chumley's Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

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Nov 22 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Hobbs to Hell, AZ

Hiking		Nov 22 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	14.19 Miles	2,265 AEG

Hiking	14.19 Miles	6 Hrs 34 Mns	2.37 mph
	2,265 ft AEG	34 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

linked

Governors Peak

Garfias Wash - Hells Canyon Wilderness

Spring Valley Trail

Partners

partners

John9L

After seeing that Castle Creek had flashed big on Tuesday and Wickenburg to the Bradshaws had tallied impressive rainfall totals all week, we figured this one might be a nice loop for the current conditions.

The road in had already been graded and the pfancy guests to the resort were once again able to get there without a helicopter. It's nice there's a reason for the county to fix that road quickly after it floods.

It's green and nice out there, and the desert soil is soft and squishy. All the drainages had leftover puddles and pools, and Garfias had a trickle of flow through Hell, though somewhat less than I had hoped to see here.

Nonetheless, with temps in the low to mid 60s all day and the kind of cloudiness that us Arizona sun fire victims cannot possibly appreciate enough, we all thoroughly enjoyed this one again.

The rain held off until the drive home, so that worked out well too.

Hell Canyon is the location. Hells Canyon is the Wilderness. Why does the wilderness name not match the geographic name? Who knows!?

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Wild Burro

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Tafoni

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Garfias Wash Governors Peak Hell Canyon Hells Canyon Wilderness AZ

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Nov 19 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

November Rain, AZ

Hiking		Nov 19 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	4.93 Miles	1,696 AEG

Hiking	4.93 Miles	4 Hrs 19 Mns	1.20 mph
	1,696 ft AEG	12 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Took the opportunity to head out and enjoy some weather. Saw a couple of waterfalls from a distance. Put effort to make my way toward a previous visit, but it's a tough approach and a steady cold rain hit at the right time. Plus, the view from a mile away indicated it wasn't flowing quite enough to make the full approach worth the effort.

The drive to the next curiosity was an utter disaster. Eventually I called it idiotic and turned around. Somehow avoided sliding into a culvert, though several sideways approaches made it an adventure. It's entertaining when you turn the wheel and absolutely nothing happens.

Good flows on the creeks, some nice clouds and golden colors made it a nice day to avoid the office.

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Nov 15 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Bassett Peak

Tucson, AZ

Bassett Peak

Tucson, AZ

Hiking		Nov 15 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	12.52 Miles	2,842 AEG

Hiking	12.52 Miles	7 Hrs 10 Mns	2.15 mph
	2,842 ft AEG	1 Hour 21 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Ash Creek - Galiuro

Partners

partners

	00blackout	BiFrost
	DesertNymph	John9L
	slowandsteady

Somehow 9L hadn't ever climbed Bassett Peak and it had been on the list for a while. At the start we ran into J and S, chatted a bit and yo-yo'd along the first few miles of trail. It seems I always run into other hikers I know when I'm here. Always a pleasure

Rumors of an off-year of dull colors proved even worse than expected. A total dud. But the summit was the goal, so it didn't matter too much. As we turned up the canyon toward the spring, there were a few more colors and "the tunnel" showed some encouraging flashes of red. A couple of minutes later we hit the spring area where the local microclimate that hosts aspen trees was just about as perfect as it could be. What a nice surprise!

We continued on up out of the color zone and headed for the peak. As always, the view down into the canyon has some great perspectives on the slice of foliage below. With rain in the forecast, we were treated to a cloudy afternoon and some breezes along the divide. We took our time on the descent before heading back to camp for fireside dinner in the rain.

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Nov 09 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Goldfields First, AZ

Hiking		Nov 09 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	7.01 Miles	1,961 AEG

Hiking	7.01 Miles	4 Hrs 31 Mns	1.80 mph
	1,961 ft AEG	37 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

linked

First Water Creek Overlook

Canyon Lake to Peak 2811

Partners

partners

John9L

Places I see from the road while driving to/from somewhere else that seem like they deserve a visit sometime. Lots of life going on so a last minute let's do something short and close resulted in this one, despite the obnoxiously warm new-normal November temps.

