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| Hiking | 9.80 Miles |
2,516 AEG |
| | Hiking | 9.80 Miles | 5 Hrs 30 Mns | | 1.96 mph |
| 2,516 ft AEG | 30 Mns Break | 11 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | The three of us decided to do the Robber’s Roost-Cave Trail loop with our new hiker buddy, Nebraska Jack, whom we met on the Cave Trail a couple of weeks ago. I hadn’t hiked Carney Springs in several years and had the misinformed elation of thinking I’d summited after reaching the saddle in 50 minutes. That turned out to be 800 vertical and 22 minutes further up the road, totaling up to about two Black Mtns, which we climb off and on when we have nothing better to do, although rarely twice at once.
A fairly good spray of wildflowers began appearing around 2500’ and stayed with us all day. Several specimens of Wooly Paintbrush and everyone’s favorite, Live-forever, a/k/a Dudleya saxosa, which doesn’t have quite the ring of Live-forever, showed up along with the usual suspects. Didn’t hear or see any running water.
This was the first trip through Robber’s Roost for the three of us. Brian, our horse, who wound up drinking his 100 ozs of water by the bottom of Devil’s Slide, exited through the chimney while the rest of us retraced our steps.
The bushwhack over to Fremont Saddle should be avoided at all costs; however, it must be done anyway. The cacti and various spears along the way drew their allotment of blood from me. Then we took our Gunsight picture and lunched under the lonesome pine, which was quite the place to be today, about 70 degrees with a nice breeze. Some lassies from Minnesota appeared and grilled us about our favorite trails. Brian, the horse, of course, picked the Ridgeline while I stubbornly held out for Barnhardt in the spring when the water’s running. Nebraska spoke up for #3 of the Four Peaks, the only hill within sight that he hasn’t gotten around to do yet. There’s a moral question whether those other two trails should be mentioned at all to some snowbirds from Minnesota, whereas the hardest part of the Barnhardt is the road to the trailhead.
Then Nebraska guided us down the Cave Trail, which is quite a bit shorter and easier when you stick to the trail, rather than wandering off into Barks Canyon as we did two weeks ago. The Devil’s Slide is still a bit of a gulper when seen for the first time.
All and all, a great day and a great hike. Dacite Mesa is quite a wonder. |
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Wildflowers Observation Substantial
see the photoset |
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Route Editor
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