Mike_W's Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

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Aug 30 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Saddle Mountain Galiuros, AZ

Hiking		Aug 30 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	5.39 Miles	1,501 AEG

Hiking	5.39 Miles	4 Hrs 29 Mns	1.55 mph
	1,501 ft AEG	1 Hour Break

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First of all, I need to thank Francisco M. and the Simpson family for hosting me at their amazing ranch property off of Sunset loop road. The property is truly amazing and has a lot of historic importance.

Francisco and I originally planned on starting this hike a bit earlier in the day, but the driving time was longer than expected. Plus, we had a late lunch and didn't want to hike immediately after eating. The drive from the ranch property to our starting point took a real long time. We took the same road that you would take to go to Reiley in the Winchester Mountain range, but didn't go quite as far.

We arrived at the trailhead around 5.30 pm. It was warm but the sun was going down and we knew it would just be getting more comfortable as time went on. We were unsure of the terrain in this area and we were hoping for a good use trail beyond the 4x4 road on the topo map. After walking the 4x4 road for about 400 feet we saw a campsite and the road seemed to end, however we saw a fairly clear trail continuing from the campsite area. The trail lowered us down into the wash a few times but there always seemed to be some kind of trail exiting the wash and following the wash going in the direction of Saddle peak. After hiking about 0.3 miles we saw a cairn in the wash and a good trail exited the wash to the left.

After about 3/4 mile, the trail starting climbing the hill on the left (South) side of the wash and by the time we reached 1 mile we were way above the wash and it was still a good trail. We continued and a bit past 1 mile we noticed that we were hiking straight toward a barbed wire fence that was in front us. Once we got to the fence, we turned left and noticed that the fence led directly to the saddle where we wanted to be. We decided it would be fine to follow the fence line. There were a few dips and it got a bit steep right below the saddle but we kept moving and made it up to a another barbed wire fence at the saddle that was were able to step over. We turned right and found a primitive gate that we walked through to get to the middle of the saddle.

We took a short break at the saddle and looked around. Here we found an old metal trough that was mostly empty and a small horned toad. There were signs of cattle in this area as well as all along the trail we were on from the bottom to this point. We always are glad to see evidence of cattle because they eat the grass, blaze a good trail and make it easier to see the ground so we can avoid walking into rattlesnakes. For the entire hike up to this point we were able to see our footing well and the ground around us.

From the saddle, we had a good look at Saddle Mtn, or at least the Northern part of the 'double summit', which was all we could see from this angle. There were a few ways to proceed from this point, but we decided to hike around peak 5745, staying relatively high and aiming for the center of a high saddle / land bridge to take us closer to Saddle Mtn. This high saddle was a unique area because it connected 5745 with Saddle mtn, and on the left and right sides there were deep canyons. After crossing the saddle, we had another 600 feet to get to the summit, but it didn't look like much from this point. We followed some cattle trails and had to zig-zag a bit to get higher. As we got near the top, the terrain got rockier and there were fewer cattle trails. My guess is the cows could make it all the way to the top and they would be interested in getting up there on a warmer day. We didn't see any cattle for our entire hike this time. When we got to the Northern peak, we realized that we still had another 1/3 mile to go to get to the Southern peak. There was some shin dagger here and the terrain was rocky. The cows probably avoided this area for that reason. We were losing light at this point and pushed forward to make it the summit.

There was a huge summit monument at the top which I was able to get a photo of before darkness. At the summit, we also found a memorial stone for Lester P Stewart who was born March 16th, 1912 and died on the same day in 1991. He apparently died on his 79th birthday. The stone said he was a father and sportsman and 'rest in peace on your beloved mountains'. At the summit, we also found a registry which we were able to sign and photograph. There were only a handful of names with the earliest being in 2013. Amy P, I found your business card at the top! I knew you had been here because we talked about this peak earlier in the week. We both had some concerns about rattlesnakes this time of the year, but it was a non-issue for us on this day. The cattle grazed the grass well and we didn't feel in danger during any part of the hike. Maybe only a little cautious on the hike down the steep rocky slope at night but we had good light from our headlamps. By the way, according to my GPS device, the Southern part of the double summit was 3 feet higher than the Northern part.

On the way down, we tried to follow basically the same route. But, because of the darkness, we had a little bit of trouble finding the high saddle. We ended up hiking down too low on the Southeast side of the bridge, but ended up finding a decent trail that took us right back up to the saddle from the SE side. Once on the saddle, we crossed it and started seeing more pieces of trail leading back to the saddle East of 5745. Once there, we went through the primitive gate, and thought it was strange to see only 1 gate in this area. We searched around and found a 2nd gate further to the East and went through it. At this location, we found a different trail heading East and then Northeast. We took this trail for at least 1/4 mile, then realized it may not be leading us where we wanted to go. We found use trails/animal trails heading North and our plan was to intersect the same trail we were on earlier before dark. But, because of the darkness, we ended up crossing the original trail at some point, not seeing it. We got turned around in a few confusing areas and ended up having to check the GPS many times. We needed to do an open Country hike to get back to the main trail. Because of the darkness, we ended up getting off trail a few more times on the way down. Had it not been dark we would have been perfectly fine.

We took the trail back down to our starting point, then started the 4x4 drive on the rocky road back out. I believe it took us about 1 hour to drive from our starting point to the Forest Service boundary near Ash Creek road and Sunset Loop road. We saw a few campers along the final 1 mile of road before exiting the National Forest area.

All in all it was a great hike, but the drive is quite long and requires a lot of determination and patience!

Stats:
-------
5.39 miles round trip
1501 feet AEG
Strava moving time: 3 hrs 15 mins
Strava elapsed time: 4 hrs 29 mins

Directions:
------------
(4x4 required!)
**Driving directions: Take I-10 East toward Willcox.

Take exit 340 for AZ-186 E/Rex Allen Dr/Fort Grant Rd
0.3 mi

Turn left onto AZ-186 W/Fort Grant Rd/W Rex Allen Dr
Continue to follow Fort Grant Rd for 14.9 mi

Continue onto S Brookerson Rd for 3.0 mi

Turn left onto W Ash Creek Rd for 17.2 mi

Turn left to stay on Ash creek Rd, also known as FSR 660. Note: Sunset loop continues North from this point.

Zero your odometer at this junction.
0.0 miles: go west on FSR 660
0.65 miles: turn left onto FSR 659. There will be a few road junctions along the way, but there are signs at most of the junctions indicating which way FSR 659 goes.
Follow FSR 659 for about 5.3 miles.
You will see a junction where you will turn right and then within about 200 feet you will cross a wash.
Park off the side of the road just past the wash crossing.
There is a campsite area another 400 feet up the road.
See route for more info...

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Memorial

_____________________

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

Aug 19 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Four Score Trail - DeCaLiBron Loop

South Central, CO

Four Score Trail - DeCaLiBron Loop

South Central, CO

Hiking		Aug 19 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	9.21 Miles	3,684 AEG

Hiking	9.21 Miles	9 Hrs 28 Mns	1.54 mph
	3,684 ft AEG	3 Hrs 30 Mns Break

no routes

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Mount Bross

Mount Lincoln - Pike NF

Mount Cameron

Mount Democrat

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Note: This trip report involves 4 peaks - Bross, Lincoln, Cameron, Democrat...

