North Fork Falls of Deadman Canyon • Canyon Trip • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Apr 07 2024
		FOTG • Triplogs 1,052

Hiking	21.50 Miles	4,378 AEG

Hiking	21.50 Miles	10 Hrs 31 Mns	2.34 mph
	4,378 ft AEG	1 Hour 20 Mns Break

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[ checklist ] Deadman Canyon Falls - North Fork Hopi Spring

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We were looking for a shorter, less committing hike for our Sunday, so we did this nice little pleasant loop in the Mazzies today. Barnhardt to the Divide Trail, then north to Rock Creek Trail and then across Half Moon back to Barnhardt.

There was a ton of water flowing down Barnhardt and some nice trail work on the AZT for most of the hike to the falls at the North Fork, which were probably at about a medium flow. We took an extended break at the falls, did the usual pics and then made our way up stream to Horse Camp for another quick break. The portion of Rock Creek up to the ridge and the high point of the hike has been cleared and cleared rather well, which was nice. However, I might have forgot how steep that trail gets through there. The Rock Creek Trail got a little primitive during the early portion of the descent, but got pretty nice again, shortly after the waterfall. This was my second time hiking the Half Moon Trail, which is two times more than anyone should hike that trail. The trail was in good shape, but I think its hard to appreciate it at the end of a long day.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

Wildflowers Observation Isolated
A few poppies along the lower stretches of Rock Creek Trail and few hillsides covered in various flowers along Half Moon Trail.

Barnhardt Canyon

Heavy flow

Heavy flow

Heavy flow

Medium flow

Rock Creek at Half Moon Trail

Light flow

	Hopi Spring	Gallon + per minute	Gallon + per minute
	Full Trough, water flowing down hillside.

Horse Camp Seep

Gallon + per minute

Rock Creek

Medium flow

Medium flow

Medium flow

_____________________

Feb 29 2024

The_Eagle

Guides 41
Routes 1,626
Photos 14,983
Triplogs 2,762

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Visiting the Twins - Sandy and Deadman, AZ

Hiking		Feb 29 2024
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,762

Hiking	20.81 Miles	4,397 AEG

Hiking	20.81 Miles	11 Hrs 5 Mns		2.09 mph
	4,397 ft AEG	1 Hour 8 Mns Break	10 LBS Pack

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6 linked trail guides

[ checklist ] Big Kahuna Falls - Mazatzal Wilderness Garden Seep Hopi Spring

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joebartels

LindaAnn

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

This is one of my favorite destination hikes in AZ.

Joe puts up with me/it and will join sometimes unwillingly. Linda was a twins virgin, so she was in to rectify that. It was chilly for the first 10 minutes, but with the climb, it became comfortable quickly. Garden Seep, Hawaiian Mist, and the Big Kahuna were all flowing. Having already been there, we kept climbing. Been there done that so we kept climbing.

Past the falls, the manzanita is starting to encroach on the trail. It's not bad now, but it won't be long before it becomes more difficult to navigate with a good growing season.

The Divide Trail through Chilson Camp is my least favorite section because of the rocks, but this is short-lived.

We let Linda experience the falls:
[ youtube video ]
[ youtube video ]
Something new for us, we headed up Deadman Creek. It's quite picturesque with only one slightly tricky spot in the brush to exit, at the falls,just downstream of Horse Camp.

We had lunch at Horse Camp, where I enjoyed my PBJ, and Linda enjoyed her bag of moist beef.

Back on the Divide Trail, we made our way over to the now clear Rock Creek Trail. There is not a sign at the intersection that shows this as Rock Creek, but there is one that points to Hopi Spring. This is the trail. It was easy to tell that Hopi Spring was running, as the trail was running all the way to the spring.

The last time Joe, Denny, and I did this portion of the trail, we had no clue how steep it was. We were more concerned with busting through thick Manzanita to get to the top. What an improvement! Thanks to all that carved a path to the top.

The hike down was fine, but it's easy to lose the trail in spots because of the overgrowth. Once down by the falls area, the magical Mazzy geology takes hold. A hike to this spot from down below would be a worthy shorter hike.

Now on the Half Moon trail, it was clear sailing. We had worries of being shredded by the catclaw, but that was never a problem. It was through this section that Joe came out of his shell and just couldn't stop exclaiming just how much fun he's had all day and wished it would not end. Later on the drive home, probably because of all the water on the day, he even mentioned something about a baptism.

A good long day of hiking. We started as the sun was rising and finished as it was setting.

