East Baldy Trail #95 • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Aug 24 2025
		ScaredyCat • Triplogs 204

Hiking	16.59 Miles	2,872 AEG

Hiking	16.59 Miles	7 Hrs 36 Mns	2.61 mph
	2,872 ft AEG	1 Hour 15 Mns Break

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East Baldy Trail #95 to Hoodoo Overlook

Mount Thomas - Mount Baldy Wilderness

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Reach TH @ 7 am. A minor miracle for me.

Up East which wasn't as difficult as I remembered from 9-8-2019. Chill at boundary with guy doing loop rev of us. Going down W was mostly easy. Terrain does limit how fast one can move most of the way.

Chill at water next to Crossover Trail. After already hiking 13 miles, that first mile was brutal. Next couple were much easier. Finished an hour and a half sooner than expected. Same time it took me to do E to boundary and back 6 years ago.

Jul 27 2025

ShatteredArm

Guides 12
Routes 192
Photos 863
Triplogs 356

42 male

Joined Nov 30 2015
Phoenix, AZ

Mount Thomas - Mount Baldy Wilderness

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Jul 27 2025
		ShatteredArm • Triplogs 356

Hiking	11.50 Miles	1,800 AEG

Hiking	11.50 Miles	4 Hrs 17 Mns	2.74 mph
	1,800 ft AEG	5 Mns Break

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East Baldy Trail #95 to Hoodoo Overlook

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Wanted something mellow with some decent mileage, while still being able to drive back to PHX in the evening, so I decided to check out Mt Thomas. Only vehicle in the lot when I showed up; guess most people didn't get the memo about the wilderness re-opening. It was nice seeing so few people on this trail. The weather started out hot, became somewhat pleasant at around 11k, then got hot again later. The off-trail part was quick and painless, with minimal deadfall to contend with, and the 2nd half being in a clearing.

Not a terribly interesting view from the top, but it's not a bad spot to hang out for a few minutes.

Saw a few more people the last couple miles, but still very light for a weekend. I've never seen this mountain so dry; can't imagine how bad it was before they opened it.

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Jun 20 2025

fricknaley

Guides 93
Routes 397
Photos 4,984
Triplogs 4,124

49 male

Joined Jun 20 2003
Tucson, AZ

Mt Baldy from Winn Campground, AZ

Hiking		Jun 20 2025
		fricknaley • Triplogs 4,124

Hiking	22.46 Miles	3,208 AEG

Hiking	22.46 Miles	6 Hrs 20 Mns		4.08 mph
	3,208 ft AEG	50 Mns Break	8 LBS Pack

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East Baldy Trail #95 to Hoodoo Overlook

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Did a big clockwise loop of Mt Baldy from my campsite at Winn Campground. Have not been up on Baldy in a very long time and it was delightful to be back. Moved well all day and had a great time. chilled on the white man summit for a while and at some other spots just taking in the day. Lot of downed trees on the upper parts of both east and west baldy but otherwise smooth sailing. filtered some water along west baldy a couple times so i could travel lightly. really lovely day

they closed the springerville district on me while i was out there. did not see that one coming so had to make alternate plans for the next day but it was fine

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Sep 21 2024

mikemcg

Guides 2
Routes 127
Photos 1,478
Triplogs 129

male

Joined May 07 2019
Tempe, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Sep 21 2024
		mikemcg • Triplogs 129

Hiking	18.71 Miles	2,836 AEG

Hiking	18.71 Miles	9 Hrs 22 Mns	2.30 mph
	2,836 ft AEG	1 Hour 14 Mns Break

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Second time doing this loop, including the summit. We contacted the Office of the Chairman of the White Mountain Apache Tribe several weeks ahead of time to obtain permission to go to the summit.