I read some other trip reports for this loop and decided to tackle it in reverse order because (a) I didn't have poles, and (b) I didn't want to attempt going down the steep Western slope of Bross mtn without poles. It seemed like most of the hikers I met along the way did the loop clockwise. Some had poles and some did not.

I arrived at the trailhead a little after 8 am. I had to park in a lower parking area because the top parking lot was full. The forecast seemed to be great this day without rain or storms. If the weather cooperated, I thought I would be able to reach my goal of finishing all 4 peaks. Near the trailhead, I took the unmarked branch which went in the direction of Mt Bross. It was extremely slow going because of the steepness of the trail and the elevation. I was breathing heavy and just went along at a comfortable pace. About 80% of the way to the top, I met a couple from England and they were coming down, finishing the whole loop quite early. We chatted for a while and they gave me a few words of encouragement that the trail would flatten out and that there was no problem going to Bross, even thought it was technically on 'private property'. When I got closer to the top, there was a trail junction with a trail going up and a trail heading around Bross going North toward Cameron/Lincoln. There was a sign saying something to the effect of 'Private Property - Stay on trail', and the trail going to the trail was in fact a very well-maintained trail, so it seemed to be completely fine to do this summit. When I got there I had the summit to myself for a few minutes. Then, I saw another hiker coming from the other direction (Lincoln side). He offered to take my photo. I took a few summit photos and a video then headed toward Lincoln peak.

I was thrilled to see that the ridgeline heading toward Lincoln peak was relatively flat. I did need to drop a few hundred feet in elevation but it was not nearly as steep as my ascent up Bross peak. As I continued North toward Lincoln peak I passed a few other hikers coming from that area and they said they saw 2 goats laying down resting. When I got over to the saddle between Lincoln and Cameron, I didn't see the sheep but others said they took off. I continued on my way to Lincoln peak. There was a false summit but once beyond that, the peak was right there. When I got to the peak, there were a few other people and then a guy named David appeared. He said it was his 50th birthday and left a sign there at the top. We chatted about some of the of the other peaks in the area and the rest of his family that was slightly behind. By the way, I would like to take this time to mention that Lincoln was a Republican. Seems like most non-republicans did not know this. What did Lincoln do? He freed the slaves. Wish he was around today to free the democrats from their irrational illogical worship of the party of slavery while they seem to hate the party who is fighting for our freedom and liberty.

From the top of Lincoln, a few of us spotted 2 goats walking on the trail in our direction. But, the goats turned off the trail and headed down to lower elevation. About 20 minutes later I was able to look North from the Lincoln summit and see the 2 goats below. I decided to take a break and have some snacks and water here. It was just before Noon, I felt great, and I felt like I was going to be able to accomplish all 4 peaks today.

After having lunch I took some photos and a video. The views looking North and West were some of the best views all day. I started heading back down to the saddle I was at previously, West of Mt Lincoln. Mt Cameron seemed to be an easy hike with a gradual trail leading up to it and not a lot of elevation gain. Someone else's trip report said the saddle between Lincoln and Cameron was at over 14,000 feet elevation. I confirmed this while analyzing my GPS track.

I got to the top of Cameron peak which was a long flat area. I wouldn't have known exactly where the high spot was had it not been for a small rock pile and a cardboard sign on the ground with a rock over it so it would not blow away. I had the summit to myself so I used my tripod to take my photo. At this point I had 3 of the 4 peaks finished and only had Demoncrat peak left. This was going to be a harder one because there was considerable elevation drop on the West side of Cameron and considerable gain going up to Mt Demoncrat. I continued going down the West side of Cameron. This involved nearly a 900 foot drop in elevation before getting to the lower saddle East of Mt Demoncrat.

I could see the trail heading up from the distance. There were some distinct switchbacks and I was told by other hikers that it was a nice trail and very well maintained. After getting higher up, I actually got a little off-trail because there was a confusing branch apparently. I went around a huge rock pile, then looked up and saw a sign and a section of trail. This is where I needed to be. I did the open Country scramble up to the trail section and I was back on the proper channel. A fast hiker passed by me on the trail and another one was going down the trail. I got to the false summit and could see the very top from here. It looked like only 100 more feet of vertical gain and I was there. There was a large patch of snow on the ground alongside the trail. The trail took me all the way to the rocky summit. From there, there were very nice views. Because of the angle, I did not have a view of Kitt Lake, but I had amazing views in all directions. I had another snack, took some photos and a video and started to head down. By this time it was already 4 pm. I was ready to head down the trail to complete my loop. I guessed that it would take about 1 hr 30 mins and that's about exactly what it took to go down the well-maintained trail that had over 2,000 feet of elevation gain.

On the way down I had some very nice photos of Kitt Lake, along with some photos of the surrounding mountains. All in all it was a challenging hike and I'm glad I did it. I will probably remember this place for the rest of my life!

Interesting fact: The town of Alma is the highest incorporated town in North America at 10,578 feet in elevation. Unfortunately, I had no cell service and no internet service while in the town of Alma, but on various peaks at 14,000+ feet in elevation, I had 4G service and even 5G at times!

Stats: (for entire loop)
-------
9.21 miles RT
3,684 feet AEG
strava moving time 5 hrs 56 mins
strava elapsed time 9 hrs 28 mins

Free camping area
-------------------
I found a free camping area which I stayed at 2 nights. The night before the loop and the night after. The dispersed camping area is off the forest service road marked 417.1A on the topo map.

location: 39.280249, -106.069841

_____________________

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

Aug 18 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Mount Sherman

South Central, CO

Mount Sherman

South Central, CO

Hiking		Aug 18 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	5.20 Miles	1,979 AEG

Hiking	5.20 Miles	5 Hrs 3 Mns	1.46 mph
	1,979 ft AEG	1 Hour 30 Mns Break

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I was told this was one of the easiest 14ers. Of course none of them are truly easy but relatively speaking this is one that probably many semi-experienced hikers can do.

I arrived at the trailhead around 8.30 am and found a parking spot not far from the closed gate which prevented cars from driving any further. I knew the round trip was roughly 5 miles and that meant that even going as slow as 1 MPH, I would easily be off the summit by Noon in the event that there was a storm. The weather was great. I saw clouds in the distance and there were no storms on the forecast for now.

Starting off it was just an old mining road. After about 1/3 mile of hiking up the road I saw an old mining area on the left side. There was a wooden structure partially destroyed, some metal tracks in different places, and what looked like an old rail car with a steering wheel attached. Why there was a steering wheel on it, I can't imagine. Maybe the steering wheel only controlled some kind of breaking mechanism. I saw a few mining holes and some tailings. The holes were all blocked by metal grates.

Initially, I could see Mt Sherman straight up and Mt Sheridan (13k+) to the left. If there was time, I thought about hiking Mt Sheridan also but I decided to pass since I planned on doing the DeCalibron loop and a total of FOUR 14ers the next day and that was going to be a tough day.

