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| no partners | | So close and yet so far..
This is another site that I found on Google Earth. I first found this one about two years ago and have been hopelessly captivated ever since. It's just an amazing backdrop. A small 2-3 room site atop a steep rugged butte on a gooseneck river bend with Black Mesa in the background.
This site is only about 0.50 mile from the car. So close and yet so far. There is no easy way to get to this site. The only time of year to do it is in the fall or early winter during low river flow. Access is by land or by water and both options present problematic obstacles. Land access must happen on the north side of the river but most of the canyon above the river is totally cliffed out. There may be a rock slide area noted on my map. I emphasize "may".. I looked at it yesterday from afar. It looks bad. If you crack the code and find a way down/around the cliffs you'll need to cross the river at a shallow riffle segment west of the butte that can be viewed on satellite. Piece of cake, right? River access just might be the best option. You can't hike along the river because the canyon edges come down on both sides just upstream from the bridge near the Pinal Creek confluence and the water is deep. The good news is that in the fall and early winter, Salt River flow is very low. For comparison current flow at the gaging station above the 288 bridge is about 1,900 CFS. Fall flow is typically around 150 CFS. That's manageable. A cheep raft and a basic paddle will get you through the notch. Paddle up from the bridge to a gravel bar, walk across the gravel bar, and then paddle through the notch. Flow isn't too bad through that section because the water is deep. Paddle to the next gravel bar and you're home free. Now that you've either scaled the cliffs or paddled up the river, you just have crawl and fight your way up a pile of near vertical rock. Piece of cake, right? Ha.. Can you sense my sarcasm. There's just no easy way to do it.
As you can likely see from my photos, I did not hike up to the ruins. This was a recon trip. I decided last week that I've stared at it long enough on Google Earth. A zoom photo from the ridge across the river was better then nothing. My dad just happen to have a new Canon Powershot SX60 that worked perfectly. The site was about 0.25 mile away and the elevation was nearly equal. I had a hunch the west edge of the site would be clearly visible at it was. 0.25 mile is nothing for an SX60 on a tripod.
Well HAZ ruin junkies, this is your mission if you choose to take it on. That butte looks like one bad sucker. She wont give up without a fight but my gut feeling is that it's doable. Most of these nasty ruin buttes have at least one area of weakness. I'm passing the baton. My knees just can't do this bad stuff anymore. My last Black Mesa ruin hike is more my current speed. It looks like a great adventure! You never know.. There just might be some cool stuff up there. The thrill of the unknown.
Eric |
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Wildflowers Observation Light
Current wildflowers were light on the hike. Some hillsides along the highway between 288 and Miami had lots of poppies. The area surrounding Roosevelt is just starting. |
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| MATTHEW 11:28-30 / PSALM 84:1-2 |
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