We started at the East Baldy trailhead, and went clockwise. The ascent felt like it went by fairly quickly, as we were enjoying the views and vibes the whole way. Spent some time playing and climbing in the rock garden. Further up is an amazing lookout point, and we spent some time awestruck by the views. At 10800 feet, the trail flattens out, and the 2 avid mushroom afficionados in our group were excitedly looking at all the large mushrooms just off the trail and explaining the unique qualities of each one. Apparently there had been a huge mushroom hunt the week before, but there were still many along the trail. Next we encountered the prolific raspberry bushes, and we all enjoyed the berries.

We reached the turnoff toward the summit, but the sign announcing that only tribal members may proceed was no longer there. We encountered a member of the tribe, and after he checked for our permit, he accompanied us most of the way to the peak. There were many people at the summit, and a large group was leaving as we arrived. Most were members of the Apache tribe, while some were non tribal members who worked for the tribe in Whiteriver. It was very peaceful and quiet, despite the large number of people, as most people appeared to be enjoying the views, contemplating, or conversing quietly. We spent some time taking in the views in all directions, then headed back down.

The upper third of the West Baldy trail was forgettable, with numerous dead and downed trees. Eventually we reached the river and the meadows, which were beautiful. We then took the crossover trail, which had more of an ascent than I remembered. The trees and meadows were very peaceful and pleasant, but this part felt like it proceeded more slowly than the other sections of the loop. We eventually reached the East Baldy Trail and returned to the car.

Overall this is one of my favorite hikes of all time. It was a beautiful day, with perfect temperatures (40s-70s over the course of the day). Most of the loop is exceptionally picturesque, except for the stretch of dead/downed trees along the upper part of the West Baldy Trail. The summit feels like a special place. The views are remarkable, especially at the summit and at the flat lookout area near the top of the East Baldy Trail. The river, rock garden, and raspberries made the experience even better. We encountered very few people the entire day except for the tribe members at the summit. Definitely will do this more often.

Finally, it turned out that we had randomly picked the last possible day that we could be allowed to go on this adventure, as most of the White Mountains were to be closed down that evening for the next 2 weeks so that George Strait and his posse could go on their annual elk hunt in the White Mountains. In fact, when we were at the summit, we were advised to evacuate the mountain before sunset to avoid being shot by Mr. Strait or his crew. Yes, apparently that's a thing.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mount Baldy

Wildflowers Observation Moderate

10 archives

Sep 02 2024

ddgrunning

Guides 3
Routes 632
Photos 8,235
Triplogs 604

54 male

Joined Apr 13 2011
Gilbert, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Sep 02 2024
		ddgrunning • Triplogs 604

Hiking	19.31 Miles	2,892 AEG

Hiking	19.31 Miles	9 Hrs 5 Mns	2.30 mph
	2,892 ft AEG	42 Mns Break

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The White Mountains have always been a glaring hole in my Arizona hiking experience--mostly because they are just a little too far away to make a day trip from Phoenix. Over the Labor Day weekend, we decided to make a trip up on Sunday and spend Labor Day on the trails. Stayed at a motel in Springerville, then got up early and made the 30-ish minute drive to the trailhead.

Very happy to have experienced Mt. Baldy. On the way to the trailhead, we had to stop for a whole family of wild turkey to cross the road.

Baldy is kind of a hidden peak, which was not what I was expecting, given that it's the second highest point in the state outside the San Francisco Peaks. I guess I was expecting a more SF-Peaks-type experience, with the mountains rising sharply from the surrounding landscape. Instead, it was more like: Where's the mountain?

We debated which trailhead to start from and whether to do the "crossover" first or at the end. Ultimately, we elected to start from the East Baldy Trailhead and head counterclockwise, up the mountain first, leaving the crossover to the end. My wife hadn't done any high-mile hikes in a bit, so we decided that doing the uphill on the front end made sense, and then if she wasn't feeling good on the back end, she could just finish off the West Baldy Trail and I'd do the Crossover and then pick her up. Turned out to be a non-issue, as she hiked the whole thing and did great!