When I got up higher the road basically narrowed and turned into a trail but the trail was in great shape and easy to follow. I got up to the high ridgeline and saw some patches of snow. First time I ever saw this in August!

It was pretty rocky on the upper part but it was a pretty nice trail the entire way with not too many loose rocks. Before getting to the summit, I saw a family with 2 young kids starting to head down. I was surprised that the kids actually made it and seemed to be doing well. At the summit, I found a metal pole in a rock pile along with an old wooden slab that said Mt Sherman, 14,043 feet. There were a few other people near the summit when I got there and they offered to take my photo at the top.

There was a small rock enclosure near the top to get shelter in case there was any wind but it was quite calm the day I was up there. I wore a T-shirt for much of the lower part of the hike and put on a wind breaker when I got up higher because of the cool air. I got some photos and videos from the top and then started my descent down.

On the way down I decided to take a different trail branch that went further to the West and slightly toward Mt Sheridan. There was some more old mining equipment there and the trail was in worse condition. In a couple of areas I felt like I was scrambling across the rock and the trail was wiped out by various rock slides but I continued forward and the trail re-appeared again. I got down to another mining road which was the site of another mining area. I followed the road down and it met up with the original road I was on earlier and that took me back to the trailhead.

All in all it was a very pleasant and enjoyable hike and the weather conditions were outstanding! I would have been OK with a light sprinkle but it didn't happen.

Stats:
---------
round trip distance 5.2 miles
1979 feet AEG
strava moving time 3 hrs 20 mins
strava elapsed time 5 hrs 3 mins

I camped the night before at a free camping area not so far away off of FSR 18.2B. It was close to Horseshoe campground.

GPS location: 39.203769, -106.082561

_____________________

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

Aug 15 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Cheyenne peak elev 9568 Colorado Springs, CO

Hiking		Aug 15 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	5.51 Miles	1,677 AEG

Hiking	5.51 Miles	4 Hrs 48 Mns	1.67 mph
	1,677 ft AEG	1 Hour 30 Mns Break

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I found a use trail and followed it up for maybe 1/3 mile. I decided to take the upper branch of the trail, rather than the lower branch, which I planned on taking on the return. After exiting the trail, I made my way down to a saddle doing an open Country hike with minimal bushwhack. There may have been a way to stay on the trail and end up in roughly the same place, but I decided to take the most straight-forward route.

At the saddle area I saw what looked like a trail heading up the steep slope to Cheyenne peak. I couldn't tell if this was a hiker's trail or animal trail. After several minutes of going up I saw a few cairns and pieces of trail but it was quite hard to follow and I'm sure I got off the trail many times. I kept going up and eventually I would see more cairns higher up. It was very steep, but nothing above a class 2. I just zig-zagged where it looked open and finally made it to a high saddle. At the saddle, I didn't see anymore cairns but at this point I was only 1/4 mile away from the summit and I just stayed on the ridgeline. When I got close to the summit, I curved to the right to get around some rock formations.

At the summit I found a jar registry that went back to 2005 and a whole lot of ladybugs. I took my lunch here. There were some great views to the West. I could see Mt Rosa, which I hiked the previous day. I signed the registry, took a few photos and headed Northeast.

I walked the high ridgeline for 1.2 miles. Then, I looked for a good place to head down a ridgeline toward where I knew the trail was. I started walking down the steep ridgeline heading North and eventually Northwest. I was expecting a rugged tough open country descent, but luckily I ran into a cairned trail about 10% of the way down. The cairned trail was very steep but I was able to follow it all the way down to the better known trail down below. I saw deer tracks on this trail and I believe it's not known to many people. There was one area where I wasn't sure if I was on the trail or not, but I was. There's some deadfall along the trail and a few semi-hidden switchbacks. I took my time and it was definitely a better route than trying to wing it.

Once I hit the main trail, I figured I had about 2 miles to go to get back to my starting point. There was some wind and it was mostly shaded which was nice, especially on one of the hotter days of the year.

It was a relatively tough hike for being only 5.5 miles long. It would have been better had there been a more defined trail and some more cairns. I was a bit surprised that there was not a better trail along the high ridgeline but there was not.

Stats:
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5.51 miles RT
1677 feet AEG
strava moving time 3 hrs 12 mins
strava elapsed time 4 hrs 48 mins

Driving Directions:
--------------------
(A high clearance vehicle is highly recommended, but you probably can make it using a regular sedan)
From Colorado Springs / I-25 area, take the exit for Lake Ave and travel WEST.
Head west on Lake Ave, continue for 2.0 mi
At the traffic circle, take the 3rd exit onto State Hwy 122
Continue onto Old Broadmoor Rd for 0.2 mi
Continue onto W Cheyenne Mountain Blvd for 0.2 mi
Keep left to stay on W Cheyenne Mountain Blvd , 1.4 mi
* Note: the pavement ends here
*** Warning: from this point there are a lot of washboard roads, and sheer cliffs off the side of the road. Maybe sure you have good enough tires and that your brakes work well!
Slight right onto F S 368/Old Stage Rd
Continue to follow Old Stage Rd for 5.8 mi
Park on the right
You will see a sign for horse stables but you will not be going that way.
Walk 100 feet back on the road you came in on and look for an unmarked trail.
This is where you want to start.

_____________________

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

Aug 14 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Mt Rosa elev 11503 Manitou Springs, CO

Hiking		Aug 14 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	7.17 Miles	1,618 AEG

Hiking	7.17 Miles	4 Hrs 44 Mns	2.22 mph
	1,618 ft AEG	1 Hour 30 Mns Break

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This was really a great hike but the drive requires a bit of patience and a vehicle with good tires and good brakes. There are nearly 12 miles of dirt road, often having washboard and often having narrow lanes near the end of a mountain.

I parked right after a water crossing only 0.37 miles up FSR 379. From there I walked about 1.22 miles up FSR 379. On the right side there was a fence with an angled opening that apparently cattle can't figure out how to get through. But, no cattle up here. I walked through the opening in the fence and there was a clearing and an obvious well-designed trail up ahead. Once I got on this trail, I knew I was in the right area.

I followed this trail Northeast until I reached a T-junction, then I turned right. After this turn, the trail is relatively low grade (class 1), and goes around a canyon. Then, there are some switchbacks going up. The grade in this area goes up to a class 2, but there is nothing more than that. In a while I got to a saddle which is under 11,000 feet elevation. I followed the well-maintained trail South and went up a little more in elevation. There was a really nice flat area with a lot of pines all around. The trail was sandy and not rocky here. This was probably the most pleasant part of the entire hike. Looking South you will see Mt Rosa. The trail continues to go to the top with a few switchbacks along the way. At the summit, I found a registry in an ammo box. Looking North I could see Pikes peak in the far distance. It was hard to believe it was almost 3,000 feet higher than where I was. There was another high mountain to the West with radio towers and I figured out that was called Almagre peak.

After about 15 minutes at the summit, another hiker arrived. This was the only other person I saw during my hike. He was a local and mentioned that Gold Camp road goes way up there somewhere, probably better close to Almagre peak. This road must have been a massive engineering project because it continues for probably 30 miles or more.

