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| Hiking | 15.19 Miles |
2,293 AEG |
| | Hiking | 15.19 Miles | 7 Hrs 53 Mns | | 1.99 mph |
| 2,293 ft AEG | 14 Mns Break | | | |
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| partners | | The last time I hiked a variant of this loop was well over 20 years ago. I remembered enough to know that I enjoyed the views along portions of the trail...so when trying to find someplace to hike this weekend, I slid the route on the table, hoping it would prove amenable to my hiking partners. After a little bit of dithering, they capitulated to my request - huzzah!
We had slightly later start than usual, following the slow caravan to Peralta Trail head, but lucked out and managed to snag one of the last spaces in the lot.
After signing in at the register at the behest of the volunteer ranger, we headed off and away from the hoards heading up Peralta. Not far into the hike, well before we started heading up towards Miners Needle, we passed less than a handful of other hikers headed back out (a pair and two singletons)....we'd have the trail to ourselves until La Barge Spring, where we encountered two pairs of backpackers. As we continued on our way out the Dutchman Trail on our homeward stretch, several additional groups of backpackers appeared....including one pair with an incredibly late late afternoon start.
We were able to maintain a surprisingly fast (for me) pace, given the slightly warmer weather today. We were aided by some apparent recent trail fairies who had clipped back the catclaw to allow for unhindered walking. The views were enjoyable, and it was nice to see the both Bluff and LaBarge Springs....though the brambly vines guarding LaBarge Spring demanded a blood sacrifice  (just a drop, and fear not, the spring remained uncontaminated).
There was a tiny bit of flow observed on some slickrock in the drainage possibly near Whiskey Spring, but I wasn't paying attention to the location, so I'm not lodging an official report. All drainages and washes were otherwise bone dry with maybe a pocket or two of water that will disappear in the next few days, I'm sure.
Only wildlife of note was perhaps the largest, plushiest velvet ant I've ever seen. It was terribly uncooperative for photographs though.
Possibly of interest to some, it seems I managed to take a photo from nearly the exact same spot about 25 years apart…it’s sad to see how fires have changed the landscape.
The hike didn't disappoint, and neither did the company  |
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Spotted one optimistic ocotillo and then some purple nightshade at Bluff Spring. |
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Bluff Spring |
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| | | Steady flow observed from the pipe/tube. |
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LaBarge Spring |
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| | | The box at the spring was full to overflowing....access is up a dirt slope and then by walking very carefully over the muddy bank amongst brambles. Be careful....the brambles proved to be more bloodthirsty than the catclaw! | | _____________________
Happier when hiking....I may not move fast (and I'm often distracted by wildflowers), but I'll get there eventually  |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
(just a drop, and fear not, the spring remained uncontaminated). 
