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| | | Wind Cave Pass Mountain Ridge Loop, AZ | | | |
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Wind Cave Pass Mountain Ridge Loop, AZ
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| Hiking | 10.35 Miles |
2,058 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.35 Miles | 6 Hrs 42 Mns | | 1.74 mph |
| 2,058 ft AEG | 45 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | Around the mountain and along the crest
I’m up in the Phoenix area again this time to drop Ginny off at the airport (she is visiting family) so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to do some hiking in the area. I actually will hike in the Usery and Goldfield Mountains on a few more aggressive hikes that I wouldn’t put Ginny through. The first hike of the day was to wind Cave in the Usery Mountains. I have never been to this mountain although it looks to be just a western extension of the Goldfields.
I started out along the Maricopa trail on Usery Road just north of the park at just about sunrise, at least sunrise with the Usery Mountains to my east. Well maintained trail looks like it gets a lot of mountain bike use. Hung a right on the Pass Mountain Trail that circles the mountains heading toward Wind Cave. Trail is again in good shape. Just to the west is the mountain pointing to Phoenix and a shooting range that can be heard all along the west side of the Usery Mountains. Ho Hum hike to the Wind Cave Trail but some really healthy looking saguaros to keep you entertained. A couple of hikers along this trail.
Wind Cave Trail is in good condition and gets a lot of use, it is a little steep in sections but trail conditions make it fairly easy. Good views to the west all along this trail and at Wind Cave. Wind cave or as I would call it Wind Indent is nothing much to write home about but is a popular destination probably for those looking to get a little workout. I can tell by the clothes worn by the people up there, they looked like they were going to the local gym. From Wind Cave to the Ridge the trail conditions become worse, almost nonexistent. For those use to looking for nonexistent trails it is pretty easy to follow the route. I made it to the southernmost peak of the Usery Mountains without too much trouble. I did have to do a little bit of rock climbing and scrambling when I got off the route. At one point I wasn’t sure I should be doing this alone. I got this route from HAZ and I thought it was a trail (probably should of read the write up). It was a little more than I should be doing alone, maybe when I was younger and not leery of heights. The thought that kept going through my head as I went along this ridge is that the falls aren’t high enough to kill you; they would just leave you mangled up and stranded. I sure as heck aint going to call 911 or they will consider closing the mountain down because they are tired of rescuing people. I continued on north along the ridge hoping that the route wouldn’t lead to anymore rock climbing. There were a couple spots but slow and steady worked out fine. Made it over to the northern peak, Pass Mountain, along a faint trail. At Pass Mountain my route said to head down the ridge to the east to the Saddle along the Pass Mountain Trail. The faint trail continues on to the north and I believe it leads down to the Maricopa Trail on the north side of the range. (I believe it’s the route LindaAnn posted 2/9/2022) I followed the route I had loaded but there isn’t even the faintest sign of a trail, this is a find your own way route. Unlike the ridge the brush was thick (very little stickery stuff) and toward the lower part before coming to the saddle very slippery on loose rock, I managed to fall on my butt a couple of times. Made it down to the Saddle and headed back along the Pass Mountain Trail in a CCW direction back to my start point. Great hike in an area I have not hiked in before.
My original plan after coming off the ridge was to head south along the Pass Mountain trail and take the Bulldog Saddle trail back to the Pass Mountain Trail and head back to the start point but with only 2 quarts of water, 80 degrees and the beating on the ridge I changed my plans. I still had plenty of daylight left so I would do another hike from the Meridian Trail Head to the Wind Cave Trail Head and back. I finally read the guide for this hike and I’m glad I didn’t read it first I never would of attempted But the other triplogs made it sound like a cake walk, I guess I should be going to the Sponge Bob Weenie bar. |
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