There was a rumbling of thunder to the South. I felt a few rain drops. By this time it was already after 1 pm and I decided to get off the summit for safety. I hiked back down the same trail and stopped to have lunch before 2 pm after I got off the high ridge line.

All in all it was a great hike and I enjoyed it. The drive was probably just as difficult!

Stats:
-------
Distance round trip 7.17 miles
AEG 1,618 feet
Strava moving time 3 hrs 18 mins
Strava elapsed time 4 hrs 44 mins

Driving directions
--------------------
High clearance OR 4x4 recommended. Probably possible with a regular vehicle with good tires but you'll need to take it slow.
---
From Colorado Springs / I-25 area, take the exit for Lake Ave and travel WEST.
Head west on Lake Ave, continue for 2.0 mi
At the traffic circle, take the 3rd exit onto State Hwy 122
Continue onto Old Broadmoor Rd for 0.2 mi
Continue onto W Cheyenne Mountain Blvd for 0.2 mi
Keep left to stay on W Cheyenne Mountain Blvd , 1.4 mi
Slight right onto FSR 368/Old Stage Rd
Continue to follow Old Stage Rd for 6.9 mi
* Note the pavement ends 0.8 mi after the slight right onto Old Stage Rd.
*** Warning: from this point there are a lot of washboard roads, and sheer cliffs off the side of the road. Maybe sure you have good enough tires and that your brakes work well!
...
Old Stage Rd turns left and becomes Gold Camp Rd/Upper Beaver Creek Rd
follow this for another 5.6 miles.
FSR 379 will be on your right.
If you have a capable 4x4 vehicle, you might try to drive FSR 379.
Otherwise you will need to find a place to park on the side of Gold Camp Rd.
I drove 0.37 miles on FSR 379 and decided to not drive any further because the road was quite rugged and rocky.
I parked on a flat area just past a water crossing.
From this point you will walk FSR 379 North about 1.22 miles to get to the Mt Rosa trailhead.
There were no signs at all, but the trail was an excellent trail.

_____________________

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

Aug 13 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Gray Back Peak

South Central, CO

Gray Back Peak

South Central, CO

Hiking		Aug 13 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	4.43 Miles	1,243 AEG

Hiking	4.43 Miles	3 Hrs	1.77 mph
	1,243 ft AEG	30 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

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On the drive, once you get on the dirt road you will see a lot of washboard which makes the drive tedious. Normally you can accelerate to minimize the vibration but not here! There are sheer cliffs right off the side of the road so you will need to drive slowly and carefully.

There was a very nice trail going all the way to Grayback peak. It looked like some of the trail was under some maintenance but there are detours arounds the areas that are blocked for re-vegetation. The trail started going up a ridgeline. When the trail got close to peak 9153, I decided to walk to it since it was so close. I saw a fire ring there so people must have camped there before. There's a good amount of tree cover for most of this trail, so even on this hot August day down below, it was comfortable here.

I only saw a few birds, including grouse, on this entire trail. I took the trail all the way to the saddle and noted where I would need to get off trail to head toward peak 9410. I planned ahead of time to hike peak 9410 simply because it had a higher prominence and it was only something like 1/3 mile out of the way. I took the trail all the way up to Gray Back peak. There were some views between the trees up there. I saw a lot of ladybugs on the summit. I took a few photos and the headed back down to the saddle.

At the saddle, I had to weave through the trees to find a good place to head up peak 9410. It was rather rocky on the main ridgeline so I stayed to the right and curved around a lot of the rock. At the summit, there was some tree cover and not a lot of views either. On the way down, I tried to stay more on the ridgeline and found channels between the rocks most of the way that allowed me to take a more direct route. Near the very bottom, I did have to walk to the left of some large rock formations to get back to the saddle and trail. Then, I took the trail back down to my starting point. It was a pleasant hike with a great trail everywhere except for going up peak 9410.

Stats:
-------
Distance round trip 4.43 miles
AEG 1243 feet
*Strava crapped out on me again, but here are my approximate times.
Elapsed time roughly 3 hrs

9.40 am - arrived at trailhead
9.45 am - started hiking
11.00 am - arrived at Gray back peak
11.30 am - arrived at peak 9410
12.45 pm - finished hike

Driving directions
--------------------
(requires high clearance / 4x4 recommended)
From Colorado Springs / I-25 area, take the exit for Lake Ave and travel WEST.
Head west on Lake Ave, continue for 2.0 mi
At the traffic circle, take the 3rd exit onto State Hwy 122
Continue onto Old Broadmoor Rd for 0.2 mi
Continue onto W Cheyenne Mountain Blvd for 0.2 mi
Keep left to stay on W Cheyenne Mountain Blvd , 1.4 mi
* Note: the pavement ends here
*** Warning: from this point there are a lot of washboard roads, and sheer cliffs off the side of the road. Maybe sure you have good enough tires and that your brakes work well!
Slight right onto F S 368/Old Stage Rd
Continue to follow Old Stage Rd for 6.3 mi
Slight left onto Forest Rd 371/Forest Service Rd 371
Destination will be on the left in 0.3 mi
Gray Back Peak Trailhead
there is room for 2 or 3 cars on the left side

_____________________

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

Aug 12 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Garden of the Gods

South Central, CO

Garden of the Gods

South Central, CO

Hiking		Aug 12 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	4.64 Miles	546 AEG

Hiking	4.64 Miles	1 Hour 57 Mns	2.63 mph
	546 ft AEG	11 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

This was my 2nd time to this area but this time I hiked a longer trail. It was a high of 84 in Manitou Springs and the next few days were showing highs of 92. I decided this might be the last pleasant day while I'm here so I decided to do this hike today.

I parked at the stop for Giant Footprints which had a way to get to the Palmer trail. I saw that the Palmer trail was the highest rated trail in this entire area. The trail was very pleasant, not too rocky and even sandy in many areas which made it easier on the feet.

Near the trailhead I saw a few deer eating berries from a bush. They didn't seem to be too afraid of people and I was probably within 8 feet recording a video. I started off on the Palmer trail for a while, then turned left, crossed the road and continued on the Buckskin Charlie trail. I took that all the way to the Niobrara trail which took me on a high ridgeline where I could look down into a grassy meadow. In this grassy meadow, I saw 2 elks roaming around. I took the Niobrara trail to the Chambers trail to the Bretag trail. The Bretag trail eventually met up again with the Palmer trail which I used to complete my loop. The rock formations around this area were incredible. I believe most of those were off limits to climbers.

Stats
------
4.64 mi RT
546 AEG
elapsed time 1 hr 57 mins
moving time 1 hr 46 mins

_____________________

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

Aug 10 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Seven Bridges Trail #622

South Central, CO

Seven Bridges Trail #622

South Central, CO

Hiking		Aug 10 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	3.67 Miles	682 AEG

Hiking	3.67 Miles	2 Hrs	1.84 mph
	682 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

It was already early afternoon. Rosa and I were looking for a nice relatively easy hike. We parked at the Seven Bridges trailhead off of Gold Canyon road, arriving at 2:45 pm. The drive up Gold canyon road was very nice and scenic. There were 2 tunnels on the drive up that were fun to drive through. Some areas of the road are only wide enough for a single vehicle.