Hike down. No biggie. Low sun in our face was annoying. Nice area where the canyon hits the lake. Up canyon mostly ok, but a couple of hiccups finding the best way through the thick and prickly.

The unnamed and unnumbered peak at about 2550 is as good as any in the Stits. Very similar to Battleship with impressive and non-threatening exposure and 720 degree views. The ridgeline over to 2811 is a dream with a fun little ascent to the summit.

We didn't follow the EagleJoe route looking for some easier grades which resulted in survival before heading west down the drainage back to First Water.

Pleasant in the shade, misery in the sun. A mile downstream to check out the swimmer. Back a few steps to the exit route and back up out of the canyon. No good options to avoid pavement for a quarter mile back to the start. Motorcycles and Maybachs may have attempted to kill us, but we prevailed.

We saw neither seahawks nor cardinals on the hike, but we learned later which bird is dominant. Again.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Desert Tortoise Red Spotted Toad Tarantula Western Patch-nosed snake

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Nov 05 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Beaver Somo, AZ

Hiking		Nov 05 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	3.46 Miles	995 AEG

Hiking	3.46 Miles	1 Hour 29 Mns	2.44 mph
	995 ft AEG	4 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

linked

Desert Classic Trail

Young Man Trail - South Mountain

Guadalupe Ridge - AKA Midlife Crisis / Scott

San Gabriel Ridge

Partners

none

no partners

Just looking to stretch my legs on a short evening jaunt. Had no idea it was a full super beaver moon, nor had I really looked at the high clouds ahead of time and seen that sunset coming.

A coyote sauntered along the tukee lowlands as I approached the climb. Later, up on the ridge, a pair of them crossed the trail and paused to watch me curiously from about 20 yards. It was too dark for a clear photo. Finally, I came to an abrupt stop as I spotted a pretty wdb in the middle of the trail set up waiting for dinner to pass within reach. It never flinched, but was probably happy that I opted to step around it.

Sometime, I'm gonna have to hit up the Secret Trail and Chihuahua Ridge sometime. Google bot's been crawling random blogs again! lol

Otherwise an uneventful walk in the park.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Inscriptions

Meteorology

Meteorology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Belt of Venus Moon

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

1 archive

Nov 01 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Seeing autumn, AZ

Hiking		Nov 01 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	7.50 Miles	1,949 AEG

Hiking	7.50 Miles	3 Hrs 49 Mns	2.02 mph
	1,949 ft AEG	6 Mns Break

Linked

linked

See Canyon Trail #184

See Spring Trail #185

Partners

none

no partners

I was camping nearby and contemplated checking out the colors in this seasonal tourist mecca. An eagle suggested an option for avoiding most of the crowds, which worked out as advertised.

I'd never been on the See Spring segment before, and coming down that drainage from the rim was unexpectedly dicey with a couple of dryfall downclimbs that might be recommended to have a partner to spot or to push the spot button if things don't go well.

The two JAL 747s parked at the KPAN terminal had transported their passengers over to Christopher Creek and I encountered just a few busloads of them before disappearing into the woods and finding my own route elsewhere.

Parked cars lined the road for more than a mile and I was happy to be complete with my little adventure before the clock reached 11.

It was a beautiful day to share a slice of Arizona's fall colors with the internet photographers and social media influencers. My pictures look the same as everybody else's. If you have an internet connection or watch the weather on the local tv news station, you've seen them already.
:FG:

Meteorology

Meteorology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Autumn - Color Foliage

Autumn Foliage Observation Extreme

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

2 archives

Oct 29 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Seeing more autumn, AZ

Hiking		Oct 29 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	4.39 Miles	403 AEG

Hiking	4.39 Miles	3 Hrs 20 Mns	1.60 mph
	403 ft AEG	35 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

I brought a friend for a short day of enjoying the splendor of the little gems of seasonal transition that Arizona splashes in small pockets and canyons across the state. Just missed Letty by a few minutes!

