Spruce Mountain Crosscut • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

Prescott, AZ

Prescott, AZ

Hiking		Sep 16 2023
		ScaredyCat • Triplogs 204

Hiking	9.87 Miles	1,918 AEG

Hiking	9.87 Miles	4 Hrs 43 Mns	2.62 mph
	1,918 ft AEG	57 Mns Break

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4WD to park at TH or you can park a single car sideways across from it. Isabella trail is steep. Lost one participant during this section. We then took the longer portion of the loop.

Fairly chill till you reach GC TH. A bit further in, the trail grows rockier and steeper. We then took the unmarked, steep and unmaintained shortcut trail.

Great outing with wonderful people. Tasty italian restaurant afterward.

Oct 23 2021

toddak

Guides 13
Routes 38
Photos 1,651
Triplogs 577

60 male

Joined Nov 15 2005
Jackson, CA

Prescott, AZ

Prescott, AZ

Hiking		Oct 23 2021
		toddak • Triplogs 577

Hiking	15.00 Miles	3,500 AEG

Hiking	15.00 Miles	7 Hrs	2.14 mph
	3,500 ft AEG

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Did the @chumley 5/12/18 three-peak route, good stuff

Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate
mostly oaks, some aspen

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May 14 2021

LJW

Routes 154
Photos 1,505
Triplogs 266

31 male

Joined Jun 02 2019
Phoenix, AZ

Spruce - Davis - Union - Tritle, AZ

Hiking		May 14 2021
		LJW • Triplogs 266

Hiking	18.84 Miles	4,328 AEG

Hiking	18.84 Miles	6 Hrs 50 Mns	3.10 mph
	4,328 ft AEG	45 Mns Break

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Mount Tritle via FR 52B

Mount Tritle

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Shortened a hike from last year by ~6 Miles. Abridged Isabella Loop with the Crosscut Trail plus Davis, Union, and Tritle in a loop. Only did a portion of the Groom Creek Loop this time and took shorter approaches to and from Davis and Tritle. Started around 6am in Potato Patch with Spruce Mountain.

Warm up with less than half of the Isabella Loop. Went east on Groom Creek to Crosscut and then down. Crosscut is easy to find if you're looking for it on the upper end, good shape if a little rocky. Really nice forest of giant firs. Up Groom Creek Loop to Spruce Mountain then back down Spruce Ridge to the trailhead.

Feeling tired, considered just heading home. Had a break, ate lunch for breakfast, and took all the weight out of my pack that wasn't water, food, or first aid. Decided to have a go. Wanted to skip Dandrea this time round, finally went up the northern ridge instead. Beautiful pine forest, especially lower down. Decent bushwhack, but I got caught out too far off the ridgeline.

Took in the wind at the summit then made my way to Union. Tower was occupied by somebody with CA plates. Down the road and didn't see anyone, surprisingly. Poland road through the really nice forest and down/up the unshaded 52b to Tritle Summit.

North of the summit there is a distinct trail that heads down the ridge. It is in suprisingly good shape. Pine needle tread, easy to follow. Turns into a road at some point. Beautiful forest on that side of the mountain. Got down to Senator using game trails, but from the ridge to the summit there's a trail/road the whole way.

Roads back down, only saw people in and around Potato Patch. No hikers. Forest thinning seemingly everywhere. Cool day despite no clouds.

4 archives

Jul 02 2020

LJW

Routes 154
Photos 1,505
Triplogs 266

31 male

Joined Jun 02 2019
Phoenix, AZ

Union - Moscow - Davis, AZ

Hiking		Jul 02 2020
		LJW • Triplogs 266

Hiking	18.62 Miles	4,188 AEG

Hiking	18.62 Miles	6 Hrs 21 Mns	3.18 mph
	4,188 ft AEG	30 Mns Break

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Moscow Peak Loop

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Chance of lightning, albeit slight, so I got an early start around 445am hoping to summit Union, Moscow, and Davis in a semi-convoluted out and back.

Groom Creek was dark on the way up. Shady and dark all the way to Union, and mostly even all the way to Moscow. Crosscut hard to mistake. Two wooden posts mark the trail where it skirts away from under the power lines and straight up Spruce Ridge. Steep but good shape.

Isabella light started to come out. Such a beautiful trail. All three trails smooth, little rocky on Isabella higher up where it's steepest.

Slipped through Potato Patch before the neighborhood watch was up. Damn is it cold in that pocket of the mountains. Dandrea is pretty terrible but I guess it has its charms. Real dense forest. Better in the light. Tread is about as bad as they come.

Yankee Doodle the oak trees that looked downright burned a month or so ago have leafed-out, and the difference is pretty stark. Oak tunnel in place of Southern views.

Union shmunion. It's a tower peak. Views are good for what they are, pretty big if possible to ignore all the metal on top. LO unoccupied.

Yankee to Moscow ridge. Hadn't been south of Union on Yankee, but it just gets better and better. Easy game trail to the ridge and an obvious use trail to the summit. Sees more hikers than I thought. You can drive most of the way up with sweet enough wheels. Moscow was worth the effort and the ridge walk to it is pretty rad. Beware false summit.

