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Oct 11 2025
avatar

 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
San Tan Mountain Regional ParkPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Run/Jog avatar Oct 11 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
Run/Jog9.50 Miles 810 AEG
Run/Jog9.50 Miles   2 Hrs   14 Mns   4.25 mph
810 ft AEG
 no routesno photosets
Partners none no partners
Quick outing between the raindrops. San Tan from Phillips, cut off on Malpais, and then came back on Moonlight. There were a few annoying mud puddles to dodge along San Tan, and the wash on Malpais had some carvings from the running water, otherwise not much damage from storms. Wonderful (and very very humid) outing, other friendly people were out there enjoying the temps.
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Oct 09 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
San Tan Mountain Regional ParkPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Run/Jog avatar Oct 09 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
Run/Jog4.47 Miles 363 AEG
Run/Jog4.47 Miles      57 Mns   4.71 mph
363 ft AEG
 no routesno photosets
Early morning trail run, basically did a loop around the Stargazer hills (San Tan -> Hedgehog -> San Tan -> Moonlight). The nearby housing construction on Phillips was a bit of a buzzkill with the noise / sounds, but it fades as soon as there's a hill in the way.
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Oct 07 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Goldmine Trail - San Tan MRPPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
 Hiking avatar Oct 07 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
 Hiking2.50 Miles 780 AEG
 Hiking2.50 Miles   1 Hour   4 Mns   2.34 mph
780 ft AEG20 LBS Pack
 
no photosets
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Ruck w/ kids, double saddle. Middle child was carrying a 10lb in his pack and then decided it was too heavy, so I won 30lbs on the second summit.
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Oct 03 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Sandy Saddle TM 5, AZ 
Sandy Saddle TM 5, AZ
 
Volunteer avatar Oct 03 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
Volunteer9.34 Miles 2,001 AEG
Volunteer9.34 Miles2 Days         
2,001 ft AEG
 
1st trip
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Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Kids have fall break for the next two weeks, so I needed to get out and have some quiet time before the chaos begins. Headed out after work, got stuck behind a long delay on 87, reached Barnhardt TH a bit before 6PM. Heavy pack to haul up Barnhardt -- overnight gear, trail equipment, and 15L of water -- had me sweating buckets in the cooling temps. Made it to small camp above Hawaiian Mist before the headlamp came out, slowed down for the last mile to try to reduce the amount of wet, sweaty gear at camp. Setup camp at that awesome spot above the last climb after Big Kahuna. Wind and gusts were a big concern for warmth, so I get to practice my tarp skills.

Early morning to catch some stars, finished the walk to Sandy Saddle, started cutting shortly after 6AM. The first stretch was surprisingly thick manzanita, and I pulled somewhere between 50 and 5000 stumps. After that the tread seems to have held up better and I made faster progress. Temps were great all day, and the strong breeze helped with the cloudless skies. Time passed quickly up there, and it was a bit of a rush to pack up in time to hike out before dark. Even then, the last mile was done under the light of the full moon. Good times.

Another 230' cleared. I don't want to think about how much is left right now.
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Trail Maintenance
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Sandy Saddle

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Big Kahuna Falls - Mazatzal Wilderness Pools to trickle Pools to trickle
No water at trail crossing, but falls are flowing, pools above trail to filter, and the creek below is flowing.

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Hawaiian Mist Pools to trickle Pools to trickle
Good trickle over the trail.
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Sep 14 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Sandy Saddle TM 4, AZ 
Sandy Saddle TM 4, AZ
 
Volunteer avatar Sep 14 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
Volunteer8.80 Miles 2,201 AEG
Volunteer8.80 Miles   12 Hrs   1 Min   0.73 mph
2,201 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   linked  
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Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Wife birthday weekend means getting the kids out of the house for a day. Early morning, started up the trail before the sunrise with a few welcome shivers. Reached Sandy Saddle after plenty of breaks, then had my eldest make me some coffee while we started the trail maintenance. One of the benefits of extra hands.

We made a solid amount of progress. The manzanita was uncomfortably thick near that black stump where I stopped last weekend, but once we finally got about 40' past it things get really easy -- it's much thinner and smaller. I could walk the tread and angle the loppers straight down and cut. Plus all three were genuinely interested in helping and legitimately useful, which was much appreciated.

After a long lunch and a few scattered snack breaks, we headed down after 3pm.
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Sep 06 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Sandy Saddle TM 3, AZ 
Sandy Saddle TM 3, AZ
 
Volunteer avatar Sep 06 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
Volunteer8.61 Miles 1,964 AEG
Volunteer8.61 Miles   9 Hrs   59 Mns   0.86 mph
1,964 ft AEG
 
1st trip
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Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Figured it's been too long since getting out there, so on a whim headed out for a solo trail maintenance (and to see how the work done earlier this year has held up). Started up the trail at 5:30am and chased the shadowed sections, humidity had me dripping even when I hid from the sun. Reached Sandy Saddle with little fanfare, checked out the existing work (no fresh overgrowth), made some coffee & oatmeal while drying off, and then got to it.