Autumn Foliage Observation Substantial

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

1 archive

Oct 25 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Catherine Peeley, AZ

Hiking		Oct 25 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	12.98 Miles	3,321 AEG

Hiking	12.98 Miles	6 Hrs 32 Mns	2.30 mph
	3,321 ft AEG	54 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Cornucopia Trail #86

Mazatzal Divide Trail #23

Mount Catherine 7358 - Mazatzal

Mount Peeley Summit

Partners

none

no partners

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

Seemed to be a little bit of a lull between aspens and maples doing their best autumn things (at least in places I might tolerate!) so I decided to peel off some miles in perfect autumn weather. I hadn't done Cathy before so that was the main goal. Ascended via the official route on the moderate north slope which was a piece of cake. Good views of ALL the prominent Arizona summits in every direction.

Descended via the steeper "shortcut" route, which was less brushy than expected but much more irritating as far as loose scree footing goes. It would be steep but "easier" to ascend this route as far as stability goes. Gravity v stability? Pick your poison.

Bored of retracing my divide steps again, I decided there was no reason to skip Peeley on the way back and opted to take a steep route up to the Peeley Sheep ridgeline and approach the summit from the west. I hadn't been down in here since the old search days, and a Sheep visit a decade ago. Needless to say, the manzanita is making a healthy comeback!

Recent rains had the summit looking like the Scottish Highlands, only missing the grazing sheep. Because the developed route seemed boring, I headed east off the peak for a nice change of pace, reconnecting with the trail about 700 feet down the slope.

There were two sxs's of heavily-armed non-english-speaking folks at the trailhead but instead of calling ice, I wished them luck on their coues hunt and enjoyed a pleasant drive back down the hill after a satisfying day on the trail.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Machaeranthera Unidentified Flora

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cadastral Survey Marker

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mazatzal Peak Mount Catherine 7358ft - Mazatzal Mount Peeley Peak 7532 - Mazatzal Wilderness Peak 7549 - Mazatzal Wilderness Peak 7579 - Mazatzal Wilderness Sheep Mountain Peak 6996

Autumn Foliage Observation Isolated
Oaks up high were approaching teva kryptonite.

Wildflowers Observation Moderate
October showing her colors!

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Oct 18 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Late Rim Colors, AZ

Hiking		Oct 18 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	9.58 Miles	1,594 AEG

Hiking	9.58 Miles	4 Hrs 41 Mns	2.07 mph
	1,594 ft AEG	3 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Fall colors on the rim tend to progress on a sliding scale, and this year that scale hit a 4-day hurricane right in the middle. What remained at the end was whatever was still green before the storm. In subsequent days those greens began their transition while all the previous leaves were on the ground. As a result, past prime, not spectacular, but still some highlights.

Hit up four different favorites, just an easy couple of miles each. Sadly, no bears today, which might drop my percentage to just under 50/50 in this area in October now. Not at all unusual though, spooked a monster bull elk and his harem of a half dozen cows. Sometimes they make a lot of noise getting away. Other times, it's impressive how thousands of pounds of delicious meat can so silently move through the forest.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Balloon Trash Hauled Out

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Oct 13 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Water Week part 9, AZ

Hiking		Oct 13 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	1.67 Miles	397 AEG

Hiking	1.67 Miles	1 Hour 37 Mns	1.03 mph
	397 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

partners

brainz94

NicholeP

After getting stuck behind flooded road crossings yesterday we decided to head back today for more adventures and to visit a waterfall tucked deep into the mountain that I hadn't been to before.

With more rain in the forecast and this route following a bit of a slotty canyon, we decided to get in and get back out before storms kicked up again.

The humidity was oppressive, and hopping in the pools along the way was a good way to dry off.

A good intro to this one. I might have to revisit again

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Oct 12 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Az - 88, AZ

Scenic Drive		Oct 12 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Scenic Drive	26.31 Miles

Scenic Drive	26.31 Miles	1 Hour 30 Mns	17.54 mph

no routes

Linked

linked

Fish Creek Hill

Zigzag Canyon

Partners

partners

brainz94

NicholeP

On a day where getting from point a to point b turned out to be a real challenge, we decided to attempt this route since if we died, at least it would be somewhere beautiful.

