 ft AEG | 17 Mns Break | | | |
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| no linked trail guides |
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| partners | | My first longer hike since my meniscectomy in August. My #2 son and I met Jason at his house in Gold Canyon and we drove down the dusty but newly graded Peralta Road.
We started out about sunrise from Peralta Trailhead. The weather was perfect. 5-6 vehicles in the lot when we arrived. I decided to do this loop clockwise. Getting up Cardiac Hill with fresh legs seemed like a better decision than hiking down them with 8 miles already finished.
We made it to the saddle near the Terrapin Junction and Jason wasn't "feeling it". He decided to bail and head back to the TH. A lingering bout of bronchitis was still messing with him. Johnny and I kept going to complete the loop.
Bluff Springs Trail is in ok shape up to the Terrapin junction. After that, it was over-grown and grassy. It was extra-crunchy the entire hike, but especially from Terrapin up to the Miners Saddle. Lots of catclaw and grass.
The Dutchman Trail going down from Miners Needle was a little different than my last visit on March 1, where we had 2-3 inches of snow hiking up. This time around, the same baked and broiled fauna that we encountered the entire hike dominated.
The fires that ravaged the Supes the past 3-4 years have left a lasting impact for sure. 1000's of dead or dying saguaros, tree skeletons and, of course, lots of grass. It's especially depressing at the base of Miners Needle in Barkley Basin. That area was a giant saguaro forest. It's now the valley of death. So many beautiful saguaros are gone forever in this area now. It will be the Superstition Grasslands after a few more fires.
I did better than expected on this loop. We made decent time. Going up was not a problem, going down was a little tenuous, but my knee felt pretty good after this one.
I am ready to start resuming the normal rotation of hikes. |
| _____________________
"Jobs fill your pockets, adventures fill your soul."
instagram: @andydilling |
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