We were very happy with our routing choice. We passed by one campsite early on and then one more backpacking campsite on our way up, but didn't see a soul until well into our descent on the West side.

The "rock garden" area on East Baldy is striking and a definite contrast from the mostly forest and meadow hiking to that point. Then, after rounding/ascending the rocks, the trail breaks suddenly into a panoramic view. Super cool. A nice (though dry) camp spot is just beyond the viewpoint.

From there, it became mushroom heaven. Many varieties of mushrooms all along the trail. I've never taken so many pictures of mushrooms, and did not expect them to be a photographic highlight of the hike.

As we made the turn that skirts below the peak proper, we entered the "raspberry zone" and enjoyed foraging.

We came across a few small strawberries as well, but not many.

On the West Baldy side, the views were more expansive, and the meadows, with the west fork of the LCR alongside, stole the show. I can see why the lower portion of this trail is generally quite popular. That said, for a Labor Day, we expected to see more people, but had no complaints about the sparse human presence on the trail.

We stopped and soaked our feet in the creek for a bit--which was refreshing, before tackling the crossover. Based on triplogs, I expected the crossover to be a bit dull, but was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the many meadows and forested areas we crossed through. Surprisingly, this was the part of the trail we encountered the most people on.

Crossing the last large meadow, we spotted a large female elk (we had heard some bugling earlier along the trail), which was a nice way to end the hike.

On my route, I flagged the Rock Garden, the Viewpoint on top of the rocks, the "berry zones," and a couple of nice campsites.

The drive back to Phoenix was long after a 19-miler, but the expected traffic jam of holiday weekend returnees never materialized.

Now, to figure out my next White Mountains destination. Taking suggestions ....

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] West Fork LCR - Upper Tributary

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2 archives

Aug 10 2024

chumley

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

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Aug 10 2024
		chumley • Triplogs 1,993

Hiking	16.40 Miles	2,850 AEG

Hiking	16.40 Miles	7 Hrs 1 Min	2.68 mph
	2,850 ft AEG	54 Mns Break

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	BiFrost	Jaxbe22
	John9L

In my continuing quest to avoid crossing paths with @jacobemerick on a hiking trail this summer, I set out for a part of the state with daytime temperatures under 115. ;)

It was a forecast down day in the monsoon with little chance of storms so we enjoyed not having to race the typical buildup over the peaks and those uncomfortable flash-bangs that are so common this time of year.

Instead, as the climb progressed and the oxygen thinned, it was enjoyable to take foraging breaks, enjoying the plentiful and amazingly delicious wild strawberries that line the hillsides along North Baldy 94. The raspberries were even more plentiful than the strawberries and their bitterness provided a nice balance to the sweetness of the strawberries. Oh yeah, and there was hiking in between snack breaks.

Once on the way up and again on the way down, I spotted large reflective pieces of the plane wreckage that do not seem to be the one wing piece easily seen adjacent to the trail. I couldn't place exactly where I should look for this additional mountain metal.

The hoodoo area along South Baldy 95 is always fun to cruise through on the descent. Sometime I'd like to do just that hike and explore more in that area with all the little caves and crevasses that you don't see from the trail.

Not much excitement on the trail itself, but over the weekend of camping nearby, enjoyed wildlife sightings of elk, deer, coyote, turkey, osprey, and pronghorn. So that was cool!

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Wild Strawberry

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Aug 10 2024

BiFrost

Guides 4
Routes 491
Photos 10,890
Triplogs 1,257

55 male

Joined Nov 20 2012
Phoenix, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Aug 10 2024
		BiFrost • Triplogs 1,257

Hiking	16.40 Miles	2,850 AEG

Hiking	16.40 Miles	7 Hrs 1 Min	2.68 mph
	2,850 ft AEG	54 Mns Break

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	chumley	Jaxbe22
	John9L

Spent the weekend in the White Mountains so why not hike Baldy. We dropped a vehicle at East Baldy TH and then drove to West Baldy for the hike. Kept a decent pace on the hike only slowing down for some very nice raspberry/strawberry patches dispersed along the way. It was a good reason to slow the pace and just enjoy the hike that much more. Weather was pretty much perfect.