We probably hit this at least a week late for maximum flow, but it was quite acceptable and made for easier hiking on mostly mud-free trails.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

Medium flow

Medium flow

Center Creek

Light flow

	Chilson Spring	Quart per minute	Quart per minute
	We didn't climb to check, but based on the water on the trail, the catchment should be full

Medium flow

Medium flow

Garden Seep

Gallon per minute

Lower Deadman Canyon Falls

Medium flow

	Hopi Spring	Quart per minute	Quart per minute
	Spring box is full

	Horse Camp Seep	Gallon per minute	Gallon per minute
	Plenty of water in the area

Medium flow

Rock Creek at Half Moon Trail

Medium flow

Medium flow

Medium flow

_____________________

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry

Feb 29 2024

joebartels

Guides 264
Routes 2,797
Photos 14,494
Triplogs 5,894

55 male

Joined Nov 20 1996

Visiting the Twins - Sandy and Deadman, AZ

Hiking		Feb 29 2024
		joebartels • Triplogs 5,894

Hiking	20.26 Miles	4,326 AEG

Hiking	20.26 Miles	11 Hrs 6 Mns	2.05 mph
	4,326 ft AEG	1 Hour 14 Mns Break

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6 linked trail guides

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LindaAnn

The_Eagle

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

FR419
A free 5-mile Super Duty massage on 70 psi tires.

Barnhardt Trail #43
Brush seemed closer than usual but nothing of concern. We enjoyed a wonderful break at 6.25 mi.

Mazatzal Divide Trail #23
Slightly rockier than I recall but that was the theme of the day. Nice extended views from this trail.

The obligatory trip down to the falls. Ho hum. We followed the creek up from the North Fork Falls, which was pretty snazzy IMHO. We had lunch at Horse Camp then merged into Trail 42.

Rock Creek Trail #42 - Mazatzals
It was cool until it wasn't. The east side up through the manzanita is remarkable how much they cut out, most grateful. Boy howdy is it steep. West of the ridge which is the bulk of the trail heading down was not a great trail in my opinion. Rocky, search and find on occasions, steep, slanted, wah wah. The geology is remarkable and unmistakably Mazzies! The falls were a nice treat.

The bottom mile is a trail void of 10.2 billion ankle-buster rocks.

Half Moon Trail #288
This turned out to be the best-maintained trail of the day... woulda lost that bet. A few snags of catclaw overhang the trail but you could hike it in shorts. If it weren't for the mundane bajada mogul coaster and a bovine hang out it would rate higher.

Synopsis
Linda picked this hike, surprisingly her first visit. The twins are Bruce's favorite hike. It's a phenomenal workout and I'm glad I had the opportunity to hike it.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Arizona White Oak

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Hopi Spring

Wildflowers Observation Isolated
A white onion of sorts on occasion, then an accumulated group on Half Moon

	Barnhardt Creek at Half Moon Trail	Medium flow	Medium flow
	A good flowing river. I walked across cuz I couldn't find good balancing stones like the gymnast.

	Big Kahuna Falls - Mazatzal Wilderness	Medium flow	Medium flow
	Flowing well but I was able to cross easier than usual

Center Creek

Light flow

	Chilson Spring	Gallon + per minute	Gallon + per minute
	Flowing well based on all the water seeping down the side of the mountain

Medium flow

	Garden Seep	Gallon + per minute	Gallon + per minute
	Good flow, seen much stronger

	Hawaiian Mist	Light flow	Light flow
	Mist free

	Horse Camp Seep	Gallon + per minute	Gallon + per minute
	I don't know about a spring, but that's one hell of a waterfall

	Horse Camp Seep	Gallon + per minute	Gallon + per minute
	Water seeping everywhere

	Sandy Saddle Falls	Medium flow	Medium flow
	Good flow, we've witnessed 2-3x the flow in previous years.

_____________________

- joe

Feb 29 2024

LindaAnn

Guides 110
Routes 2,246
Photos 8,982
Triplogs 2,600

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Feb 29 2024
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,600

Hiking	21.17 Miles	4,344 AEG

Hiking	21.17 Miles	11 Hrs 6 Mns	2.12 mph
	4,344 ft AEG	1 Hour 6 Mns Break

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joebartels

The_Eagle

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

In our never ending quest to choose hikes that will annoy each other, I suggested Deadman for this week. The road to Barnhardt had no clearance issues, but is rattly as heck, and I wasn’t even going that fast, never exceeded 32 mph, most of the time around 15 mph. Joe searched for extra seatbelts in the backseat to avoid being flung out a window.

Got started up Barnhardt at 0700. Decent enough condition. Flowing water in the expected spots, easy to keep the shoes dry. More sun than I’d like, but not too warm.

Quick snack break shortly after reaching the Divide Trail. I ate about a quarter of a ribeye, saving the rest for lunch, and endured endless teasing. Divide Trail was annoyingly rocky for a long stretch, but easy hiking.

