| |
|
| | |
|
| Hiking | 17.10 Miles |
5,477 AEG |
| | Hiking | 17.10 Miles | 9 Hrs 17 Mns | | 1.84 mph |
| 5,477 ft AEG | | 18 LBS Pack | | |
|
|
| |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | Drew this one up years ago and finally took a crack at it. It's a very aesthetically pleasing route on paper. I parked around 5460ft on FR157, it's high-clearance w/one water crossing through Grant Creek - not bad overall. Sure beats going near the prison.
The trail from the trailhead to the base of the switchbacks is pretty evident. It has that Lord of the Rings vibe and tons of shade. There are three creek crossings and steps were few and far between on 1 and 3. The second uses a narrow log - it's pretty bomber but I could still see myself going into the drink. I tossed rocks into the water at the last one to get a viable way across. The current effortlessly washed away my first attempts. The trail is a mess shortly after that - it turns into a roller coaster on the slippery slope, while simultaneously negotiating downed trees. Very nice to have trekking poles!
So begins section two, the switchbacks, which are pretty pumpkin'd! Lots of deadfall, overgrowth, and thorns consistently until you get within 1-2 miles of Swift Trail/Cunningham Campground. I considered turning around halfway up but couldn't bring myself to do it. The views of the canyon and the valley below are excellent motivation, even caught a glimpse of what I believe is Moonshine Falls high up on the cliffs. The Pinalenos are exceptional.
The final section is the off-trail ridgeline (10,027) from Swift Trail to FR669, and the last push to Graham. I foolishly took part of Cunningham Loop on the way up and hit snow which hindered progress, so I veered back up the slope to a saddle. From there, I followed the crest of the ridge as planned. The first half of the ridge has been cleaned up and put into slash piles, making it the easiest part of the whole day. There are more downed trees and brush around and above Point 10027, but nothing bad - honestly a lot easier than I was expecting. I built a cairn (and later toppled it) at FR669 and continued east across the snowy roadbed.
I went cross-country rather than sticking to the roads the whole way. Post-holing was 50/50 depending on how many downed trees were underneath. Snow baskets on my poles helped distribute some of the weight. Without a doubt, the unsung heroes of the day are my gaiters.
Mount Graham is okay as expected (I walked over what appeared to be the highpoint), but the real-deal views are further north at a small ridge overlooking the Gila Valley, nearly 8,000ft below - Arizona's San Jacinto. I didn't stay long as I had reached my turnaround time and still had a long descent ahead of me. Saw a couple deer back on the ridge, and one down low on the switchbacks. Descending Grant Creek Trail didn't feel nearly as hellish, must've been riding the high of the completed mission. Made it back to the car by 6pm and was treated to an absolutely insane sunset on the drive out - best way to wrap up a solid day. |
| _____________________
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