Starting off we were walking down a dirt road which had some nice views over the left edge. There was a light rain that started about 20 minutes after we started our hike. We noticed a detour for this trail and followed it. We found out later that the detour bypassed bridge 1 of 7. The trail was maintained very few and there were a few people on it despite that rain. There were some trees that dampened the rainfall. We reached bridge #2 first. Each bridge is labeled by number. Under the bridge there was a stream with fast running water. The trail got a bit steep at times but it wasn't a problem.

We hiked all the way up to bridge #7 and past it. Then, we saw a numbered trail junction from that point that probably went up to a higher point. We were getting hungry for dinner, so we turned around at this point and headed down. When we saw the stairs to our right near the detour sign, we decided to take the stairs down and see what was down there. The trail seemed to dead end at a stream. There was a fallen tree there which we were able to walk across. Then, we saw that the trail continued down from here. This must have been the site of bridge #1 at one time. We even saw some pieces of wood in the stream. The bridge had either been destroyed or purposely removed. Not sure why. Anyway, we kept heading down the trail and reached the same road we were on earlier, a few hundred feet from the original detour going up to bridge #2.

It was a fun hike and the rain was refreshing. The rain stopped near the top when we were coming down.

_____________________

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

Aug 08 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Wheeler Peak via Williams Lake

North Central, NM

Wheeler Peak via Williams Lake

North Central, NM

Hiking		Aug 08 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	10.55 Miles	3,121 AEG

Hiking	10.55 Miles	9 Hrs 28 Mns	1.85 mph
	3,121 ft AEG	3 Hrs 45 Mns Break

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Note: I found a great place to car camp 4.3 miles down the road from the Williams Lake trailhead. There was a stream with flowing water and it was about 50 feet from the main road. The noise from the flowing creek drowns out most of the road noise. Use this location to find this nice free campsite. 36.588861, -105.490356

Also note: my stats include going to the Williams lake lookout/sign, and Walter peak

I arrived at the trailhead around 8 am. There were probably 6-10 cars in the parking lot by this time which was fewer than I expected for a Friday. I started walking down the road. Pretty soon I was near the Bavarian restaurant which looked closed and the ski resort, obviously also closed. The signs could have been better here because I found it a bit confusing how to get to the Williams Lake trail. I eventually found a sign that led me down a trail that eventually took me to a small wooden bridge. I crossed the bridge and continued toward Williams lake. There was a family of hikers that started just before me. They stopped to let me pass so I continued on. The trail was fairly well-maintained here, but there were some rocky areas and areas with a lot of tree roots sticking up. The tree cover ended up being very nice on the way back when it was much warmer. The temp felt like around 60 at this elevation. I took a water/breakfast break probably about halfway to the lake. I got to the Wheeler trail junction but decided to go the additional 1/4 mile or so down to the lake. I got to the sign and took a few nice photos of the lake. The nice family arrived just after me and offered to take my photo at the Williams lake sign. They were from Fort Worth, Texas and said they go to the lake every year. I took their photo and we chatted for a while. It was about 9.20 am now and I've already hiked 2.3 miles.

I headed back to the trail junction. There were several huge areas of broken rocks between the lake and the trail junction. I continued to the signed junction and made a right turn to continue on the trail up to Wheeler peak. I believe from this point it would be about 2.5 miles to the summit. The trail started off going through pines and there were a few switchbacks. There were some steep sections of trail that were slow going. I exited the treeline at somewhere around 11,500 feet elevation. From here, I knew I had another 1,600+ feet of elevation to go. There were some scattered trees, some grassy areas, and some rocky areas. The trail was maintained very well.

I continued up and crossed paths with a few hikers coming down. A few of them said it was extremely windy at the top. I was hoping that by the time I got up there the wind would die down a bit. I kept going up the trail at a steady pace. I think I took 1 or 2 water breaks the whole way up and just kept going as a comfortable steady pace. I didn't really feel like I needed a lot of water because it was cool but I remembered that it would be good to force myself to drink because I didn't want to get de-hydrated. Higher up there were no trees at all, some patches of grass, and many huge areas of rock of all different sizes. When I got close to the saddle, it started getting windier, so I put on my wind breaker. I eventually reached the saddle between Wheeler and Walter. The wind was very strong at this point, maybe 50 MPH winds. I saw a big rock tower that was probably built over the years at the saddle and then I saw the trail leading to Wheeler peak. At this point, I believe I only had another 0.2 miles to go.

I pushed on and got to the summit around 11:45 am. I met another nice family at the top with a baby and 2 dogs! I could not believe they brought a baby up here with these kinds of winds but it all worked out fine. The baby must have been well-protected from the wind. We all sat down with our backs against some rocks and that sheltered us from 80% of the wind. What a huge difference. The dogs were very playful. One of the dogs brought me a stick. I threw it a couple of times and the dog ran and brought it back to me. These dogs didn't seem to care much about the wind! I had part of my lunch and the family headed down toward Horseshoe lake where they came from. There were some playful chipmunks running around at the summit. They were probably just looking for some snacks. They got within about 6 feet of us or less!

I did a summit video, and then 4 others arrived at the summit. We talked for a bit. They were all locals and have done this summit many times. I was telling them about my trip, what I had done, and what I had planned. They told me about a 'secret' lake that not many knew about and also talked about other trails along the ridgeline. At the summit, there was an old cannon with a plaque. There was a huge metal cap on the end of the cannon that they said there was a registry inside, but none of us could unscrew the cap. It seemed to be welded or rusted on. Another guy insisted that they were able to open it years ago, but because of the weather and time, nobody could move this cap. My guess is the registry was taken out and the cap was sealed because this cannon was a piece of history.

I stayed on the peak for a total of 1.5 hours which was only possible because the rocks helped shelter us from the extreme wind. It was already after 1 pm at this point and I thought it would be a good idea to finish the hike. Another local told me it's recommended to get off the high ridge by 2 pm whether you see storm clouds or not. Apparently these storms can move in fast. I took the trail back down to the saddle and continued about 700 feet of trail up to a pole and a sign which marked Mt. Walter. The topo map had a 13,133 mark on the map which was 13 feet higher than Mt Walter so I decided to walk to it. Why the high point was not considered Mt. Walter is a mystery. There was no registry here, so I took a few photos and started to head down the trail, going down the same way I came up. On my way down I passed a few other hikers coming up. Some were only hiking part way.

The trail at times crossed a few rocky channels. In one of these areas I saw what I'm pretty sure was a marmot. I looked it up afterwards and found out that these are ground squirrels, not to be confused with ground hogs or beavers. It let me get pretty close, maybe within about 5 feet away, before it took off. I continued down to the trail junction going to the lake. I decided to take a break here because my feet were pretty worn out at this point. This was my 5th straight day of hiking and I knew I would be tired at this point.

After taking a water/snack break I continued heading down the Williams Lake trail. I struck up a conversation with a guy named Greg who was coming up. He said he was living in Taos but previously lived in Colorado. I was telling him about my plans to hike some 14ers and maybe some easier hikes in between in the Colorado Springs area. I told him I was on PeakBagger and he heard of the site before. Greg, if you read this trip report, drop me a line sometime!