Dropped down into a creek to get to the falls. The water flow at the falls was light, but sufficient enough to be a waterfall. We got some pics, then stayed in the creek as we headed to Horse Camp. The falls and creek were the highlight of the day—lots of fun. I rammed my leg into an agave, apparently directly into a blood vessel, because it was spurting blood for a moment until I put cold creek water on my leg. It was very tender for the next ten miles. Nobody wanted to hike next to me since I now smelled like steak and blood and supposedly the Mazzies are full of bears. Bruce pretended like our escape route from the creek back up towards the trail was easy and made us climb a rotten log. He pretty much floats uphill (hot air or helium, the jury is still out) while I cling to every rock and tree branch and try to not slide backward.

Had lunch at Horse Camp. The continued towards Rock Creek Trail. Very muddy trail around Hopi Spring, but the manzanita was clear from the trail. Not the superhighway Bruce had promised, but no crashing thru brush. Steep uphill, I whined about being hot. The trail was vague in many places on the descent, and in pretty rough shape. I would have hated to ascend it, so was at least mostly happy to be going downhill. Nice scenery and geology helped. The falls were a nice treat, and after that the trail became mostly more defined.

Half Moon is mostly forgettable, in my opinion. I spent most of the time comparing our ascent vs descent for the day and realizing we still had 500’ to climb to get to my truck. At least the path thru the catclaw was clear. We maximized daylight for the day, finishing a few moments after 1800. Great day, lots of fun and laughs.

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

_____________________

Stop crying and just go do the hike.

Feb 25 2024

Routes 386
Photos 49
Triplogs 792

43 female

Joined Jun 23 2015
Phoenix, AZ

Payson, AZ

Canyoneering		Feb 25 2024
		emilystardust • Triplogs 792

Canyoneering	19.31 Miles	2,945 AEG

Canyoneering	19.31 Miles	9 Hrs 21 Mns	2.29 mph
	2,945 ft AEG	54 Mns Break

no photosets

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I wasn’t sure how good the flow would be or how long it’d be going for so opted for an early dayhike even though I vowed to never dayhike it again

. Falls were flowing pretty well, had decent cloud cover most of the time and still some snow out there as well.

_____________________

Feb 24 2024

mikemcg

Guides 2
Routes 127
Photos 1,478
Triplogs 129

male

Joined May 07 2019
Tempe, AZ

Barnhardt and Deadman, AZ

Hiking		Feb 24 2024
		mikemcg • Triplogs 129

Hiking	20.27 Miles	3,080 AEG

Hiking	20.27 Miles	12 Hrs 41 Mns	1.88 mph
	3,080 ft AEG	1 Hour 54 Mns Break

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[ checklist ] Big Kahuna Falls - Mazatzal Wilderness Deadman Canyon - North Fork Deadman Canyon Falls - North Fork Hawaiian Mist Sandy Saddle Falls

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Fourth time to Deadman Falls. First time for the rest of the group. Started at 0705. Temp was ~40° at start, warmed to ~75°. Cloudy at start, with sun emerging later (enough that I had a mild sunburn at the end). Patches of snow throughout. Slippery in a few places.

Water was flowing pretty well at all the falls. I've seen them stronger, but this was pretty good. We stopped at Big Kahuna for about 30 minutes, took pics, and climbed around. Stopped at Sandy Saddle for 30 minutes for pictures, exploring, and lunch. Arturas somehow fit a whole banquet into his backpack - 3 pounds of ribs, a fruit basket, homemade cookies, a jug of hot tea, and other snacks. It worked, because they had a lot of energy on the way back. At North Fork falls, Arturas did a full polar plunge, while the rest of us dipped our feet in the water.

We went upstream to Horse Camp Seep, playing in the other 6 waterfalls along the way. Then we headed back.

I tweaked my previously-injured Achilles tendon stepping on a rock that shifted, so I was slow heading back, but they were patient with me. We saw only 3 other people and 1 dog the entire day. No trash to pick up. Overall a great day, with beautiful weather, great views, and excellent company. My Achilles tendon is feeling a little better now, about 50%.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

Medium flow

Medium flow

Light flow

Medium flow

Medium flow

Medium flow

2 archives

Jan 27 2024

John10s

Guides 25
Routes 376
Photos 5,897
Triplogs 346

40 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Mazatzal Waterfalls via Barnhardt, AZ

