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| Hiking | 10.90 Miles |
1,540 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.90 Miles | 5 Hrs 15 Mns | | 2.42 mph |
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| 1,540 ft AEG | 45 Mns Break | 10 LBS Pack | |
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| no partners | | This was not the hike I had planned on, but I guess it was sort of the hike I needed, since I enjoy seeing bears and elk, and eating berries. Not at all like the Babe Haught, or other trails I would normally hike, but I found it to be pretty enjoyable.
With the Tonto closed options are slim, more so with the Catalina closure. I had my car washed the day before and didn't want it to get dusty, and so I wanted something with paved access. Parking off 87 this hike has that. I parked and started from Baker Tank. I still wanted a view, so I set a goal of the Rim.
The "V" metallic blazes are in need of replacement for a lot of this hike. Some are embedded in the trees and others are covered by vegetation. I heard reports of trail work further east, so maybe they will get here later this summer.
Berries
Very flavorful, but dry and seedy blackberries are abundant from FR 300 east to around Baker Butte. I ate and enjoyed many. Not sure, but they will probably be gone in a week or two.
Road Walk
The trail for most of the eastern third of what I hiked, which was to the view just past the FR 300/308 junction, is on the road. Pass through or press on for the view, but I wouldn't do that section again. Everything west of there is pretty easy to follow if you see the metal Vs, and there isn't much overgrowth of the locust or blackberry cane.
Cuddly Bears!
The highlight was my bear sighting, my first in heading towards 2 years. Hiking through a locust patch I heard a commotion in front of me and then saw the first cub run across the trail and climb a tree. I saw a dark mass I figured was the mother and started to make loud noises to get her attention to make myself obvious. Bears usually run away, but I'm not stupid and didn't see any reason to be stealthy and find myself between the mother and cub. The mother came out on the trail and stood up to look at me. It then just sort of hung out for a while and walked away, but never went far since her cub was up in a tree. I backed off and took some pictures of the cub, which down climbed and ran to his mother. Reunited and feeling so good, the pair took off into the forest. I decided to proceed down the trail and spotted the pair looking at me next to a tree. I think the cub climbed up first, and the mother followed, so still with my camera in hand, I zoomed in and documented the mother and child reunion, which was only a motion away. Mom seemed distant and distracted, and like most ladies, was not interested in me staring at her. I then heard the noises being made by a second cub, which was in a tree just to my left and about 25 to 30 feet up. I captured an image of this little guy, lest my recount be labeled pure fiction, and then packed up and left.
I felt bad, bears are people, too! Or, something. Either way, I don't see any reason to unnecessarily stress a family of animals. I was back at my car in less than 10 minutes, and maybe only 5, believe it or not. |
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
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