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| Hiking | 4.00 Miles |
1,921 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.00 Miles | | | |
| 1,921 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Pickett Post catches my eye every time I drive out to Oak Flats to climb. How could it not? The mountain all but fills the view as HWY 60 curves softly toward Superior. As I rush past for a day of climbing, I always tell myself I'll come out to do this hike. My first attempt was on Thanksgiving Day last year. It was a solo trip mostly because of the holiday but also because my experienced hiker friends have all checked this summit off their lists. They just chuckle when I ask if they want to go back. Now I know why.
The first attempt in November came up a fail when I lost the trail coming out of the first ravine. While I felt I could have bushwacked my way toward the top, I was the only one on the trail and had already made some sketchy moves to get onto the first plateau.
I went back to Phoenix for some turkey and pie, but I've been obsessed ever since. Still not able to rally anyone to join me, and teased just enough by pickelltree to feel the need to prove myself, I gave it another go yesterday.
The weather was perfect and by the time I arrived at noon, there were already about a dozen people making their descents. I sped through the first part of the hike, not slowed by the search for white and red arrows. When I got back to the ravine and plateau, I got lucky when I spotted a couple coming down the trail. I traversed over to them and was pretty excited. I was back on track and the top seemed so close. They said I would pick up the red arrows up the path, which I did. But after crossing another wash, I lost them again. I was very committed to getting to the top so I just kept going up.
It was a little sketchy bouldering up the lava rock in this second wash but the next plateau was a gentle slope. A final push over a pile of small rocks and I was finally at the top! All reports of the beauty of this flat-topped mountain and the spectacular views are true. Maybe even more so on this beautiful February day. I climbed to a high point to the north and ate some lunch.
My plan was the find the mailbox and take the official trail back down. But as I scanned the seemingly flat meadow and hiked around, I could not find it. I still don't know how I missed it.
Eventually, I just picked out my own route and started the very intimidating hike down. As if the trail blazing wasn't sketchy enough, once I was back on the main trail, the loose dirt and rocks didn't let up. I don't know if all the rain we've had made it worse. I was pretty happy to get to the jeep road and then to my car.
Check Pickett Post off my list. Despite the serene setting at the summit, I don't plan to return soon. |
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