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| Hiking | 20.00 Miles |
1,000 AEG |
| | Hiking | 20.00 Miles | 31 Hrs | | 0.95 mph |
| 1,000 ft AEG | 10 Hrs Break | 30 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | The mission was to conduct an amphibious patrol down Spring Creek all the way to Tonto Creek, and then check Jones Spring on the way back during the second day. The trip plan was not overly ambitious: 20 miles in two days.
Access to the TH, or the start, as there is no trail, takes a 4X if the roads are muddy, and two wheel drive if it is dry. No car will be able to get in there.
The trip started at 9AM just east of the Flying W. Ranch, which is situated in a beautiful meadow lined with giant trees. As I skirted around the ranch to the east, I heard much chatter and commotion from an elk herd grazing about half a mile down river. Typically, they will leave these open areas at first light, disappearing into the forest for the remainder of the day. You could say, "They were acting stupidly", as this place will be crawling with hunters come September. There seemed to be something going on, some sort of disturbance, that had them all agitated. I moved in closer to a distance of around 40 yards, taking a tree line for cover.
However, it did not take long for one of their beady eyes to spot me, but this is to be expected when approaching such a large herd, some 40 elk or so, because they have all the angles covered. After they spooked off, I walked down river a ways and found the reason the herd had lingered for so long: a young cow elk was tangled in the fence, just lying there, as if dead. I walked up to investigate, and the elk came to life. Flailing about in a state of sheer terror, she kicked and struggled. The sight was disheartening, but at the same time, I was glad that she was still alive. I knew that I could get her out; the only question was the severity of her injuries, whether she could still walk.
I tried to get her to settle down while I inspected the tangled wire. It looked like I would have to run back to the truck for some wire cutters, as the wire was wound up very tight; I thought for sure the leg must be broken. The truck was a ways off, so I just grabbed a couple of logs and untwisted the wire, using a bit of leverage, and managed to push the hoof out of the snare. She took some time to get to her feet, which allowed me to snap a couple of shots with the camera, the last of which was an empty frame, the elk having disappeared.
She ran down the hill apparently no worse for wear, and then stopped at 30 yards to look back, as if to say 'thanks', and off she went.
It was a neat experience. A smile lingered on my face for hours; it had been a long time since happiness had come my way. As far as I was concerned, the rest of the trip would be nothing but gravy.
The creek is relatively easy to walk: there are no waterfalls or places requiring ropes, nor is it overgrown with vegetation. It is a wet shoe affair, so expect to do some swimming in the deep pools, several of which are over 40 yards long. I hiked this creek back in 2009 with regular boots and ended up getting them sogged, along with all my gear. This time I had a dry bag and some Merrell water shoes, which performed OK, but I think it would have been better to have a spiked-sole version. The rocks are slimed and definitely slippery.
River wading/swimming can be a slow process due to the slippery rocks, so expect to average no more than 1 mile an hour. Wading is a deliberate motion, where you keep the knees bent, moving with a wide, athletic stance. It requires some concentration; if you start to daydream, you will likely slip and crack your head open on a rock.
I hiked in at a leisurely pace, making it to Tonto Creek at about 5PM, allowing a bit of time to just chill. There are a few nice camp sites along the way if one does not want to go the whole 10 miles, but keep in mind that the best swimming occurs in the last two miles. Check Google Maps satellite images to see what is there. The water never stops flowing, supporting a riparian habitat and several species of fish, though it is not cool enough for trout. Speaking of that; the water temperature is perfect; no appendage shrinking freeze fest here.
My camp at Tonto Creek is pretty good: it has a flat table rock and large sandy bank. The problem is the bugs, more specifically, the assassin bugs, AKA kissing bugs. They are nocturnal insects with a ravenous appetite for human blood, stopping at nothing until they are satiated. In my case, I had left the tent partially unzipped a few inches, which was enough to let in at least 6 kissing bugs, possibly many more, who proceeded to drain about a pint of my blood. These things are 1' long and swell up like a balloon after feeding; squashing one leaves a gory mess, with the half-digested blood splattering a great distance.
Imagine my horror upon discovering these most unwelcome tent mates. My arms, face, and forehead were covered with itchy welts, along with a few patches of dried blood. Well, I gathered up all the bloated, blood gorged insects and then proceeded to stage a Soviet-style show trial, to which all the accused were summary executed. Rest assured, there will be new arrivals to take the place of the fallen, in addition to the untold dozens that escaped my just revenge. The kissing bugs are waiting for you. It is nothing personal; just business.
The return trip was easy and quite enjoyable, other than a wardrobe malfunction along the way. My soggy, wet pants had produced a painful rash on my inner thighs, so I ended up walking back in my underwear. If a person has muscular legs, the no-pants look is quite stylish. Well, maybe not, but it was the lesser of two evils and nobody saw me. It did, however, ruin a perfectly good farmer's tan I had going on. |
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