|
| | | |
| |
|
| Backpack | 19.00 Miles |
3,133 AEG |
| | Backpack | 19.00 Miles | 2 Days | | |
| 3,133 ft AEG | | | | |
|
|
| |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | First trip to Turkey Creek TH. Looking for a longer loop, so hiked up Saulsbury to Crest, and spent the night at Anita Park. Next day took the Crest to Morse and down the latter to the campsites near the TH along the creek and spent a blissful night listening to the waterfalls.
Wildlife: Black-tailed rattler on Saulsberry, awoke to two black bears crashing through the trees at Anita, lots of wild turkeys and deer along Turkey Creek.
Saulsberry looks like it is mostly used by horses. The trail gets quite faint, but is reasonably well cairned. Had to backtrack a few feet, but no real issues. Crest had lots of deadfall and overgrowth after Raspberry Peak. Morse was in great shape, love that trail.
Water: trickling at Anita Spring. Tried to find Aqua Fria and HQ springs. The trail to the latter was so covered in deadfall it made passage nearly impossible and I gave up. Agua Fria was not as impassable, but the trail became too faint to follow and with great chagrin I discovered I did not have the GPS coordinates of the springs loaded :-( I'll make a more earnest effort next time.
This was a very pleasant 20 mile loop, easily done in 24 hours (noon to noon). Next time I'll try my luck with one of the Mormon trails, as I liked the look of the camping area right after Mormon hits the Crest (I'm a hammock guy, need trees!!)
The only humans I saw were in a camper along Turkey Creek. Gotta like that! |
|
Wildflowers Observation Light
Nice Lupine bloom along the Crest |
|
| _____________________
| | |
|
|
|
Route Editor
Route Scout
just past Sumner Wash on day 1, Clear Creek trail 
Don't know why, as it is the perfect winter trail. NPS doesn't like hikers to take this in the summer because there is no shade, but that's what makes it such a great trip in winter. I was hiking in a short sleeve shirt in early January, can't beat that!!
