South Fork of Sheep Creek - 4642 Lasso Loop • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

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Feb 22 2024

The_Eagle

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

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Lion Mountain 4570 & 4608

Phoenix, AZ

Lion Mountain 4570 & 4608

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Feb 22 2024
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,760

Hiking	10.36 Miles	2,556 AEG

Hiking	10.36 Miles	8 Hrs 46 Mns		1.38 mph
	2,556 ft AEG	1 Hour 15 Mns Break	10 LBS Pack

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South Fork of Sheep Creek - 4642 Lasso Loop

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joebartels

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

It was Linda's week to pick, so Joe came up with this one, a rehash of an attempt from last year.

The drive in on FR201/25 was uneventful. The road is in decent shape with two shallow creek crossings. I was mindful of the rules of the road while making the climb up to the TH, noting what I would do if I met another driver on the narrow road sections.

A glorious 32 degrees with no wind to start, as the sun was rising. We peered over to Mt Ord and wondered if @DixieFlyer was making his bi-monthly ascent (he was). The first 1.2 miles were on established trails.

After that, we followed an old cowboy trail that ran past Marion Spring (flowing) and the two Chalk Springs (Pools) until it petered out. Travel was okay until we had to cross the drainages. There it was thick, overgrown, and moist from the previous day's rains. We were soaked. Joe may have also mentioned that his shoes were wet a few times.

Cross-country travel was easy to Peak 4642. The steep, loose descent slowed us down a bit. Making our way over to the confluence of the South Fork of Sheep Creek and Tournament Creek, we scouted for a route down and back up the other side of Tournament Creek. Once again, slow going.

After a bit further, Joe suggested we were going to run out of light if we continued the additional two miles and 1500' to the peak. I had already turned around.

Now all we had to do was go up all the steep, loose stuff we'd hit on our way to this point.

Since we had some extra time on the way back, we stopped at the Marion Spring area to search it out and attempt to find Joe's reading glasses that were lost in one of the thickets. We were 1 for 2, the spring was flowing nicely.

I'm going to leave this summit for some more adventurous (read younger) HAZ'ers. I can't wait to read about it!

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Desert Anemone

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Chalk Spring Lion Mountain Marion Spring

	Marion Spring	Quart per minute	Quart per minute

_____________________

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

Feb 03 2023

The_Eagle

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

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

South Fork of Sheep Creek - 4642 Lasso Loop

Phoenix, AZ

South Fork of Sheep Creek - 4642 Lasso Loop

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Feb 03 2023
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,760

Hiking	11.43 Miles	2,373 AEG

Hiking	11.43 Miles	6 Hrs 55 Mns		1.88 mph
	2,373 ft AEG	51 Mns Break	14 LBS Pack

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Saddle Mountain Trail #91

Little Saddle Mountain Trail #244

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joebartels

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

It'd been 8 years since I hiked out of the Mormon Grove TH. Time to check out an area that had been on my radar.

FR201 was in decent shape to the point we turned on FR25. FR25 was fine for any vehicle with a bit of clearance. It's rocky in spots and there were 2 flowing shallow creek crossings.

At the TH, 30's and very breezy to start.

Saddle Mountain

Little Saddle Mountain

a use trail and then dropped in the South Fork of Sheep Creek. This is a pretty riparian area with flowing water the entire length we were in there. Bovine use trails got us downstream mainly unscathed.

We had a goal for the day, but slow going made it obvious that we were not going to get there. I'm not Lion when I say we were disappointed. We set a turnaround time of 12:30 which ended up being at a 10' pour off that we were going to have to bypass just short of Tournament Creek.

A steep up and out to 4070 and the new goal of 4642 was in sight. We kicked up a couple of White Tails which solidified the steep route we'd chosen to the top.

Up top on 4642, we had some lunch trying to get out of the wind. [ youtube video ]

From here we went cross country with a goal of checking out Chalk Spring on the way back to the trail. There were long ago use trails through the washes leading to the spring, and even some remnants of wood and tin in the area, but no active spring.

The final drainage we had to cross, south of Marion Spring was the most exhausting for me. Getting down was not a problem. Climbing the other side through the Manzanita Maze was tiring.

Good day in an area I don't get to enough.

	Chalk Spring	Dry	Dry

_____________________

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

Feb 03 2023

joebartels

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

55 male

Joined Nov 20 1996

South Fork of Sheep Creek - 4642 Lasso Loop

Phoenix, AZ

South Fork of Sheep Creek - 4642 Lasso Loop

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Feb 03 2023
		joebartels • Triplogs 5,894

Hiking	10.61 Miles	2,353 AEG

Hiking	10.61 Miles	6 Hrs 56 Mns	1.75 mph
	2,353 ft AEG	53 Mns Break

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Saddle Mountain Trail #91

Little Saddle Mountain Trail #244

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The_Eagle

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

Bruce threw out an unexpected juicy steak and it was game on without review.

Easy, manicured trail to our turn-off down South Fork Sheep Creek.

The unexpected riparian area was one of the prettiest creek hikes I recall in recent memory. One 4 to 6 ft deep crystal clear pool was the highlight with cascades galore between scenic open stretches.

Exhaustingly enjoyable. Constant creek crossings and dodging foliage scathed me well. Misjudging a hop, side kabobbed my thigh. Body-slammed the ground too but ecstatic nothing broke.

We limboed through two or three mesquite bosques with cheatgrass.

Geology stopped the soaring eagle. With zero desire to backtrack, I suggested 4642 high above. It looked ridiculously steep. On topo it looked like the ticket. Bruce shockingly agreed.

Albeit windy, being on top of 4642 without MacLeod and Lilley was a treat.

We stumbled onto a use-trail before Chalk Spring. It went from lightly cairned to brushy. A few clipped mahogany brushes en route to Marion Spring(s). Bruce found a spring box in the middle of nowhere. We skipped Marion and aimed for Little Saddle Mountain Trail #244.

It would be sincerely undesirable to set foot out here without long pants. Suited up, I was eager to plow through the easy-to-balance handholds.

We lost contact in the grand finale of bushwhacking but met up for the final 1.5 mi back to square one.

Synopsis
Kicked my butt and delivered a few healable wounds. Best hike in many moons. A good reminder the topography out here is phenomenal. Inspired to hit the area again.

27-Second Youtube Video

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cheatgrass

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Iron-oxidizing Bacteria

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Jasper Unidentified Geology

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Campsite

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Saddle Mountain 6,535, Mazatzal

	Chalk Spring	Dry	Dry
	No sign of water in the area

	Upper Sheep Creek Spring	Gallon + per minute	Gallon + per minute
	No clue on the spring but the creek was running a gallon a minute

_____________________

- joe

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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