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| | | Bearfoot Wise Un-Loop, AZ | | | |
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Bearfoot Wise Un-Loop, AZ
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| Hiking | 8.80 Miles |
1,811 AEG |
| | Hiking | 8.80 Miles | 5 Hrs 13 Mns | | 1.71 mph |
| 1,811 ft AEG | 5 Mns Break | 15 LBS Pack | | |
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| partners | | For our first hike at the start of a few days in the Pine area we took on something I'd thought about for some time. We'd hiked on the Bearfoot Trail 6 years ago and last year we'd hiked on Forest Road 608 including a side trip to the Wise Trailhead so I figured why not make a loop of it and add the Wise Trail to our inventory of hikes.
Sounds like a good plan, huh? But not so fast. While the hike along the Bearfoot Trail was ok, I never remember so many switchbacks along the trail, enough that even Tracey commented on the seeming overkill.
Whatever, when we reached the waypoint for the start of the Wise Trail it wasn't obvious where the trail actually began. It seemed to me 6 years ago there was a small sign, but then that may have been wishful thinking. Anyway, taking the just go and eventually the trail will appear attitude, within 50-60 feet we hit on what showed signs of some traffic and headed onward and upward.
Did I say upward? Upward it shall be until we decide either to have-at-it! or no more! and call it quits.
After the hike I would check out the Wise Trail @The_Eagle triplogs which I should have read to be better prepared for the event... maybe I should have 'trained' for it??
Back to the hike, it wasn't long before it was no longer the Wise, but the UnWise Trail. With all the thrashing through manzanita, holly, and whatever other vegetation that saw fit to hold us back while at the same time as continuing to follow the route which appeared to be the most traveled. After while it became slightly easier to pick out the route far enough to avoid the worst of the vegetation.
Overall it was a tough enough climb that even with my trekking poles to aid in balance, traction and fending off obtrusive brush, my HR stayed in the aerobic zone but for some dabbling into the maximum zone. So when we reached an opening on Mount Meg (I never knew it had a name) we stopped for a short breather and a snack for Tracey.
While she was munching down I attempted to locate the next part of the trail. With half-a-dozen different possibilities, all showing travel of some kind, whether by human, deer, elk, skunk or squirrel, nothing stood out. So I just bulled my way in the general direction until I broke through and got the bad news... heck, we weren't even halfway up. Taking in what appeared to be a steep drop for 100'+ before heading up the seemingly steeper slope than it was up to Meg, with my left hip already burning I made the executive decision, no way, we're heading back down. Ok, so now that Tracey had bulled through far enough to see for herself, she was in agreement.
Of course I would lengthen my trekking poles for assistance during the Meg descent, but the main issue turned out to be the route... what we had gotten used to watching for to stay on-track (a few metal tags, some red, some bare metal) no longer seemed to work. Now either every direction seemed to be the route or none were... all at the same time. So between doubling-back and/or and making our own route it seemed like it was taking forever. But in reality, after the 45 minute ascent it took us less than 30 minutes to get back down... thanks to my faithful trekking poles. Are you catching the theme here?
Whew! Now that that Unwise decision has been nullified, the hike back along Bearfoot back to Strawberry was a veritable breeze.
Will we ever attempt Wise again? It's doubtful... Tracey likes trails to be actual trails. |
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