A break mid hike and we continued back down East Baldy stopping at the rocky section and slowed a bit for the hoodoo's. After that we cruised to the TH to finish off the 16 mile loop.

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1 archive

Jul 05 2024

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Jul 05 2024
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	17.11 Miles	2,419 AEG

Hiking	17.11 Miles	8 Hrs 30 Mns	2.01 mph
	2,419 ft AEG

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Brian and I found a nice camping spot the night before near FSR 237 A which had reliable cell service. Note: The US topo map shows FSR 273 A but the actual sign said FSR 237 A. We believe we had good cell service because we were close enough to the town of Greer, AZ. The West Fork trail #94 ran through our camp area, only a few feet away. We later realized this trail connected with the West Baldy trail, a few miles back.

GPS location of good camping location: 34.001149, -109.473375

Brian and I camped overnight, got up and drove to the East Baldy trail. We left a car at the West Baldy trail so we could hike the "V" without needing to hike the entire loop which would have been 20 miles or more.

We saw many pines, aspen, fir, etc. We noticed there were other GPS routes going up around the 6.5 mile mark, but there didn't seem to be any trail going that way. We also saw a lot of downed trees and the only logical way to go was to continue along the East Baldy trail. We took the East trail to the West trail, and then took that trail up from there.

At the summit, it was a rock pile with no trees and 360 degree views. There was a US survey marker at the high point. We didn't see a registry up there which was a bit surprising.

Flowers/plants seen: Orange-sneezeweed, pansy, blue flax, Rocky Mountain iris, Eaton's penstemon, red columbine, American yellow-rocket, green false hellebore, common cowparsnip, tall bluebells, Crane's bill, common yarrow, graceful cinquefoil, Rocky Mountain penstemon, red elderberry, black currant, giant red indian paintbrush, sanddune wallflower, Aspen daisy, scarlet gilia, Lemmon's spring-parsley, common juniper, slendertube skyrocket (pink)

Stats:
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Distance (round trip) = 17.11 miles
AEG = 2,419 feet
Strava moving time = 6 hrs 58 mins
Strava elapsed time = 10 hrs 31 mins

Wildflowers Observation Light
Orange-sneezeweed, pansy, blue flax, Rocky Mountain iris, Eaton's penstemon, red columbine, American yellow-rocket, green false hellebore, common cowparsnip, tall bluebells, Crane's bill, common yarrow, graceful cinquefoil, Rocky Mountain penstemon, red elderberry, black currant, giant red indian paintbrush, sanddune wallflower, Aspen daisy, scarlet gilia, Lemmon's spring-parsley, common juniper, slendertube skyrocket (pink)

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Michael Williams
IT Professional
Rocky Point Vacation Rentals
Ocean Front Condo in Rocky Point, Sonora, Mexico
www.beachfrontmexico.us

Jun 01 2024

jrich0085

Triplogs 19

40 male

Joined Apr 22 2020
Phoenix

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Jun 01 2024
		jrich0085 • Triplogs 19

Hiking	6.50 Miles	1,900 AEG

Hiking	6.50 Miles
	1,900 ft AEG

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Last July I explored West Baldy, reaching the FS summit (not the true summit on tribal land). Despite attempting an early start, I found myself in a scary thunderstorm by lunchtime. I got hailed on and soaked. While up there last year, a horseback rider was pointing out the plane crash site on East Baldy. Using my binoculars to look across the valley, I could see the aluminum skin of the plane reflecting the sun. I was intrigued, and planned on coming back to Mount Baldy Wilderness.