I walked down to the bottom and went to check out the Bavarian restaurant which I noticed was closed. Then, I walked back to the trailhead, getting there around 5:30 pm. Considering all of the breaks and stops I took the entire day, I was satisfied with my time. I kept reminding myself that I was there to enjoy everything and it was not a race! ;-)

Stats:
-------
10.55 miles round trip
3,121 feet AEG
Strava moving time 5 hrs 42 mins
Strava elapsed time 9 hrs 28 mins

Driving to the trailhead:
---------------------------
You will definitely need high clearance to get to the trailhead parking.
The signs recommend 4x4.
I believe it is possible without 4x4 when the road is dry and in summer.
I had my 4x4 turned on once I got off the paved part.
I believe roughly the last 2 miles getting to the trailhead are dirt/gravel.

_____________________

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

Aug 07 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Sandia Crest - GET #39

North Central, NM

Sandia Crest - GET #39

North Central, NM

Hiking		Aug 07 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	5.90 Miles	900 AEG

Hiking	5.90 Miles	3 Hrs 44 Mns	2.24 mph
	900 ft AEG	1 Hour 6 Mns Break

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Note: This trip report is from the 10k trailhead to the Sandia Crest high point and also includes the Sandia peak wilderness high point.

This was my first time in this area. I stayed at a hotel in Albuquerque, left in the morning and stopped a place called Twisters for a breakfast burrito. Wow, it was one of the best breakfast burritos I had in a long long time. I got the #7 (Rio Grande) which is basically shredded pork, egg, potato, green chili and cheese. This was true New Mexico food and I got a recommendation from my friend named Mike to try this place out. It was well worth it. It was only $6.09 + tax. Reasonable price and delicious.

Next I drove up to to the 10 k trailhead. There was parking on both sides of the road. I decided to park on the left side to save me from having to walk across the road. There's a $5 fee here because it is a National park but if you have the annual pass, it works here also. By the way, there are a lack of maps in this area and along the various trails. But, I did see a few trail maps higher up.

Because of confusion with the signs and route, I started off going the wrong way on the Challenge trail. Once I realized it was basically going down the mountain, I knew I missed a turn somewhere. I turned around and walked 5-10 minutes back to where I started from. About halfway back I saw a fawn running down the trail at me. It stopped within about 20-30 feet, stared at me for 3 seconds and then turned around and ran away. I wish I had time to get this incredible event on video!

I turned around and followed the Challenge trail back to the trailhead and up. I found another hiker's route which appeared to go away from the road so I thought I would try to follow that so that I was further away from traffic. I found an old abandoned trail that ended up being quite nice. It seemed to intersect with the Challenge trail in about 2/3 of a mile.

I continued on the Challenge trail which was well maintained but a bit rocky in some spots. This eventually took me to the Ellis trailhead where I picked up the Switchback trail heading up. The Switchback trail took me to the Crest trail which took me over to the main ridgeline and up to the summit. It was possible to drive basically to the top, but I wanted a bit of a challenge today. Along the hike up there was a nature trail section with signs identifying the various trees, plants, etc. Eventually the trail led to a parking area. There were some buildings and concrete work with stairs at the top leading to a lookout area. From the lookout, you could see the entire city of Albuquerque.

I continued North past the summit for another 1/4 mile to reach the Wilderness high point. To get to this high point I followed an unmarked trail along a fence line. This fence line seemed to enclose some radio towers and then, surprisingly, the fence line just ended and I was able to walk to the Wilderness high point. I saw a lot of graffiti on the various buildings and was shocked to see this. These sites are supposed to be under 24 hour video surveillance and at a minimum there should be a fence going ALL THE WAY around the equipment. The company is called Vertical Bridge. www.verticalbridge.com They don't seem to take criminal vandalism seriously enough. I think I will write them an email and describe what the hellish eyesore it was to see all of the graffiti on their buildings. Those vandals need to be put in jail! And #2, they need to extend the fence to prevent this crap from happening! A fence is basically worthless unless it goes all the way around a site.

I took some photos and videos and then headed back along the Crest trail. In the distance I saw an old stone house on the top of the ridgeline. I learned this was the Kiwanis cabin and the trail that led here was called the Kiwanis cabin trail. After checking out the cabin, I continued down along the border of Kiwanis Meadow and then intersected with the Crest trail. I took that to the Kiwanis Meadow trail which took me back down to the Ellis trailhead. From here I decided to take the Challenge trail back down instead of the unmarked trail that I took up. This trail followed alongside the road but the road was only visible at times. It was private enough and I didn't hear much road noise. I got back down to the trailhead after that.

The views were very nice and the temps were pretty comfortable above 10 k feet elevation. I believe the high temp was about 100 F in Albuquerque. This area is a great way to escape the heat. The trails and nature were beautiful. The only eyesore of the day was the graffiti on the buildings near the radio towers.

Stats:
-------
5.9 miles round trip
900 feet AEG
moving time 2 hrs 38 mins
elapsed time 3 hrs 44 mins

_____________________

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

Aug 06 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Mount Taylor

Northwest, NM

Mount Taylor

Northwest, NM

Hiking		Aug 06 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	5.85 Miles	1,639 AEG

Hiking	5.85 Miles	4 Hrs 13 Mns	2.03 mph
	1,639 ft AEG	1 Hour 20 Mns Break

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Note: my stats also include hiking to La Mosca Lookout, elev 11,036.

This was a very enjoyable hike, loved it!!! I started in a forested area with some aspens and pines. After hiking less than a mile there was a clearing and I was getting close to a saddle. From this saddle I could see the fire lookout tower behind me and Mt Taylor straight ahead. After hiking 1.15 miles you will get to a junction in the road. At this junction, there is a trail leading straight, going up to the Mt Taylor summit called the Gooseberry trail. You should see a sign there. I took that very nicely maintained trail up. There were a few steep areas but overall, it was a nice trail that took me around a smaller peak to another small saddle. At this saddle, I crossed another forest service road (FS 570) and continued on the trail. It was just a few switchbacks more and I was at the summit. There was a nice summit sign and amazing views in all directions. I could see rain clouds to my South and North but nothing looked too close. The temps were extremely comfortable and felt like high 60s. About 10 minutes after I was at the summit, another couple summited from the other side of the Gooseberry trail. They had a very nice golden retriever with them! I didn't even realize there was another extension coming from the other side. We chatted for 15 or 20 minutes and they headed down the same way. I stayed up on the summit for another 15 minutes to have a quick lunch.

Next, I headed back down to the saddle between Mt Taylor and the fire lookout tower. I had energy and time so I decided to walk the road to the lookout tower. At the top, I found the La Mosca Lookout, elev 11,036. I saw a white pickup truck at the top, but didn't see anyone manning the tower or working with the radio towers up there. Maybe they were taking an afternoon nap ;-). All in all, this was an excellent hike, especially to get away from the heat!!