Many enjoyable views. Mudslides and boulders littered the eastern paved section and FCH was nature's warzone. Mesquite had receded to be traversable, but Tortilla was a no-go, so back we went to find entertainment elsewhere!

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Oct 12 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Mazatzal runoff, AZ

Hiking		Oct 12 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	2.77 Miles	603 AEG

Hiking	2.77 Miles	2 Hrs 10 Mns	1.51 mph
	603 ft AEG	20 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

partners

brainz94

NicholeP

The moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla wreaked havoc on some big chunks of the southwest, and the forecast in the preceding days wreaked havoc on outdoor plans for anybody paying attention.

Undeterred by nature-forced changes in plans, we made the most of the conditions that prevented some things by taking advantage of others. We literally sat parked on the shoulder of the highway watching insane waterfalls that none of us have ever seen before and contemplated the decision of what we should do next.

Eventually we settled on this one, and we were all quite pleased with the outcome. 'Twas a super enjoyable little abenture!

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Oct 12 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Water Week part 3, AZ

Hiking		Oct 12 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	3.00 Miles	510 AEG

Hiking	3.00 Miles	1 Hour 47 Mns	1.68 mph
	510 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

partners

brainz94

NicholeP

Trying to make good decisions and not test the legal strength of Arizona's stupid motorist law, we decided to brave the flood waters on foot for a couple of hours while the flow receded a bit before making the vehicular attempt.

This was more fun anyway. And beautiful. The storm finally began to break and painted us some quality Sonoran sky art.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Desert Rosemallow

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Oct 11 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Black Canyon, AZ

Hiking		Oct 11 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	7.77 Miles	1,044 AEG

Hiking	7.77 Miles	3 Hrs 44 Mns	2.31 mph
	1,044 ft AEG	22 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

partners

John9L

9L came up with this plan to try and take advantage of some of the results of Priscilla and it seemed like a good idea. It ended up being a shorter day than envisioned since I drove a good chunk of the mapped route

Then we discovered that despite the impressive rainfall, the deficit had not yet been made up and some canyons that we've both seen flowing before were still soaking up the rain.

Still a fun day in the desert, despite the 99% humidity, unexpected sunshine, and lack of rainfall.

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Oct 10 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Azt 25, AZ

Hiking		Oct 10 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	1.54 Miles	362 AEG

Hiking	1.54 Miles	2 Hrs 15 Mns	0.94 mph
	362 ft AEG	37 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

linked

Pine Creek Narrows - Isolation Canyon

Partners

partners

Jonnybackpack

Met up with Jon to see if the recent rain had made anything happen. Turned out pretty fun. Rare waterfalls and cool geology. Continuing rainfall was pleasant. Made some attempts to get downstream to other highlights but still in cell service we were able to see the radar upstream and something about not being a 20-year old anymore made the smart decision to not stay in the canyon the right one. Swift current and rough crossings are only fun to a certain point.

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Oct 10 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Rim Canyons, AZ

Hiking		Oct 10 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	2.57 Miles	506 AEG

Hiking	2.57 Miles	1 Hour 21 Mns	1.90 mph
	506 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

partners

Jonnybackpack

This was one of the early options before we got distracted by flowing water on the drive up. Several inches of rain had fallen overnight up on the rim and both Wet Beaver and West Clear creeks had significant flash floods. I figured that all that water had come from the rain up high. While that was probably true to some extent, it was shocking to see how little surface flow was to be found in the source canyons above.

Sometimes you just don't know until you get there! We explored for a couple of miles and covered some enjoyable terrain, despite the lack of expected waterworks.

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Oct 09 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Abineau - Bear Jaw Loop

Flagstaff, AZ

Abineau - Bear Jaw Loop

Flagstaff, AZ

Hiking		Oct 09 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	7.70 Miles	1,862 AEG

Hiking	7.70 Miles	4 Hrs 39 Mns	1.78 mph
	1,862 ft AEG	20 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

linked

Abineau Trail #127

Waterline Trail #146

Bear Jaw Trail #26

Partners

none

no partners

It seemed like a good day for A BJ and I can report this one was about as good as it gets

With flooding rains in the forecast, I followed the old Norwegian proverb: "There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes" and set out prepared for a deluge in the mountains. Except for a couple of minutes of hail and some big drops, none of this materialized. While this was a profound disappointment, I somehow managed to make a successful day of it.