Clouds were coming in by the time I was on Davis. Didn't hang around. Never ended up storming, so kind of a bummer. Waves of cumulous clouds rolled in by the time I was back on 307. Only saw one person, on the Isabella trail.

4 archives

May 09 2020

joebartels

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

55 male

Joined Nov 20 1996

Davis - Moscow - 7675 - Union - Spruce Lode, AZ

Hiking		May 09 2020
		joebartels • Triplogs 5,894

Hiking	15.77 Miles	3,987 AEG

Hiking	15.77 Miles	8 Hrs 18 Mns	2.17 mph
	3,987 ft AEG	1 Hour 2 Mns Break

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The_Eagle

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Davis
We walked Poachers Row from Isabella Trailhead nestled in the sine-wave tall-pined forest dotted with cabins. Off-trail to Davis we took one ridge north from our 2018 ascent. It seemed less painful. Overlapping on satellite we simply tiptoed the thorn-scrub laterally vs vertically so the footing was sure. Appears almost avoidable with pre-hike satellite planning.

Moscow
John at the fire tower lookout has recommended Moscow Peak many times. Past core-summer hikes were not optimal temps for off-trail exploring. On a whim, today was the day. It appears a motorcycle recently summited. There is evidence of old trail work in two short stretches. Moscow is a worthy destination compared to the joke known as Trittle. That said, French Alps peak baggers will yawn and pout in their superior mindset.

7675
If OHV ankle-buster rock-lined trails leave a bad taste in your mouth then add this overpass to your spice rack.

Spruce
After a socially distanced tailgating luncheon under Peter's neighborhood pines at Isabella TH we headed up.
ELO claims it's Groos. I'll tell you once more before I write anymore, don't bring me down... SPRUCE!

Mid to upper Isabella might be the nicest groomed forest trail near Phoenix. After Spruce we utilized a trail that cuts off the lower loop. There are twin truss log posts at the signless junction where this trail turns off Groom Creek Loop Trail #307. FS Topo shows this trail originating north off FR 9404X. I'm guessing decommissioned since PNF notoriously bows to locals. Old deadfall and light brush is not a deterrent. The old trail is loaded with oaks between the pines.

Synopsis
We'va historically saved Union to escape 110 temps in the Sonoran Skillet but it's nice in prime season too. Now that the area has been infiltrated by road haters seeking short skirts and high peaks we found some new peaks to bag.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Canadian white violet

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Moscow Peak Mount Davis

Wildflowers Observation Light
A little lupine that looks happy that it grew up in a pine forest.

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- joe

May 09 2020

The_Eagle

Guides 41
Routes 1,626
Photos 14,983
Triplogs 2,760

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Davis - Moscow - 7675 - Union - Spruce Lode, AZ

Hiking		May 09 2020
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,760

Hiking	16.35 Miles	3,989 AEG

Hiking	16.35 Miles	8 Hrs 18 Mns		2.27 mph
	3,989 ft AEG	1 Hour 6 Mns Break	14 LBS Pack

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Moscow Peak Loop

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joebartels

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

This is a go to area for us for when the giant Orb, makes thinks toasty in the valley. We purposefully started in the middle of the hike to 1) Stay away from the more popular Groom Creek TH and 2) start in the middle, so we could leave our additional water and food in the truck.

We were the first 2 vehicles in the small lot for our 7:30 start. We made our way through Peters Potato Patch, crossed the headwaters of the Hassayampa and took a new approach to gain Mt Davis. We both agreed that this was probably the approach we'd take in the future. Mt Davis is my favorite up here. Mainly because of the solitude and views.

Next, we made a mid route change and decided to hit up Moscow Peak and Peak 7675. These were 2 worthy additions and will be added to the rotation. Some very nice views from the top. The preferred route to the top, was the way we came down. From FR261 go due South, following the ridge line to make your climb.

Next up was Union since we were in the area. The tower was manned, but I don't think it was our buddy John. We saw our first people of the day here.

Back down to the Isabella TH, we had our SD lunch.

Isabella is a well groomed trail through some tall conifers. In sections one of the prettiest in the state.
We took this to the Groom Creek Loop and headed up to Spruce Mountain. This tower was also manned but I don't believe it was Suzy. The truck had Idaho plates.

To complete our loop, we used the Spruce Mountain Crosscut. After I splashed in Wolf Creek a bit, we completed the climb to meet back up with the Isabella Trail.

Good times in the PNF

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

Hassayampa Headwaters

Light flow

_____________________

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

1 archive

May 15 2010

joebartels

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

55 male

Joined Nov 20 1996

Prescott, AZ

Prescott, AZ

Hiking		May 15 2010
		joebartels • Triplogs 5,894

Hiking	9.25 Miles	2,630 AEG

Hiking	9.25 Miles	4 Hrs	2.31 mph
	2,630 ft AEG

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