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| Hiking | 14.17 Miles |
3,467 AEG |
| | Hiking | 14.17 Miles | 8 Hrs 12 Mns | | 2.03 mph |
| 3,467 ft AEG | 1 Hour 14 Mns Break | | | |
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| partners | | Bruce said he was game for whatever. I was packing my bags for Lion Mountain when he pulled a bait and switch. We settled on a previously hiked loop with Ryal. I suggested we reverse the loop because descending Tompkins was etched in my mind as a half-mile river of ankle-buster rocks at the top.
Lucky Canyon Trail #515
More aptly, just Lucky Canyon. The trail is long gone and we were only along a portion of its alignment.
With fresh laundered socks, we jumped the fence at the trailhead and darted over to Lucky Canyon. We were immediately greeted by a sea of ripe foxtails and a steep-cut ravine to cross.
I pre-planned a route that would avoid a ridge we glissaded down in 2021. The semi-gentler ridge worked out well. With little hiking in recent months, the steep ascent to Tompkins was cursing my world.
Tomkins Trail #513
Albeit steep and a rocky mess, it was not as bad as memory served. That said, if this was the first trail you hiked in your life, you would never hike again.
Once you top out it is an enjoyable flat road. This was the first ounce of sanity I've experienced in months... Lol
Box T Trail #511
Parting way with the nice flat Tompkins Trail was a bummer but the ascent on this one is reasonable. Once this sucker started descending, it was the river of ankle busters I recalled on Tompkins in 2021.
Ryal Canyon Trail #521
It seemed like we would never get to this choice trail of the area with its oasis on top. When we reached the Ryal Water vicinity, one side of the unofficial trail through the riparian area was muddy. Yellow Columbine was abundant and the birds were chirping. The geology of Ryal Canyon to the east is the other highlight. It was nice to revisit Ryal but it didn't grasp my attention as it did when we hit the geology sweet spot at sunrise.
Synopsis
The loop is unlikely to draw repeat visitors. The majority will want to go like and get liked photographing sunrise/sunset midway up Ryal. Bruce is still in denial of agreeing to hike Lion. A few more miserable hikes oughta do the trick. |
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