Prime color, delightful weather, and absolutely nobody else out there (apparently rain is scary!?). I deviated from the trail things and explored a chunk of the mountain. This was truly enjoyable as I ended up covering a lot of new ground on the slopes of San Francisco Mountain. A few spots might have even earned a return visit!

Meteorology

Meteorology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Autumn - Color Foliage

Autumn Foliage Observation Extreme

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

1 archive

Oct 05 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Greens Peak Trail

Alpine, AZ

Greens Peak Trail

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Oct 05 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	2.49 Miles	806 AEG

Hiking	2.49 Miles	1 Hour 13 Mns	2.10 mph
	806 ft AEG	2 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

linked

Candy Mtn Trail

Partners

none

no partners

Quick morning trip to climb above 10kft for just the 6th time this year. The north side is such a pleasant sub alpine environment. Dense conifers interspersed with some aspen in autumn gold and occasional grassy meadow slopes. Big views all around. The GP route is mostly old two-track, and I forgot how steep it is. I returned via Candy Mtn, which I know to be a downhill mtb route, but which seemed to have some more moderate switchbacks. If I remember to read this triplog before my next visit, I might try Candy on the uphill next time!

Autumn Foliage Observation Light

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Oct 05 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Rim Canyons, AZ

Hiking		Oct 05 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	3.99 Miles	539 AEG

Hiking	3.99 Miles	1 Hour 46 Mns	2.26 mph
	539 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Made a quick stop while in the neighborhood. No trails up this way, just pleasant wandering through canyons, draws, and ridges linking one glimpse of color with the next. It's always enjoyable to get out at this time of year for seasonal highlights.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Hairy Woodpecker

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Oct 04 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Mount Thomas - Mount Baldy Wilderness

Alpine, AZ

Mount Thomas - Mount Baldy Wilderness

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Oct 04 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	15.00 Miles	2,341 AEG

Hiking	15.00 Miles	5 Hrs 48 Mns	2.80 mph
	2,341 ft AEG	26 Mns Break

Linked

linked

East Baldy Trail #95

East Baldy Trail #95 to Hoodoo Overlook

West Baldy Trail #94

Partners

none

no partners

I was gonna do the full loop but ended up with the opportunity for a shuttle so figured why not?

We did the full group hike up to the overlook which was the plan. The girls turned back at that point and Ryan and I continued on up. The wind was ... insane. The overlook was the worst spot on the day. It was impossible to stay standing and even crouched in a crawl it was a serious struggle. The gauge on the 260 near Pole Knoll registered 55mph, and I don't doubt that it was +20 up on the overlook.

The wind made any thought of hitting Baldy a silly proposition, so we opted for the more tree-sheltered Tom, which turned out to be a great choice. We took the ridge up, rather than the perpendicular approach. Seems logical to opt for the lowest grade slope, even if it's a few extra steps in distance. No sign of a summit marker. No cairns, register, or other indication of the actual high point. Where are my geotrash friends!?

Headed west off the summit back to the 95 at the saddle. It got a little dense, but no trouble threading a route through. Loud crashes of trees coming down and snapping snags kept our eyes peeled upward most of the day. Nothing too close though, so that was nice. Must've been the few minute detour to MtTom where we missed seeing Pam on the real trail.

Downhill on 94 was pleasant as always. I always forget how long those last 23 miles along the creek at the bottom are. We were both done before we were done. An hour later I remembered what an enjoyable hike this was.

Several dozen downed trees with little sign of recent clearing. Hopefully next spring they get out there with the saws. The overs get annoying after a while, but it's the unders that really hurt after a few crouches, scoots, and rolls.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Airplane Wreckage Cadastral Survey Marker

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mount Thomas

Meteorology

Meteorology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Autumn - Color Foliage

Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

2 archives

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 76 Next

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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