Stats:
-------
5.85 miles round trip
1639 feet AEG
strava moving time 2 hrs 53 mins
strava elapsed time 4 hrs 13 mins

Driving directions
--------------------
From Gallup, NM

Follow I-40 E to NM-122 W/NM-53 E in Grants. Take exit 81B from I-40 E
50 min (59.2 mi)

Merge onto NM-122 W/NM-53 E, continue for 0.3 mi
Turn right onto W Santa Fe Ave/U.S. Rte 66, continue for 1.4 miles
Turn left on 1st Street, continue for 0.8 miles
Use the right 2 lanes to turn right onto E Roosevelt Ave, continue for 0.4 mi.
Turn left onto NM-547 N/Lobo Canyon Rd. Continue to follow NM-547 N for 15.1 mi.

Turn right onto Forest Service 453 Rd/La Mosca Lookout Rd (sign has graffiti and is hard to see!)
Continue for 3.0 miles to an area labeled 'Spruce Tank' on Google Maps

If you have high clearance or 4x4 and good tires, you can continue another 0.4 miles to the next switchback or even drive further if you want. I parked at the next switchback which was a great place to start in my opinion.

_____________________

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

Aug 05 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

O'Leary Peak

Flagstaff, AZ

O'Leary Peak

Flagstaff, AZ

Hiking		Aug 05 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	10.57 Miles	2,285 AEG

Hiking	10.57 Miles	6 Hrs 43 Mns	2.55 mph
	2,285 ft AEG	2 Hrs 34 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Note: my stats involve both the summit and the fire tower nearby.

I've been wanting to do this hike for a couple of years now. Finally, I had a plan to do it. After this hike I finished the AZ 20-20 challenge!

The hike to the fire lookout tower is all well-maintained road. To get to O'leary peak, you will hike about 4.7 miles to the high saddle, then you will ascend a steep slope for the final 700 feet. There is a faint use trail and the terrain is scree-like in that you will take a step and sometimes slide 20-50% backwards! This makes this final part of the climb quite challenging. I found a registry at the top and signed it. There are some great views looking West toward Mt Humphreys and some of the other high peaks. Looking East I could see some of the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.

I also went to the fire tower, found a registry there and signed it. I was surprised to learn it's still being used today but there was nobody working the tower on the day I was there. I met a couple from Northern Cali near the tower who ascended after me. We had a nice chat about peaks in Cali, AZ, and Colorado. We hiked together for part of the way down. It was quite hot in the afternoon.

It was nice to see many wildflowers on the higher elevation part of this hike. Something you rarely see in the summer, at least in Southern AZ.

Stats:
---------
10.57 miles round trip
2285 feet AEG
strava moving time 4 hrs 9 mins
strava elapsed time 6 hrs 43 mins

Driving directions
-------------------
** (Any passenger car can make it)
From anywhere in Flagstaff take Historic Rte 66 / Business route 40 EAST
Continue onto N 89 for 12.1 mi
Turn right onto Fire Rd 545/Loop Rd
Continue to follow Loop Rd for 1.8 mi
Turn left onto Forest Service Rd 545A
Continue for 0.35 miles
Do not turn into the group camping area
You will see parking for 7 or 8 cars on the right

_____________________

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

Aug 04 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Lenox Crater

Flagstaff, AZ

Lenox Crater

Flagstaff, AZ

Hiking		Aug 04 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	1.36 Miles	294 AEG

Hiking	1.36 Miles	54 Mns	2.47 mph
	294 ft AEG	21 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

It was my first time going to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. There's normally a $25 fee to enter, but I happened to arrive on August 4th. I wasn't aware of this ahead of time, but it just so happened to be a 'fee free' day. There are a few of these every year.

I parked at the A'a trailhead and decided to do the easy hike to the top of Lenox crater. The crater itself was not what I expected. There were trees and plant life growing in the crater. It must have been a very old crater. Eventually, trees grow there, but with all of the black fine sandy gravel, you can tell it was previously a volcanic area. The trail is very well-maintained. I also walked the A'a trail, the Lava Flow trail, and the Bonito Vista trail nearby. There were not many hikers there since it was quite a hot day, even for Flagstaff. But, the heat was nothing compared to Tucson or PHX.

Stats
------
1.36 miles round trip
294 AEG
moving time 33 min
elapsed time 54 min

Driving directions
-------------------
From anywhere in Flagstaff take Historic Rte 66 / Business route 40 EAST
Continue onto N 89 for 12.1 mi
Turn right onto Fire Rd 545/Loop Rd
Continue to follow Loop Rd for 3.3 mi
Turn left at parking area for A’a Trailhead
Cross the street to hike Lenox crater

_____________________

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

Aug 04 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Lava Flow Trail (Bonito)

Flagstaff, AZ

Lava Flow Trail (Bonito)

Flagstaff, AZ

Hiking		Aug 04 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	1.67 Miles	63 AEG

Hiking	1.67 Miles
	63 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

After hiking the Lenox Crater trail, I decided to walk these other scenic loop trails:

1. A'a trail through the lava flow across from Lenox Crater
2. Lava flow trail
3. Bonito vista trail

There's some nice scenery and photo opportunities on all 3 trails. The Lava flow trail was roughly 1.1 miles around. The other trails were somewhere around 0.25 miles total. The elevation gain was minimal and these are really tourist-type hikes.

There's a $25 fee to enter Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Or the annual pass works also.

_____________________

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

Jul 30 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Garnet Trail #411

Tucson, AZ

Garnet Trail #411

Tucson, AZ

Hiking		Jul 30 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	5.03 Miles	1,570 AEG

Hiking	5.03 Miles	3 Hrs 20 Mns	1.78 mph
	1,570 ft AEG	30 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

linked

Pontatoc Trail #410

Partners

partners

PrestonSands

I met Preston in the early AM and decided to hike in this area but didn't have a plan exactly which trail to take. It's been several years since I hiked these trails. We decided to look for the 'new' trail. When we saw the first sign along the trail it was a bit confusing. I saw Garnet and assumed that was the new trail. We later found out it was simply a rename. Personally, I liked Pontatoc ridge better since it was more descriptive of where it went. We were both a bit confused as to whether the Garnet trail was new or not, but after hiking it we soon realized it was exactly the same as the old Pontatoc ridge trail.

Pontatoc canyon trail was apparently renamed to simply Pontatoc trail. Maybe this was renamed because there were a new project to extend this trail to connect with the Finger rock trail and a good portion of the trail was not in Pontatoc canyon. Either way, it seems that the rename was not necessary. Near the upper section of the Garnet trail, we could see a branch of the Pontatoc trail (formerly Pontatoc Canyon trail) down below which seemed to head over toward the Finger rock trail. The map at the trailhead has not yet been updated so many this trail is still under construction?

We hiked to the end of the trail, which still had the old sign 'End of Pontatoc Ridge trail'. This probably will cause some confusion because it's supposed to now be the Garnet trail.

As for the new extension trail, I would like to go back sometime (not in summer) to hike it.

It started getting brutally hot after about 9 am. On the way down, we saw a California King snake, non-venomous, that didn't seem to care that we were there.

We also saw a maintenance crew out there spraying probably to minimize an invasive species. They need to be given credit for being out there in the intense summit heat. But, they were getting paid to be there, we were not ;-).