Hiking		Jan 27 2024
		John10s • Triplogs 346

Hiking	19.27 Miles	2,961 AEG

Hiking	19.27 Miles	9 Hrs 52 Mns	2.21 mph
	2,961 ft AEG	1 Hour 9 Mns Break

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[ checklist ] Barnhardt Canyon Big Kahuna Falls - Mazatzal Wilderness Chilson Spring Deadman Canyon - North Fork Deadman Tributary @ Trail #23 Crossing Hawaiian Mist Mazatzal Peak Mogollon Rim Sandy Saddle Falls

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TboneKathy

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We chose this hike last minute, almost by process of elimination, as I failed to come up with any other interesting ideas the day before. I hadn't been to Barnhardt in a few years and figured there would be some water flowing after the recent rain, and I'd never seen Sandy Saddle/North Fork Falls. I knew going in that the falls wouldn't be close to full flow, but my standards for being impressed were very low given all my previous hikes at Barnhardt were bone dry, so I had that working in my favor

.

The parking lot was empty when we started out ~7:30AM, with the just-past-full moon over the Mazatzals. We could hear water flowing in Barnhardt Canyon even from the parking lot, and there were plenty of small falls down there, already a major improvement over previous visits. It's always a pleasure to see the unique geology along the first few miles of Barnhardt. Hawaiian Mist had a decent flow, with water flowing the trail, and it was great to finally see Big Kahuna with a strong flow.

[ youtube video ]

The higher peaks and hillsides had quite a bit of snow, and as we got up to ~6,000', shady spots on the trail had occasional patches of hard-packed snow. We connected with Mazatzal Divide Trail, and TboneKathy decided to wait near Chilson Spring to make sure I had I had time to reach the falls before we needed to start back. I took off, and the trail was in great shape, so the last couple miles passed quickly. I was expecting a brusher off-trail approach to the falls, but it was easy following the creek bed to Sandy Saddle. I worked my way around to a rocky point where I had a view of both waterfalls. Seeing them in person for the first time was impressive, even if they weren't flowing as much as I'd seen in other photosets, and Deadman Canyon and the geology in that area--which reminded me of the Sierra Anchas--were beautiful.

[ youtube video ]

I started making my way around to the southwest side of the falls for another vantage point but ditched that plan pretty quickly...with the thick manzanita, it was going to take a while, and the scratch/ scenery ratio was going to be high. I was happy with what I'd seen and had made it pretty much unscathed by brush at that point, so I headed back to the trail and rejoined TBK for the hike out.

We finally started to see people on the way back, including a campsite set up near the Barnhardt/Mazatzal Divide intersection. Approaching Big Kahuna, I zoomed in and could see eight or nine vehicles in the parking lot down below, so we were lucky to have the falls to ourselves for a few minutes before people showed up. In total, we saw four or five groups/solo hikers by the time we made it back to the trailhead.

There was a nice sunset on the drive home, and we passed a massive vehicle fire on 87. The car was engulfed in flames 10+ feet high on the southbound shoulder, and responders were just showing up as we passed. In the couple seconds it took to drive by, even with our windows up, we could feel the intense heat, and we saw a few ambulances heading northbound minutes later. Needless to say, we had a much more enjoyable day than the driver of that car...

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Agave

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Chevron Folds

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Automobile Remains/Wreckage

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

Meteorology

Meteorology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Moon

Medium flow

	Chilson Spring	Dripping	Dripping
	Spring box was full, but water was stagnant and full of algae

Light flow

	Hawaiian Mist	Medium flow	Medium flow
	Steady flow of water on the cliffs, flowing across the trail and beyond

Light flow

1 archive

Jan 24 2024

LJW

Routes 154
Photos 1,505
Triplogs 266

31 male

Joined Jun 02 2019
Phoenix, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Jan 24 2024
		LJW • Triplogs 266

Hiking	20.55 Miles	4,335 AEG

Hiking	20.55 Miles	9 Hrs 18 Mns	2.72 mph
	4,335 ft AEG	1 Hour 45 Mns Break

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[ checklist ] Big Kahuna Falls - Mazatzal Wilderness Deadman Canyon - North Fork North Peak Peak 7559ft - Mazatzal Wilderness Sandy Saddle Falls

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My favorite kind of weather called for my favorite kind of hike. Mazzies, clouds near and far, and a few waterfalls. Road in was muddy but drier by end of day. Started with Barnhardt.

Medium flow in Barnhardt and the side drainage with the falls. No snow except well above the trail. Maintainance is good, but it's a little tight at times on the upper half. Wouldn't have mattered if the brush wasn't so wet. The trail itself was dry with only a little snow in the last mile.

Mazatzal Divide was dry as well. Decent runoff in the drainages leading up to Deadman. Recent maintainance between Chilson and Sandy Saddle. The twins had the lightest flow of the falls on the day and the lowest potential for increase with relatively low snow levels on the mountains above. Still enough for me what with the sound of falling water and the clouds climbing up the crest of the mountains. Trail was dry to Hopi spring, water trickling through Deadman Canyon and the Horse Camp Seep area.

