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| Hiking | 10.55 Miles |
2,402 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.55 Miles | 4 Hrs 13 Mns | | 2.50 mph |
| 2,402 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Morning hike at SoMo. Did a loop involving the Bajada Trail. Started from the Ranger TH around 6:30. Cloud coverage and city lights made a headlamp unnecessary. Took the Ranger up to the National and then over to Goat Hill. I was there in time for the sunrise, except….there wasn’t a sunrise. I was expecting some color. Nothing. Very anemic. Continued on the National to what I’m calling Goat Hill II. This hill is just to the west of the Prospector Loop. I don’t think it is as high as Goat Hill, but the trail is more direct when ascending it. Continuing on the National I, for whatever reason, got caught up with looking at the mine pits. There are four obvious ones (between Prospector and Bursera) that are adjacent to the National. The first one is just past Goat Hill II. I never realized that there was another hole just on the other side of the trail. There is now a faint trail that leads to it. Then, as I continued west I saw another good sized opening a ways off the trail. Took a little bit of scrambling, but I was able to make my way down to the opening. From a distance it just looked like a minor opening, but it turned out to have a decent drop as well. I couldn’t see the bottom. Picked up two annoying thorns in one shoe, but it was still worth the side trip. Eventually made my way to the Bajada and had an uneventful up and down on my way back to the Ranger Trail and then to the TH. When nearing end of the National I came upon the “new” (to me) addition to the Gila. Hopefully, they are finally done with extending it. I can’t imagine what more they can add to it.  Noticed some minor reroutes on the National and Bajada. Nothing major. The trails don’t stay too far from the original. I imagine the changes were erosion related.
Nice loop. Definitely prefer going clockwise. Temps were great. In the 60’s to start and probably not much higher at the end. I will never complain about clouds. Got windy half way through and it felt like I was hiking in a mini haboob at the end. No wildlife. Encountered 3 hikers and then as I was passing the Bursera junction I came upon a Ranger and 5 people who were getting ready to do some maintenance on the trail.  |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