Stats:
------
Distance (round trip): 5.03 miles
AEG: 1570 feet
Strava moving time: 2 hrs 23 mins
Strava elapsed time: 3 hrs 20 mins

_____________________

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

Jul 25 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Pan Quemado (Burnt Bread), AZ

Hiking		Jul 25 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	3.48 Miles	604 AEG

Hiking	3.48 Miles	2 Hrs	1.74 mph
	604 ft AEG

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Francisco and I left Tucson a little after 6 am. From our parking spot we hiked East toward the North ridge, crossing a few dry washes and dodging some lava rock in a few areas. When we got slightly past the North ridge we started angling up. We saw a small saddle more than half of the way up and this seemed like a great place to aim for. There wasn't a trail but at times we felt like we were on a faint trail. We zig-zagged several times and ended up at the saddle. We decided to take a look at the small high point to the East. We found some interesting rock formations on the ground.

Next we decided to head toward the peak but we decided to walk further West toward the North end of the high ridgeline. I read Scott Surgent's report and saw a photo of an interesting rock structure that looked pretty high up but I could not tell exactly where it was. Lucky for us we found it, which I marked on my GPS track. From there we continued along the ridgeline hitting all of the high points along it. We were hoping to see trincheras but did not see any. I remember seeing trincheras on the nearby Cerro Prieto (Black Hill) a few years ago, so I thought there would be a strong possibility they would be here also, but unfortunately we didn't find any.

We stopped at the summit and found a glass jar registry which had names going back as far as 1990.

After travelling most of the ridgeline and not seeing anything different, we decided to walk East and zig-zagged down to the low point seen on my track. There were a few steep areas but we were able to zig-zag and find a good way to go. At the bottom, there was more sand and less lava rock. We hiked North up a slight grade to a saddle and then continued North down a slight grade canyon taking us down to the desert level. At times the brush was thick so we decided to stay to the left and that worked out well. After traveling North for a little under 1 mile, we ran into a dirt road traveling East/West. We turned left at the road and hiked back in the direction of our starting point. We crossed several washes and ended up intersecting the entry road South of where I parked. Then, we took the dirt road back to our starting point.

Stats:
-------
3.48 mi RT
604 AEG
moving time: 1 hr 49 mins
elapsed time: 3 hrs 20 mins

Driving Directions:
-------------------
High clearance required, 4x4 highly recommended.
* Note: there is a river crossing and the water could EASILY be a 1-2 feet deep or more. Do not attempt this unless you have a capable vehicle!!

From the Tucson area take I-10 W to Red Rock.
Take exit 226 from I-10 W
Turn left to go over the highway, continue for 0.2 mi
Turn right onto E Camino Correo, continue for 0.2 mi
Turn left onto E Sasco Rd, continue for 0.2 mi
Turn left to stay on E Sasco Rd
in 0.2 miles the road curves to the right
continue on Sasco Rd for another 2.4 miles.
Say hello to the cows on your right at the Red Rock Feeding company.
The cows seem to love it here.
Continue for another 3 miles to the Santa Cruz river.
**** RIVER CROSSING!!!! ****
Look for tire tracks of previous vehicle crossings and only cross if you have a capable high clearance vehicle.
If you are unsure, stop and check the depth of the water with a branch or a pole.
**Note: When I crossed in late July 2025, I crossed at the far Southern side of the road where it was about 10 feet wide using my Chevy Colorado 4x4 truck. The water level seemed like over a foot and was possibly 18 inches deep in some spots. It's been a very weak monsoon this year and I was surprised that the water level was this deep!!
***********************
After the water crossing, continue for another 0.8 miles.
Look for an unmarked 4x4 road on the left side.
The unmarked road is raised at least 8 inches from the main road, most likely due to the grading of the main road.
Turn left and continue for roughly 1/2 mile until you see a cul-de-sac. To the right of the cul-de-sac is a primitive gate.
Open the gate and continue through. Continue for roughly 0.75 miles until you reach a junction. At this junction make a right and look for a place to park off the road.

_____________________

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

Jul 24 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Tucson Mountain Park - peaks 3137 and 3166, AZ

Hiking		Jul 24 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	4.92 Miles	794 AEG

Hiking	4.92 Miles	3 Hrs	1.64 mph
	794 ft AEG

no routes

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Thanks to Michael A. for posting the first known route for this hike. These peaks are not well known and nice to do if you've done everything else in the area.

Note: I hiked this in conjunction with the nearby peak 3166 and also stopped by to see the Bowen stone house.

There was a cairned trail that went from the Yetman trail up to peak 3137. You need to look carefully so you don't walk right by it. It was a pretty good trail but there were a few places where I lost the trail but then found it again. There really are a few good ways to go.

At the summit we found an old registry in an ammo box. We found entries as old as 2011. The last entry was Michael A's entry from March.

There were some nice views of the surrounding area on top. We were not able to see the stone house from here. It seems like that's only possible from the edge of the ridge.

From here, after taking a water break, we continued toward peak 3166.

Stats
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4.92 mi RT
794 AEG
moving time: 2 hrs 17 mins
elapsed time: 3 hrs 38 mins

Driving directions:
---------------------
Follow Google maps to 'Camino de Oeste trailhead'.
Take I-10 to the Tucson area.
Take exit 256 toward Grant Rd.
Continue West on W Grant Rd. for roughly 1.2 mi
At Wells Fargo Bank, continue onto W Ironwood Hill Dr. for 2.9 mi
Turn left onto N Camino De Oeste
Continue on paved road for 1.5 miles.
road turns to dirt/gravel (OK for typical sedan)
Continue on dirt/gravel road for roughly 0.3 miles.
Destination will be on the right.
There should be parking for about 10 cars.
Arrive early on the weekend for a good parking spot.

_____________________

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

Jul 16 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Buckhorn Island state park to West River, NY

Hiking		Jul 16 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	3.16 Miles	20 AEG

Hiking	3.16 Miles	58 Mns	3.27 mph
	20 ft AEG

no routes

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Lots of bugs on the forest trail. Bring bug spray!!

_____________________

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

Jul 15 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Whitehaven to East River walk, NY

Hiking		Jul 15 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	4.24 Miles	59 AEG

Hiking	4.24 Miles	1 Hour 32 Mns	2.77 mph
	59 ft AEG

no routes

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I did this neighborhood walk starting around 9.45 am. It was getting hot and humid by the time I finished.

_____________________

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

Jul 14 2025

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Letchworth State Park

Western, NY

Letchworth State Park

Western, NY

Hiking		Jul 14 2025
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	4.02 Miles	424 AEG

Hiking	4.02 Miles	1 Hour 35 Mns	2.54 mph
	424 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

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no partners

I haven't been in this area since I was a kid. I didn't remember too much. Now I can understand why this park is rated #1. The views were incredible. There were many waterfalls. The rock formations were incredible and the gorge was very deep. A lot of work was put into the trail. There were many walls and steps made of natural rock and these rock structures could have been more than 100 yrs old. I took trail #1 and trail 6a. It was an excellent hike overall.

Stats:
Rt distance: 4.02 miles
AEG: 424 feet
Moving time 1 hr 35 min
Elapsed time 1 hr 55 mins

_____________________

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

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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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