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| Hiking | 2.00 Miles |
650 AEG |
| | Hiking | 2.00 Miles | 1 Hour 16 Mns | | 1.58 mph |
| 650 ft AEG | | 18 LBS Pack | | |
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| partners | | Barely 8 minutes after completing our longest time/distance and most AEG hike of our SE AZ trip (Echo Loop - Inspiration - Massai) we would top it off with a hike to the highest point inside the Chiricahua National Monument, which will turn out to be our shortest and least AEG. And just what happens to be the highest point in the park? Why Sugarloaf Mountain, of course!
After a quick lunch at the Echo Canyon TH we drove the short distance to the Sugarloaf TH, finding only one vehicle at the TH. Ok, so we expected to meet at least one hiker if not a couple or group. As we continued we kept wondering when we would meet up. After reaching the ranger station at the top without ever encountering anyone, we were a bit perplexed. I wandered around a bit looking for someone but saw no one. The only place I did not look was inside a port-a-potty type of outhouse, but heard nothing over the 5-10 minutes we were at the top, so doubted anyone was inside.
Oh well, let's head back down. And the rest of the hike we kept wondering where they were off to, if they had fallen, or something of the sort. It was some distance back down the trail before we encountered other hikers, a couple, then another couple and another before meeting with a half-dozen men who were part of a Wildfire Crew from Santa Clara CA who were tasked to be SE AZ for some time... I suppose unless/until needed for wildfires in California.
When we reached the trailhead we found the same car was still there. So I took note of the out-of-state license plate with the thought of stopping at the Visitor Center on the way out of the park to let them know of a possible lost hiker. But as it turned out, as we were driving the half-mile back toward Echo Canyon TH, here was a young couple walking along the road toward us. Now why they had parked at Sugarloaf only to hike somewhere from Echo Canyon TH, who knows. It didn't appear they were that well prepared for what may have been a long hike earlier before and now in direct sun and temps into the mid 80's it looked like they were pretty well wiped out. Whatever, we assumed they were the owners of the car so no need for a stop at the Visitor Center.
So after two days in the Chiricahua National Monument, we were ready to hit the Cochise Stronghold Trail tomorrow in the Dragoon Mountains.
Ambient Temps: 76-83°
HR Avg/Max = 99/139 |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
Route 
- he was having a leisurely rummage around the gulch below Mushroom Rock.
