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| Backpack | 13.00 Miles |
4,000 AEG |
| | Backpack | 13.00 Miles | 2 Days | | |
| 4,000 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | For years I have looked down into the Peck Basin area and wondered about what it was like - I suppose the smartest way to explore the area would have been via the Davis Spring Trailhead on the north side of the range - but it seemed much more interesting to get there 'in the spirit of' the Knagge Trail!
I was dropped off at the bottom of the Incinerator Ridge Road - up the road, short section of Incinerator Ridge and then down the Knagge trail. The plants that were overgrowing the trail late last summer were largely brown and flat now and the trail was easier to follow.
At the end of the current existing trail I followed cairns along the ridge - but this trip I didn't waste any time trying to find the old trail, just looked for the easiest way down the ridge. As on previous trips the walking alternated between super easy grassy sections and never too terrible brush puzzles.
Soon enough I was down into the South Fork of Edgar Canyon - the flowing water was amazing! Followed the canyon down - I believe I stumbled across the shelter mentioned in the Cowgill and Glendening Guide - around a few obstacles and eventually over a ridge in the Araster Spring canyon (note the naming is a little confusing - the Cowgill/Glendening Guide seems to call the canyon with Pictograph and Araster Springs Edgar Canyon - but the USGS 7.5' map labels Edgar one Canyon south...).
The Peck Basin and Araster Spring area were fun to see - but the have been well used by the local cattle making the area just a bit less attractive than I imagined - don't get me wrong, not as if there are 100s of cows in the area, but enough to leave alot of dung, make faint trails all over the place and trample thru quite a few areas.
I took the hillside and ridges and looped back towards Edgar, by sheer luck ending up at the Davis Spring and Knagge Trail junction sign! Decided to try camping up on the point above and ended up camping near Point 4863 - great views!
Roughly re-traced my steps back up - did go a little further up the South Fork of Edgar, even following a worn track and big cairns for a few minutes - quite a climb back to get picked up!
Not sure I would repeat this exact trip again - interesting but I think that the real gem in the area was South Edgar, worth more exploration I think - hard to forget the rushing crystal clear water!
Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmiles/sets/72157642398825325/ |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
GREAT views though in spots, especially the rocks just below and north of the cabin remains. Nice place to have a seat and take in a view for a while. I have to say, it was more like hiking game trails back home as a kid. In many spots it's hard to follow and has to be the wettest summer hike I've had in a while thanks to all the low growth. A great change up from the past couple weeks!