The brush clearing on Rock Creek west of the saddle is the stuff of dreams. It's wide as Gold Ridge and on par with the other Rock Creek Trail highlights. Stayed dry the whole way up. East of the saddle could use some work higher up and lower down, but it's pretty easy to follow. Got re-soaked for the walk down Half Moon. Rock Creek and the falls were flowing well, and with all the snow on 7559 it'll be picking up nicely.

Half Moon was super clear this time around. The days of catclaw are still distant memories. Clouds topped the crest for the walk back. Didn't see anyone on the hike, no cars start or finish.

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Jasper

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

Medium flow

Medium flow

Center Creek

Medium flow

Light flow

Eisenhauer Canyon

Pools to trickle

Rock Creek at Half Moon Trail

Medium flow

Medium flow

Medium flow

Light flow

Mar 26 2023

Routes 386
Photos 49
Triplogs 792

43 female

Joined Jun 23 2015
Phoenix, AZ

Payson, AZ

Backpack		Mar 26 2023
		emilystardust • Triplogs 792

Backpack	23.16 Miles	3,537 AEG

Backpack	23.16 Miles
	3,537 ft AEG

no photosets

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So much water out there still and even a very light snowfall Saturday night.

_____________________

Mar 13 2023

joebartels

Guides 264
Routes 2,797
Photos 14,494
Triplogs 5,894

55 male

Joined Nov 20 1996

Visiting the Twins - Sandy and Mandy, AZ

Hiking		Mar 13 2023
		joebartels • Triplogs 5,894

Hiking	19.00 Miles	2,988 AEG

Hiking	19.00 Miles	8 Hrs 41 Mns	2.68 mph
	2,988 ft AEG	1 Hour 36 Mns Break

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chumley

The_Eagle

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Opportunity doesn't knock twice so I headed out with double trouble. As a safeguard, I took a hatchet with a couple of options in mind. The road in was pretty nice. Never let your guard down though, it historically turns into the mud reaper after intense rain.

Nice morning, I overdressed and was shedding layers a couple of miles up. Garden Seep was flowing as well as memory serves. Always nice to hear the roar of the creek below along various segments.

Got lucky on all the creek crossings heading up. Even managed to stay dry through the upper sections of the trail that turn into creek channels further up.

We took a break at the traditional pine lounge campsite 0.1 mi after turning onto Mazatzal Divide Trail #23.

Headed over to the falls. I opted for an extended break while the balance rode the rim out. Interestingly, no routes on HAZ to 6020 5-10 min further.

Bruce talked Chums into plowing 300 feet of manzanita on the return. As the only one wearing long pants and third in line, it was exhausting listening to the war cries. MFCW seemed to be a go-to favorite.

Out of curiosity, I Googled it, who'd a thunk?

There is some research from the University of Derby that found that when people experience physical pain, shouting out loud can help to relieve the hurt

Passed a few groups on the return, no thru-hikers. Missed several inline trail/creek steps on the quicker return. It was warm enough that it didn't matter. It is an LNT no-no to hike a muddy trail unless you raise your nose and mock the peasants. I'll start the guessing that divide stretch nets 65% AZT hikers, 15% backpackers, 20% dayhikers(14.2% in March).

Good to hike with Chums after a few years

Heavy flow

	Big Kahuna Falls - Mazatzal Wilderness	Heavy flow	Heavy flow
	Raging beast

	Chilson Spring	Gallon + per minute	Gallon + per minute
	The side of the mountain was seeping vigorously

Heavy flow

	Garden Seep	Gallon + per minute	Gallon + per minute
	good cascading flow, probably 10.4 gallons per minute

Lower Deadman Canyon Falls

Medium flow

Heavy flow

	Sandy Saddle Falls	Heavy flow	Heavy flow
	Gushin'

_____________________

- joe

Mar 13 2023

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 840
Photos 22,055
Triplogs 1,993

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Visiting the Twins - Sandy and Mandy, AZ

Hiking		Mar 13 2023
		chumley • Triplogs 1,993

Hiking	19.24 Miles	3,675 AEG

Hiking	19.24 Miles	8 Hrs 41 Mns	2.46 mph
	3,675 ft AEG	52 Mns Break

no routes

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The_Eagle

Bruce and I have been talking about this one for a few weeks now, keeping a close eye on remote snow depth stations, temperatures, rainfall estimates, streamflow gauges, daily satellite images and some other helpful data you can find out there in the interlands until settling on today as an ideal day to head up to visit the twins. Deadman isn't PC anymore, so we renamed them Mandy.