Looking at the weather, an early monsoon looks possible by mid-June for the White Mountains this year. June 01 looked perfect. Warm weather, and no storms in the forecast yet.

East Baldy is a beautiful hike unto itself. I thoroughly enjoyed the meadow, the forest, and the cool rock formations.

A few miles in there is a lot of dead fall. Nothing too difficult to step over and go around, but I expect the trail will be getting some maintenance this summer. Once I reached the switchbacks, I began to notice more snow. Maybe I'm a little naïve, but I did not expect much snow by June, even at 11K feet. The snow fields got worse. A girl in front of me was hiking in sandals and not much else. She said she was done and was turning around. I wished her well and continued up the mountain. My hiking boots are waterproof...supposedly. My boots were no match for the ever-deepening snow. Sometimes I could walk on top of it. Other times I sank in almost to my knees. My feet were soaked.

The snow was not pleasant. I thought seriously about turning around, but my hiking GPS indicated I was not even a half mile to the plane crash site--my goal for this hike. I pressed on. There is less tree cover due to a lot of dead timber on this part of the mountain. Enough sun has gotten thru to melt off the snow on intermittent sections of trail.

I successfully reached the plane crash site, took some photos, and had lunch. I stopped twice on the way back down to wring out my socks. I guess the lesson here is to plan on getting wet at Mount Baldy!

Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Just staring to pop in the meadow. Some beautiful wild iris

Oct 31 2023

GrangerGuy

Guides 34
Routes 138
Photos 931
Triplogs 111

68 male

Joined Dec 26 2018
Phoenix, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Oct 31 2023
		GrangerGuy • Triplogs 111

Hiking	17.34 Miles	2,610 AEG

Hiking	17.34 Miles	10 Hrs 30 Mns		2.04 mph
	2,610 ft AEG	2 Hrs Break	15 LBS Pack

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My Halloween hike was the Baldy Loop, about 17-18 miles. Usually I have a song in my head while I’m hiking to move me along. Today the lyrics were, “Out from his coffin Drac’s voice did ring; seems he was troubled by just one thing…” When I started at first light, it was 14° outside. About 2/3 of the way up the East Baldy Trail, the path crosses a section of Fort Apache Reservation land that seems to have a different trail clearing philosophy. There were quite a few downed trees where the trail just went around them now.

At the trail junction at the top, there is no sign prohibiting going on to the summit, but you have to know this to avoid trespassing on the reservation. I understand it is possible to get a permit from the tribe, but I did not have one, so I headed down. I discovered on my way down that the soles of my boots no longer had street legal tread as I negotiated the fine gravel trail. My mantra on the way down to avoid falling on my butt was, “knees bent, weight forward, poles out front.”

The Crossover Trail junction at the West Baldy Trail is marked only by a bare fence post, no sign. And the crossover trail itself is vague at times. “Use the force, Luke.” I did this loop in 10.5 hours. I have to remember that whatever time is given on HAZ, I need to up it by a third.

Autumn Foliage Observation None
Well past prime. Only a few aspens with any leaves left.

Wildflowers Observation None
One.

	Mount Baldy Spring	Dry	Dry
	No water here.

	West Fork LCR - Upper Tributary	Medium flow	Medium flow
	The creek was flowing cheerfully!

Oct 23 2023

markthurman53

Guides 187
Routes 989
Photos 12,068
Triplogs 864

72 male

Joined Jun 27 2015
Tucson, Arizona

East Baldy Mountain Trail, AZ

Hiking		Oct 23 2023
		markthurman53 • Triplogs 864

Hiking	8.10 Miles	1,313 AEG

Hiking	8.10 Miles	4 Hrs 6 Mns		1.99 mph
	1,313 ft AEG	2 Mns Break	20 LBS Pack

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mamakatt22

On our way back to Tucson we stopped off in the white mountains for a couple days. The first day we only had a half day to hike so we picked the East Baldy Trail. Hiked in 4 miles then returned the way we came.
I have never hiked this area before and was rather impressed with the scenery and the trail. This trail kind of follows along the East fork of the little Colorado River. Don't expect a scenic walk along the river as on the West Baldy trail as the trail starts it's ascent up to Baldy quite quickly. The old growth forest are magnificent and the rock hoodoos along the way keep your mind off the steady climb. Aspen trees were putting on their show but at the higher elevations the show was coming to an end. No wildlife spotted (except the ever present squirrels) but it was in the afternoon so it didn't surprise me.

