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| Hiking | 2.19 Miles |
1,429 AEG |
| | Hiking | 2.19 Miles | | | |
| 1,429 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Birthday Butte, since I didn't get a Hike in on Friday and I wanted to Bag something. I was in the Area and this one has been on my List, so it was Time. I made a couple of Mistakes on this one, but nothing terrible.
I think I stayed on Hank's Track for a total of 200 feet (including the Road Walk  ) and then I Brainfarted and started up the wrong Drainage.  I skirted it for a while on the Right, but the Brush started getting thicker above the Drainage, so I went in. Mistake #2. That wasn't working so well either so then I started up the Slope to the Left of it. Mistake #3. That turned into a Nightmare quickly. Scree... And not the Nuisance kind. It was that Flat, Slate Crap and Deep. For every Step up, sometimes I'd lose at least two. It was about then that I realized that I should have worn my Hiking Shoes instead of my balding Trail Runners. Mistake #1 ](https://hikearizona.com/dex2/images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall") That almost made me turn around and quit. But there was a Mentality that kept me moving forward, even at a Snail Pace. Similar to "just around the next Bend, or over the next Hill", I kept looking up and thinking I was seeing an End to the Scree... Just a little Farther... 50 more Feet.... In Hindsight, if I had climbed up to the Ridge on the Right of that Drainage, it would have been way better. I got a good Look at it once I was above it. If I ever do this one again, that will be my Route next Time. I wouldn't Recommend anyone use my Route Up except as "what not to do".... At least I didn't Cliff out anywhere, so I guess that's a Plus... 
I finally topped out on that Ridge and Intercepted Hank's Track for a bit. By the Time I did, I was already past the Saddle. Followed Game Trails for awhile while continuing to climb in Elevation. It was Steep and there was Scree, but not the Slate Garbage I was in earlier. Also Areas of Rock Slides and a Boulder Field or two... Thanks to a very Gnarly and Brutal Exit to a Canyon a couple of Weeks ago, this Ascent almost felt easy. Very little in a Matter of a Bushwack comparatively... When I felt like I was getting fairly close to the Top, I picked a Boulder Field and finished the Scramble up. Great Views up there.. Had some Lunch at the High Point, took some Photos and Signed the Register.
When it was Time to leave, I decided that rather than doing the Roller Coaster back across the Ridge to where I came up, I would just start down and Traverse as I went. It actually wasn't too bad although I did spend some Time on my pumpkin voluntarily and just a couple of Times involuntarily. The Descent took about as long as the Ascent did though. About 3/4 of the way down, I ran into a nice Surprise. Dirt... Just Plain old Dirt. A very large Slope of it, with no Rocks or Vegetation. It looked Volcanic actually, but it wasn't coarse or grainy. It was very Soft and Deep. It was like Finding an Unexpected Hot Tub at the End of a Cold 30 Mile Hike... If a Body could Experience a type of Nirvana after all the Scree and Rocks this was it. I did what amounts to a Combination of Plunge Stepping, Glissading and Slalom Skiing to go down it and it felt Amazing, almost Euphoric. I Descended about 300 Feet in less than 90 Seconds....
That Slope continued down to a Drainage, but I opted to do a short Ascent up the next Ridge and Voila, I top out and 100 Feet away was the Fence and the Road. I was Down.  Crawled under the Fence and hit the Road for about 1/3 Mile Hike back to the Vehicle...
Nice Hike with some Sweet Views... You definitely get a Workout and I was glad for the Slopes I've already tackled this Year to help prepare me for this one! When I first saw this Butte from the Road, I was thinking "Hmmm" wondering if I had enough in the Tank to do it after doing a Canyon the Day before. Stubborness always wins. |
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| Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out & proclaiming, "Wow What a Ride!" |
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