Joe came along and I think we solved the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the first half hour, which was nice. He had fallen to 40th most recent in my partner list, a full three and a half years ago!

So it was enjoyable to take a few trail steps alongside him again.

Water was raging in all the drainages on the way up, probably as much as I've ever seen here. A few steps were snowy in sheltered north-facing slopes, and there was ample mud. Crossings required some creative rock hopping, but shoes were wet from trail water anyway, so it didn't matter.

The twins were in fine form and we took time to check out their curves from different angles. Bruce then led us through hell before we found the trail again and headed back across the divide. Passed by a group of spring breakers heading out for a couple nights and two couples near the waterfall at the top of Barnhart. I lost $20 after betting we'd see somebody else, but we did not.

This one is always a treat. Good to see tweedledee and tweedledum again.

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Mar 13 2023

The_Eagle

Guides 41
Routes 1,626
Photos 14,983
Triplogs 2,762

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Visiting the Twins - Sandy and Mandy, AZ

Hiking		Mar 13 2023
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,762

Hiking	20.05 Miles	3,178 AEG

Hiking	20.05 Miles	8 Hrs 40 Mns		2.57 mph
	3,178 ft AEG	52 Mns Break	13 LBS Pack

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chumley

joebartels

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To get to these falls and insure a good flow, you need to keep an eye on the weather.
First, you need to have a melting snow pack. Second, not after a big rain because the 5 mile drive in on Barnhardt Road can be a slippery slimy mess. Third, enough of a snow melt, so that The Barnhardt trail does not have too much snow on it. We hit it within an acceptable window.

Perfect temps (albeit a bit cool sometimes with shorts and short sleeves) on the day. All the drainages and more were flowing. Barnhardt Trail and the Divide Trail were even flowing in spots. We made the aprox. 10 mile hike to the falls in just under 4 hours.
[ youtube video ]

Chums and I continued on around the west side to get a better overall view of all the falls. I had not done this before and it was well worth the little extra effort.
[ youtube video ]

Lunch at the falls and then we headed back following the east rim for awhile. I led us through the easy stuff with good views

and Chums for some reason took us through the thick crappy Manzanita jungle

to get back to the actual trail.

One the way back, we passed a group of 5 that were going to backpack for a few days and 2 other groups that were just going to Big Kahuna falls.

Good times with the social misfits and hiking to one of my favorites.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Hawaiian Mist

Heavy flow

Heavy flow

Chilson Spring

Gallon per minute

Heavy flow

Garden Seep

Gallon per minute

Lower Deadman Canyon Falls

Heavy flow

Heavy flow

Heavy flow

_____________________

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry

Mar 13 2022

mikemcg

Guides 2
Routes 127
Photos 1,478
Triplogs 129

male

Joined May 07 2019
Tempe, AZ

Barnhardt and Deadman, AZ

Hiking		Mar 13 2022
		mikemcg • Triplogs 129

Hiking	21.94 Miles	3,664 AEG

Hiking	21.94 Miles	17 Hrs 35 Mns	1.58 mph
	3,664 ft AEG	3 Hrs 40 Mns Break

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My third visit to Deadman Canyon. Brought some friends who haven't been there yet. Two of our friends got there an hour early because their phones had jumped ahead for Daylight Savings Time, and they didn't discover this until they were already on the road, so they drove to the trailhead and napped in their vehicle until the rest of us arrived.

It was 40° with a moderate breeze. Some areas of the trail were pretty muddy. There was snow adjacent to the trail in some areas but no snow or ice on the trail. Hawaiian Mist had light flow. Big Kahuna Falls had moderate flow, so we took ~600 pictures and made a few Reels there. The views along Barnhardt Canyon and the Mazatzal Divide were beautiful with the mixture of green and snow.

The wash that led down into Deadman Canyon had light-moderate flow so it was easier to descend than last time. Deadman Canyon was pretty with light-moderate flow in the creek. It was warmer at this point so we played on the rocks, cascades, and falls. Deadman Falls had light flow, but was still quite impressive. We played there and made some more reels. Then we climbed up the chute to see the falls from the top. I experienced at least 3 head impacts with tree branches on the scramble up, but the rest of the group, who were all 5'4" or less, were unscathed.

At the top of the canyon, we admired the views for awhile. It was very windy at this point, but we were able to keep all of our hats, despite some close calls. We went upstream a little bit and checked out some of the other falls, then headed back to the Barnhardt trailhead.
Overall, very enjoyable trip. It was a little chilly but we were all well prepared for the weather. The falls had lighter flow than last time, but this whole area is so beautiful and fun. Enough Reels were created to last a few weeks at least, so everyone was happy.

