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| Hiking | 28.14 Miles |
6,460 AEG |
| | Hiking | 28.14 Miles | 13 Hrs 24 Mns | | 2.27 mph |
| 6,460 ft AEG | 1 Hour Break | | | |
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| no partners | | I am starting to feel like I am running out of spots to explore in the Supes, so I have decided to look up, as in peaks and summits. I crossed an obscure Eastern Supes peak off my list today, although Pinto Peak is a pretty distinguishable terrain feature of the Eastern Supes and hardly obscure, maybe seldom visited is a better way to describe. Similarly, at just under 6000 feet I believe it would come in as the third highest mountain in the Superstition Wilderness area behind White and Mound Mountain.
The off trail portion up Pinto Peak bordered on diabolical and pleasant. The most natural route follows an old fence line pretty much the entire way, one cannot divert much from this fence line either, or you will end up in some of the thickest brush you have ever encountered. It took Blanco and I over an hour to go the seven tenths of a mile needed to reach the summit of Pinto Peak. I finally learned to hug the fence line and make use of the small path next to the fence and to not be lured by false trails leading away from it. My hard work was rewarded with an Indian ruin site located on the saddle below Pinto and a mystery wall or remnants of a fortress on Pinto's summit. The final push up the peak was actually the nicest portion of the off-trail route as there was minimal brush, some nice paths through the rock out croppings and some pretty established game trails. However, the majority of the route was slow going with several fence crossings and slithering through areas made nearly impassable by some our favorite off trail mainstays manzinita, acacia and holy oak.
I had aspirations of also knocking out Mound Mountain, but the slow trip up Pinto and a late start made that look like less of a possibility by the time noon hit. However, not to be deterred I still chose to take Campaign north and Fireline into Reavis just to see where I would be at in time and energy. I honestly felt pretty good, but it was already 2 and although I had already committed to a head lamp finish, I wanted to limit it to West Pinto, as it is a pretty easy trail to follow at night.
Pretty standard hiking the rest of way, I ran into a group of four with one guy who was hurting pretty bad, they had hiked in from Pickett Post and had committed to hiking out Lake Roosevelt on Sunday. They were only about a mile or so in from Roger's TH and looking for a place to camp, with one guy looking for a ride to Surprise, he said there was no way he thought he could finish this hike, I just really could not help though as my car was at Miles and not Rogers Trough. He offered money, but I just could not think of a way I could help him, there was no way he was hiking out to Miles with me in his condition. He had two more parties behind me to ask, so maybe he got lucky.
I ran into a HAZ guy named Dave near Roger's Trough. He had just completed a Spencer Spring, West Pinto Loop. He had recognized the white dog, we chatted for a minute and continued my race with the setting sun. I broke down at 18:41 and finally put on my head lamp we arrived at Miles TH just after nine. |
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It also has great views, but not quite as good as Mound Mountain. The creek section has rugged beauty, but not quite as nice as Campaign Creek, Fish Creek, Frog Tanks or Rogers Canyon (to name a few others). I ascended the official route to the summit, but decided to descend the SE ridgeline to the Cuff Button Trail. It was a last minute decision after enjoying some liquid courage in the wind with the bee flies and ladybugs. The alternate route seemed like less of an interior Chaparral bushwhack, but it turned out to be worse lower since the Cuff Button Trail is in horrible shape. Lots of ripping and tearing Wait-a-minute bushes. By comparison, the Campaign Trail to the Pinto Divide is actually not too shabby! I hadn't noticed Wally's triplog about descending the SE ridgeline until after getting home. It definitely is a more direct route. At least I hiked some of a trail I hadn't done before and Jerky Spring was also kind of neat. Most of the bypasses along the West Pinto section are essentially worthless since there is a bunch of deadfall and thick, fresh vegetation. You also miss many of the good creek sections on the silly cairned diversions. I thought following the creek bed on my ascent route was much more enjoyable hiking. 
