Snowillow Photoset • chumley • 2021-01-30 • HikeArizona.COM

Snowillow, AZ

	2021-01-30
	27 by chumley

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Snowillow, AZ

Snowshoeing	8.07 Miles	402 AEG

Snowshoeing	8.07 Miles	6 Hrs 24 Mns	1.33 mph
	402 ft AEG

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Linked

linked

Willow Springs Canyon - Mogollon Rim

Willow Springs Bike Loop Trail #535

Partners

partners

BiFrost

After a dull couple of months, the weather finally delivered a winter punch that provided an opportunity to go snowshoeing for the first time since November -- a full 12 weeks earlier

. With such a deep snowpack at very low elevations, I opted for driving up to the rim rather than attempting to break trail while also climbing 1000 feet. Unfortunately, the road crews had not yet plowed any side roads or parking areas which made the start of the day a bit of extra work since it is illegal to park along highways during snow removal season -- and they WILL tow you if you do!

Finally settled well out of the right-of-way, we started from the unplowed Horse Trap Trailhead heading west along Bike Loop 535 before hitting up Sardine 536 and eventually some off-trail, on-lake, off-lake, and in-lake

, down the spillway and along the drainage until breaking trail through 30" of fresh snow took its toll on our legs.

We returned on the east shore of the lake before cutting up to 535 again and back to the start. New plowing during the day required more shoveling to get out, but such is life when you live in a state that doesn't cater to winter sports enthusiasts (or even know such a thing exists!

)

Thanks to Karl for helping dig out a parking spot! (And thanks to me for having the foresight to bring two shovels

)

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