1 archive

Mar 06 2022

Routes 386
Photos 49
Triplogs 792

43 female

Joined Jun 23 2015
Phoenix, AZ

Payson, AZ

Canyoneering		Mar 06 2022
		emilystardust • Triplogs 792

Canyoneering	19.50 Miles	2,999 AEG

Canyoneering	19.50 Miles	8 Hrs 58 Mns	2.43 mph
	2,999 ft AEG	57 Mns Break

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All falls flowing great. A little ice on the trail but all had melted on the way out.

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Dec 29 2021

LJW

Routes 154
Photos 1,505
Triplogs 266

31 male

Joined Jun 02 2019
Phoenix, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Dec 29 2021
		LJW • Triplogs 266

Hiking	21.04 Miles	4,633 AEG

Hiking	21.04 Miles	9 Hrs 38 Mns	2.59 mph
	4,633 ft AEG	1 Hour 30 Mns Break

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Last hike of the year for me, and as I've done every year I've lived in Arizona, I went to the Mazatzals. The 6-12 inches of snow predicted for the range materialized into more like 1-3, so I opted for my gun-to-the-head favorite hike: the Deadman/Sandy Falls loop. Got going a little before sunrise and started with Barnhardt.

There was one inch of snow lower down that turned into 2 inches after the trail leveled off. The falls were running strong, and there were clouds above 6500 feet. Only one other person out who had camped at the leveling off 3.5 miles in. Heading up Barnhardt the winter storms grew until I was walking into them at the saddle and on MDT. Low visibility, super cold. Once around Chilson I got below the cloud layer and storms until I climbed up rock Creek.

Falls were running well, and there's a little more snow in the forecast. Good way to start the new year once the snow has had some time to melt. MDT was slushy before the falls and covered in dry powdery snow after. Clouds hung out at Rock Creek Saddle and around all the summits.

Rock Creek west of the saddle is a bushwhack until the trail widens half way up. Pushing through the snow-covered manzanita I got soaked from the waist down. Never been wetter on a hike I wasn't swimming. As I climbed up to the saddle and into the clouds the storm was a little stronger, harsher winds, colder temps, and light snow. I was shivering cold by the time I got up there and in my haste to get down got off trail a number of times. It's obvious when dry but under a couple inches of snow I had a little trouble.

Cruised Half Moon while I dried off and admired the clouds on the crest of the mazzies. Half moon can be confusing by Rock Creek because of all the cow trails. Only saw the one person, or at least their tent and footprints. Everywhere with water is running strong.

Meteorology

Meteorology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Rainbow

Medium flow

Medium flow

Garden Seep

Gallon + per minute

Medium flow

Heavy flow

Medium flow

3 archives

Apr 03 2021

joebartels

Guides 264
Routes 2,797
Photos 14,494
Triplogs 5,894

55 male

Joined Nov 20 1996

Visiting the Twins - Sandy and Deadman, AZ

Hiking		Apr 03 2021
		joebartels • Triplogs 5,894

Hiking	19.22 Miles	3,024 AEG

Hiking	19.22 Miles	8 Hrs 20 Mns	2.68 mph
	3,024 ft AEG	1 Hour 10 Mns Break

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The_Eagle

wallyfrack

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FR419 is rockier than I recalled; scattered rock is virtually cemented into a firm base. The mud rutted section further in was dry. That said, any vehicle except low-riders sportin' bicycle tires can probably negotiate the current dry road. A few car/RV campers out along the road but not overrun, and the trailhead was only 2/3 full @ 8:50 am.

Barnhart starts rocky, but it smooths out within the first mile, and I didn't notice it on the return. Regardless, the first mile or mile-n-half seemed a lot nicer than memory served, trees galore.

We crossed paths with the Kactus Kickers hiking group and met @Hiking_Fool! There was a small group at Big Kahuna. A couple of thru-hikers on the divide. Overall, maybe two dozen hikers all day; expected more.

The lowest flow we've seen at the falls. I'd guestimate it peaked ten days prior. The hike piques my interest regardless of the behemoth waterfalls. The Mazzie Skylounge looks like a worthy bushwhack for the someday list.

It was a great day weather/company wise. Discovered a pinhole two-thirds from the top of my water bladder ten minutes from home in the morning, so I ran out of water with three miles to go. No biggie, just ironic hiking with Wally since he's one of two I know that prefers a container... lol

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Parry's Agave

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Kentuck Mountain Saint Clair Peak

	Garden Seep	Dry	Dry
	First I recall this one being dry. It was like going back home for Christmas only to realize someone swiped the Christmas Tree.

