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| Hiking | 7.90 Miles |
1,350 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.90 Miles | 4 Hrs 30 Mns | | 1.79 mph |
| 1,350 ft AEG | 5 Mns Break | 15 LBS Pack | | |
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| partners | | Day Three:
Although I had routes planned for McFadden Horse, Reynolds to Center Mountain and a large loop around McFadden Peak, after overnight rain and what appeared to be much more to come, it was a given we'd get rained on. While that in itself isn't a bad thing when dressed for it, if it isn't raining the whole time, any time more effort was required I'd want to doff it, otherwise I'd be wet through-and-through.
So... is there a hike halfway close to our Air BnB without too much AEG? Hmmm, let's see, where did we hike on my birthday 7 years ago? Seems we had camped along Forest Road 609 right next to Pack Trail 157, which made it an easy choice back then, and an easy choice again.
The trail begins with a steady downhill dropping ~80 feet in the first mile, followed by a short up, down and back up before a steep downhill, losing ~200' in .4 mile, and back 200' in the same distance, reaching the highest elevation during the hike. We left the trail on two occasions:
1. To locate Benchmark 6230 (of which I had the waypoint from 7 years ago)
As we walked toward the waypoint location we ended up looking down on some large flat boulders, and it just so happened the first one I glanced at was full of divots, most of which were filled with water, along with the benchmark, albeit somewhat worse for wear, appearing to have two 'bites' taken out of it. From the benchmark we had expansive Southern views.
2. To wander amongst a bunch of tall rock formations, each standing on their own. In an 'alcove' under an overhang there was what appeared to be some semblance of a rock wall, possibly for a windbreak while short-term camping? Food for thought.
From that point the trail begins a long steep descent, dropping some 700' by time it reaches the South end of Forest Road 3036. Since the farther we went the more elevation loss, so by time we lost 400', like we did 7 years ago, we turned back before ending up with a long uphill slog.
It was in this area where we encountered a right-hand mirror broken off a Jeep (w/Chrysler logo) laying next to the trail, about a mile North of the end of FR 3036. Based on the current vegetation growth encroaching the trail from that direction, it must have happened years ago.
The return leg was uneventful but for a number of rain squalls, none of which were enough to dampen our spirits... just the lower pant-legs which dried between squalls.
For the most part the trail was in good shape with almost no vegetation encroachment, probably aided by an ATV which, based on what was left of its tracks had been through likely a week or more ago. A few of the ascents/descents came along with loose ankle-breaker rocks, but no falls this time.
(Spoiler alert: Tracey will save her big fall until tomorrow... yup, on an easy trail)
All in all, it was a great last-minute fill-in hike. That said, it will likely be our last time on it.
Avg/Max HR = 90/129 |
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