The trail is in great condition. A few cars at the trail head with maybe a half dozen hikers along the way. I also noticed doggie poop bags left along the trail, I wish people would just let their dog poop and quit putting it in bags to be preserved for ever in a plastic bag or take the bag with you and quit pretending you will pick it up on the way back. This is not a heavy traffic area and if a dog does his business on the trail just flick it off the trail. Dogs and humans are a natural part of this environment and are not intruders. I even had a ranger in Grand Canyon say even humans are suppose to bag it while hiking, NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! Ok I'll get off my soap box. One more thought, why don't horses have to bag it. OK now I'm done. In spite of my little rant this is a great hike.

Autumn Foliage Observation Substantial
Nearing the end though

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Oct 21 2023

emilystardust

Routes 386
Photos 49
Triplogs 792

43 female

Joined Jun 23 2015
Phoenix, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Oct 21 2023
		emilystardust • Triplogs 792

Hiking	18.40 Miles	3,001 AEG

Hiking	18.40 Miles	8 Hrs 58 Mns	2.32 mph
	3,001 ft AEG	1 Hour 3 Mns Break

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Finally experienced this one in the fall - east to west and then crossover back.

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Sep 23 2023

trekkin_gecko

Guides 10
Routes 673
Photos 7,281
Triplogs 4,660

67 female

Joined Nov 17 2008
phoenix, az

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Sep 23 2023
		trekkin_gecko • Triplogs 4,660

Hiking	18.49 Miles	2,889 AEG

Hiking	18.49 Miles	7 Hrs 43 Mns	2.77 mph
	2,889 ft AEG	1 Hour 3 Mns Break

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johnlp

The_Eagle

we packed up camp and headed for east baldy trailhead saturday morning
hiked this trail at least 20 years ago to just past the intersection with west baldy
then west baldy to the summit eight years ago with wade, mary jo and angela
the loop has been on my list for awhile
moderate uphill through the woods for most of this trail
some cool rock formations along the way
a large section of blown down trees
some airplane crash remnants near the top
we had cool temps and a pretty strong breeze
at the east/west junction, talked with a couple cowboys who had ridden mules up
then on the way to the summit we ran into @patrickl
we hiked quartz peak together eleven years ago

nice to see you again!
very windy at the summit
great views of the white mountains and a few lakes
back to the junction, and down west baldy
a steeper descent through the forest for several miles
we had some lunch along here
a tricky creek crossing over the little colorado river
then an easier descent through a series of meadows along the river
very scenic
we saw quite a few people on west baldy
we hit the crossover for a finish through the woods and across a few meadows
enjoyed this piece more than i had anticipated
this is a beautiful hike, and i think it is now officially my favorite hike in arizona
it was nice to revisit some hikes from years ago and get in a couple of new ones
thanks to bruce for driving and planning the logistics
always good hiking with you two

great trip!

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

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hazhole

Sep 23 2023

The_Eagle

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

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Sep 23 2023
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,760

Hiking	18.49 Miles	2,889 AEG

Hiking	18.49 Miles	7 Hrs 43 Mns		2.77 mph
	2,889 ft AEG	1 Hour 3 Mns Break	14 LBS Pack

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johnlp

trekkin_gecko

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Day 3 in the White Mountains

After a chilly night of camping and another night of the local elk population bugling, we packed up and headed for the last hike of the trip. I swear one of the elk bugled just outside my tent.

