|
| | | |
| |
|
| Hiking | 7.20 Miles |
1 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.20 Miles | 4 Hrs | | 1.80 mph |
| 1 ft AEG | | | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | Peak 2891 to Eastern Massacre Grounds
The weather predictions were pretty bad for today, but as I was having breakfast, I noticed that the temperature was in the 50's, the winds were light and there was a lot of overcast. That sounds like good hiking weather, so I had to put together a hiking destination and get my gear ready again.
I decided I would hike to the saddle by Peak 2891 (between the Massacre Grounds and First Water TH) and once there, I would make up my mind and set a destination.
So there I was in the saddle and looking to the North, then East and then South. From this vantage point, I could hike North to the First Water Trail Head, South to the Massacre Grounds or East through the mountains towards the Dutchman's trail and Parker Pass. I opted to go to the Southeast, which would put me about .5 miles East of the Massacre Grounds and in the foothills area that doesn't get much mention in the hiking circles.
Once you leave the saddle, there are no more trails, cairns, or signs to guide you through the area. Bushwhacking is the rule of the land unless you hike the creek beds or are lucky enough to find a wildlife trail through the thick brush. The mountain sides are steep, irregular and have lots of loose rocks that will give you fits. But because of limited public use, the area is free of plastic bottles, beer cans, shotgun shells and all of the other signs of human presence (I did find a deflated helium balloon left over from a New Year's party). I guess you could say it has a too rugged beauty and therefor sees little use.
As I continued to gain altitude, off to my right, I could see the familiar cliff wall that marks the Eastern approach to the Massacre Grounds. Ahead was a horseshoe shaped canyon with tall vertical walls along the backside up against the mountain. The floor of the canyon is very irregular and hard to get around so I worked my way up and out and then found a steep, narrow canyon with a large waterfall at the head.
I made a rather tricky ascent to the base of the waterfall. There is no trail so you have to pick the best route and do some backtracking if you reach a dead end. At the waterfall, I took some photos and a video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8QYcx6b6vI In the video, I mentioned that I was at a 4,000 foot level, but after checking the TOPO maps, I was at 3,200 feet. (It must have been the way my legs felt after working my way up the rocks). The coordinates of the falls are 33 deg. 26.962 by 111 deg. 26.217. A short distance further East, is another series of waterfalls but I think I'll save that hike for another day.
At this point, I started working my way back down the mountain heading towards some rock formations that appear at the end of the video clip. These rocks are very interesting as they suddenly pop up and rise from 50 to about 100 feet. All around the base of the formations is a forest of Prickly Pear cactus that grows so thick that you can't cut through them, you gotta go around them. From here, you can get a glimpse of the tip of the Weavers Needle off in the distance.
If you continued East from here, you would descend into O'Grady Canyon and then connect with the Dutchman Trail (104), but I was going to take another route back as I headed to the saddle again. I finished my hike back at my car and the GPS showed I had traveled just a little over 7 miles and I was out for almost 4 hours.
This was an interesting hike and I enjoyed it a lot, I cut it short because the sky was getting overcast and the wind was picking up and I didn't want to get trapped in a rainstorm. The hike was a lot of work and the thick brush and catsclaw has claimed another pair of jeans (at least my wife says I can't wear them out in public anymore). But it is worth the time and effort and I saw some great views of the Superstitions that few casual hikers will have the pleasure of seeing. |
| _____________________
| On every trip into the Superstitions, I find another Gold Mine. Today the mine was filled with Memories. I can not wait for the next trip. |
| | |
|
|
|
Route Editor
Route Scout
Route 
Not too shabby.