	Lower Deadman Canyon Falls	Light flow	Light flow
	a few gallons per minute

	Sandy Saddle Falls	Light flow	Light flow
	a few gallons per minute

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- joe

Apr 03 2021

wallyfrack

Routes 93
Photos 7,758
Triplogs 1,691

64 male

Joined Mar 11 2003
AZ

Visiting the Twins - Sandy and Deadman, AZ

Hiking		Apr 03 2021
		wallyfrack • Triplogs 1,691

Hiking	19.22 Miles	3,024 AEG

Hiking	19.22 Miles	8 Hrs 20 Mns	2.68 mph
	3,024 ft AEG	1 Hour 10 Mns Break

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joebartels

The_Eagle

I thought Bruce & Joe were the twins?

Still hiking outside my realm so still have a lot to learn. Denny didn't go but Joe threw in some whines to keep us amused. The potential heat and distance had me concerned but after mile 5 things leveled out and it was easy going from there for me. The trail was clear with a few rocks in places but easier than off trail that I've been frequenting. Bruce pointed out the sites, suggested some future exploration and stopped for breaks at key resting spots. The falls were just a trickle so I'll have something to look forward to if there is a next time. I prefer to carry quart bottles so I know how much water I have. I'm not ready to deal with a leaky bladder. This one went as good as I could have expected. The company was great.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Chilson Spring

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2 archives

Mar 21 2020

jacobemerick

Guides 38
Routes 182
Photos 1,602
Triplogs 232

40 male

Joined Dec 09 2014
Gilbert, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Mar 21 2020
		jacobemerick • Triplogs 232

Hiking	21.02 Miles	4,585 AEG

Hiking	21.02 Miles	11 Hrs 31 Mns	2.31 mph
	4,585 ft AEG	2 Hrs 24 Mns Break

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Needed a little day hike to get away from the world. Delivered.

Half Moon #288
Great shape. Some sections have been cleaned up since my last visit a few years ago. Every creek and drainage was overflowing, Barnhardt and Rock required using deadfall to get across dry. A recent redirect at the end, within sight of Rock Creek TH, that was confusing, but it eventually looped back down.

Rock Creek #42
There were a few sections of new overgrowth on the climb up to the creek crossing, nothing worth fretting about. Once I got past the first half mile of climb this one actually felt fun, especially in the cliff breaks. Yeah the falls were flowing. Snow became a minor issue after 6000', hiding tread and adding a few slips, all fun & games. Descent to Hopi is 95% defined with a narrow break in the manzanita and a few cairns. Hopi Spring looks amazing.

Horse Camp Seep / Deadman Falls
Saw my first hikers of the day here ( @Metalrunner! ) and quickly puttered down to check out the falls from the north bank. They are amazing. Photos don't do them justice. I could have spent all day sitting on that rim, listening to their roar and feeling the mist fly up.

Mazatzal Divide #23
Is more of a waterway than a trail. Sloppy going. Saw a few backpackers here, told some stories, gave unsolicited advice, etc.

Barnhardt #43
Quite muddy. Suspect that there had been a lot of traffic in-and-out today, churning up the path, though I only saw three this late in the afternoon. Those falls were flowing too. A few sections are starting to get shade from taller willows/manzanita, which would be heckin' awesome.

This was exactly the break I was looking for today, complete with long periods of solitude and an almost-constant sound of falling water. I get why some OG members have been here so many times.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Deadman Canyon Falls - North Fork

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Mar 20 2020

Routes 386
Photos 49
Triplogs 792

43 female

Joined Jun 23 2015
Phoenix, AZ

Payson, AZ

Backpack		Mar 20 2020
		emilystardust • Triplogs 792

Backpack	24.00 Miles	3,169 AEG

Backpack	24.00 Miles
	3,169 ft AEG

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Headed out Friday am, just saw a couple cars at the trailhead and saw almost all those people heading out. Tons of water out there, a bit of snow on the upper part of Barnhardt but nothing unmanageable. Mazatzal Divide was flowing like a small creek though. We camped at Chilson. We explored the upper part of the falls and a bit into the tributary on Saturday but my backpacking partner wasn’t feeling the navigation down so we cut it short. I’ll definitely head back out to explore again. Logged about 24 miles for the weekend on my GPS.

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Mar 15 2020

AZTay

Routes 16
Photos 11
Triplogs 16

38 male

Joined Dec 09 2019
Phoenix, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Mar 15 2020
		AZTay • Triplogs 16

Hiking	18.00 Miles	3,169 AEG

Hiking	18.00 Miles	11 Hrs 32 Mns	1.91 mph
	3,169 ft AEG	2 Hrs 6 Mns Break

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