East Baldy Trail
It's been more than 10 years since I've done this loop. I think clockwise is the way to go for me. Meadows give way to forests that lead you to and through a rockwall maze, ultimately opening up to an open boulder top. It's a great place for a break and some photo ops.
[ youtube video ]

Starting at about the 4-mile mark, there is quite a bit of deadfall that looks like it's been there for a while. At the intersection of the East and West trails, we chatted with a couple of cowboys taking a break with their mules. Shortly after that, we crossed paths with fellow HAZer @PatrickL. Great to finally meet you!

We took a short jaunt over to the peak for some photos in a gale-force wind and then returned to the cover of the trees.
[ youtube video ]

West Baldy Trail
The West Baldy Trail has a different feel, and I really enjoy both the East and West trails. You steeply descend out of the forest, cross the West Fork of the LCR, and then the wide-open meadows start.

Mt. Baldy Crossover Trail
With 3.5 miles to go, the crossover adds some elevation with four climbs, the first being the steepest coming out of the LCR.

It was a fun three days in the White Mountains. Thanks to Kelly and John for the hikes, humor, and storytelling.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Baneberry

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

	Mount Baldy Spring	Dripping	Dripping
	Little bit of water trickling across the trail

	West Fork LCR - Upper Tributary	Medium flow	Medium flow

_____________________

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
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Sep 23 2023

johnlp

Guides 1
Routes 14
Photos 7,202
Triplogs 5,208

68 male

Joined Mar 16 2008
chandler,az

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Sep 23 2023
		johnlp • Triplogs 5,208

Hiking	16.33 Miles	2,685 AEG

Hiking	16.33 Miles
	2,685 ft AEG

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East Fork Trail #95 - Greer

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The_Eagle

trekkin_gecko

Final day in the White Mountains. Kelly has been talking up this hike for quite some time and it delivered.
Following breakfast with the bugling elk, we packed up camp and headed to the East Baldy trailhead.
The hike up is mostly through forest with occasional long distance views. Nice trail. Not too steep. We went through a short stretch with quite a few blow downs, but nothing too difficult to get around.
The summit is exposed and was quite windy with great views. We ran into @PatrickL on the way there. Good to see you again!
Descending the West Baldy trail is steeper than the East. Once reaching the bottom the trail follows the very scenic Little Colorado River for a few miles.
Great hike. Would definitely do this one again.
Fun three days in the White Mountains. Thanks Bruce for organizing and driving. Thanks Kelly too.

Wildflowers Observation Light

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“Good people drink good beer.” Hunter S Thompson

Sep 10 2023

ShatteredArm

Guides 12
Routes 192
Photos 863
Triplogs 356

42 male

Joined Nov 30 2015
Phoenix, AZ

East Fork loop - L Colorado, AZ

Run/Jog		Sep 10 2023
		ShatteredArm • Triplogs 356

Run/Jog	17.00 Miles	1,870 AEG

Run/Jog	17.00 Miles	5 Hrs 57 Mns	3.12 mph
	1,870 ft AEG	30 Mns Break

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6 linked trail guides

Railroad Grade Trail #601

Government Springs Trail

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Last little outing before heading back down to PHX... Main goal was to finally check out East Fork trail. Most of the climbing was in the first mile. Took the detour to Amberon Point, which is quite steep. Trail is a bit messy above the point, but it's actually marked, and conveniently reconnects to East Fork trail. Trail condition was better than expected, and it's pretty pleasant for the most part. Couple parts through the meadows are a little grassy, but with GPS it's clear where to go.

The railroad grade section was not my favorite. Map shows the trail crossing the road directly across from Gabaldon, but didn't see any gate here, and proceeded to the FR. Found what I think might be an aspen bolete.

Gabaldon campground was nice and vacant, proceeded up the connector to East Baldy trail, then back down to Crossover.

On Crossover I got distracted by more mushrooms; collected three porcinis. By the time I got to West Baldy Trail, it was pretty cloudy, and I half expected it to rain (it didn't). Opted to take the creek trail down - found it's easiest to cross over to the south side just past the culvert, then cross back over when the creek bends away from Sheeps Crossing Point.

The trail down West Fork is one of the most idyllic places in Arizona.

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Jul 15 2023

BiFrost

Guides 4
Routes 491
Photos 10,890
Triplogs 1,257

55 male

Joined Nov 20 2012
Phoenix, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Jul 15 2023
		BiFrost • Triplogs 1,257

Hiking	6.43 Miles	989 AEG

Hiking	6.43 Miles	2 Hrs 51 Mns	2.26 mph
	989 ft AEG

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Quick out and back to the rocky outcrop on East Baldy Trail. Very enjoyable trail with some good tread and nice switchbacks up to the rock overlook. Took a break at the overlook and had a great view of what I think was the Campbell Fire.

After the break I hiked back the same way. With more time I'd like to do the loop but the hike was a good taste if not able to do the entire Baldy hike.

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1 archive

Nov 26 2022

RickVincent

Guides 4
Routes 5
Photos 3,377
Triplogs 783

55 male

Joined Aug 20 2009
Mesa, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Nov 26 2022
		RickVincent • Triplogs 783

Hiking	6.00 Miles	900 AEG

Hiking	6.00 Miles	3 Hrs	2.00 mph
	900 ft AEG

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This is quickly becoming one of my favorite trails when up in the White Mountains. This trip with Anna, Chris and Minte. Some snow on the ground as we approached the rocks/lookout. Gorgeous views, as always. We started shortly after 11am and wrapped it up after 2pm. Light winds, sunny, and mid-50's for the high.

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This is my gym. I have to travel down a bumpy road to get there. There are no treadmillls, no machines, and no personal trainers. I walk..I run..I breathe the fresh air. I can go any time I want, as much as I want and there is no membership fee.

1 archive

Aug 21 2022

AugustWest

Routes 174
Photos 471
Triplogs 184

51 male

Joined Mar 16 2019
Phoenix

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Aug 21 2022
		AugustWest • Triplogs 184

Hiking	14.44 Miles	2,329 AEG

Hiking	14.44 Miles	5 Hrs 2 Mns	3.16 mph
	2,329 ft AEG	28 Mns Break

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Incredible day on Baldy that had me thinking at one point on West Baldy, 'Why not just sell everything and live at the trailhead in a van?'

I stayed with my son and his girlfriend at an AirBnB in Eager the night before. I woke up at about 5:30 and made it to the West Baldy Trailhead at sunrise. There was one other truck in the parking lot. The day started misty and cold at 45 degrees. A common theme for the day was really mushy, wet trails.

As I made my way up towards the overlook, I couldn't help to notice the most gigantic firs I have seen since leaving Oregon. This for me was one of the highlights of the day. At the lookout, I caught up to the truck owner who was the only other person I ran into on West Baldy.

Heading down East Baldy I started running into a couple of people here and there. I think I saw 4 people total in the forested section. By the time we reached the meadows there were twice that, up to within a couple of miles from the trailhead.

The plan was for my son and his girlfriend to get a later start and meet me somewhere on lower East Baldy. Hiking with then slowed me down some, but I so rarely get a chance to hike with my boy so I really treasured the slower steps.

Tyler shuttled me back to my truck in time to get back to the house and pack up. We stopped in Show Low at The House which has great burgers and homemade potato chips!!

I am probably not going van life anytime soon, but I will definitely be back in the White's soon!

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Wildflower seed in the sand and wind
May the four winds blow you home again

Jul 31 2022

RickVincent

Guides 4
Routes 5
Photos 3,377
Triplogs 783

55 male

Joined Aug 20 2009
Mesa, AZ