Didn't make as much progress as I planned. TBH I was feeling pretty drained after a long run yesterday and low sleep, so I took a number of small breaks. Also, the manzanita gets thicker at this point and it was a pain to angle the loppers between the clusters of stems. I wasn't too upset when the loppers broke and I had to wrap early and head down, reaching my car mere minutes before a decent thunderstorm crested the divide behind me.

Another 120' complete. Only 2100' to connect all the way to the camp :tear:
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  1 archive
Jun 21 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Sandy Saddle TM 2, AZ 
Sandy Saddle TM 2, AZ
 
Volunteer avatar Jun 21 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
Volunteer8.82 Miles 1,957 AEG
Volunteer8.82 Miles   10 Hrs   3 Mns   1.56 mph
1,957 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   linked  
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Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Took advantage of the somewhat-cooler temps in the area and brought all three kids along for some trail maintenance. Early morning from Phoenix, made it to the trailhead by 6am. With tools & 10L of water my pack felt ridiculous. It was the first time for #2 & #3 in the Mazzies so we took our time up Barnhardt Trail, playing leapfrog with two women on a dayhike, the only other peeps out there today. Venturing down the first part of Sandy Saddle brought out a ton of complaints from the kids -- bushwhacking through manzanita is a bit harder when it's all taller than you. Saw some evidence of recent slashes along the way (thanks @Andrewrc!) and then we set up "camp" at that first wash.

Made some more progress on the "northern" tip, where I stopped last time, though we didn't quite make it to the edge of the ridge (which was my goal for today). With no sizeable deadfall and less brush density we were did make respectable progress (cleared ~200'), though kid-related distractions, cloudless skies, and high temperates sapped a lot of attention. The kids rotated between reading books, chasing butterflies, playing with the shade tarp, and frequently helping me move brush. We also brought a hammock up but yeah, there's no where to set it up (safely, anyways).

The hike down was a quick cruise filled with many stories to pass the time. All in all it was a long, but fun, way to spend a Saturday.
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  1 archive
Jun 15 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Salt River - Saguaro Lake to Granite ReefPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Kayak avatar Jun 15 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
Kayak6.17 Miles 122 AEG
Kayak6.17 Miles   2 Hrs      3.74 mph
122 ft AEG
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Father's Day float, but had to keep it short with other morning plans. Early start, parked at an empty Pebble Beach lot at 4:20am and quick bike & walk to "above Water Users" had me in the water before sunrise, with great sunrise views over Four Peaks. Very quiet river in the morning, it was a pleasant (if painfully early) start to the day.
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  1 archive
Jun 14 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Goldmine Trail - San Tan MRPPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
 Hiking avatar Jun 14 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
 Hiking2.35 Miles 664 AEG
 Hiking2.35 Miles   1 Hour   2 Mns   2.27 mph
664 ft AEG20 LBS Pack
 
no photosets
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Ruck w/ kids. We did it at the end of a long, hot day outside doing yardwork, so 1.5 saddles felt plenty.
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  1 archive
Jun 08 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Goldmine Trail - San Tan MRPPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
 Hiking avatar Jun 08 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
 Hiking2.50 Miles 780 AEG
 Hiking2.50 Miles   1 Hour   3 Mns   2.38 mph
780 ft AEG20 LBS Pack
 
no photosets
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Solo birthday ruck. Two saddles was plenty to burn enough calories for turtle cheesecake dessert :)
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May 24 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Sandy Saddle TM 1, AZ 
Sandy Saddle TM 1, AZ
 
Volunteer avatar May 24 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
Volunteer14.00 Miles 2,600 AEG
Volunteer14.00 Miles2 Days         
2,600 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Partners none no partners
Headed up for a bit of solo trail maintenance. Kinda an early start, made it to the start of Sandy Saddle before 8AM with tools & overnight gear. This time I started on the west side of the first drainage, which was one of most overgrown sections, and spent 8 hrs fighting manzanita and deadfall, clearing a few hundred feet :cry: -- at least the partly cloudy and gusty breeze kept things comfortable. Attempted to follow the rest of the trail (got lost twice, good grief its overgrown), and had a chill evening near Casterson Seep.

Was feeling pretty sore on the second day (earned two respectable injuries from the day before, still unsure if I broke something in my hand) so decided to stay close to camp. Started around 5AM on the trail leading from the camp back south, retracing some of the tread that my son & I cleared a month ago. Ran into a few nasty stretches but I'd estimate a total of 500' or more are cleared from the camp back south. There's probably another 1000' left of _real_ nastiness along that drainage, then the rest of the trail will be... slightly easier.

At this point I'd estimate that we've cleared a total of 800' (.15m) over 20 hrs, so we're clearing about 40' an hr. There's 2600' (.5m) remaining from Barnhardt -> Casterson, so 65 hrs (or 8ish days)... Will worry about the other 2+ miles climbing to the saddle later. Unsure if sharing photos, routes, or tools would be useful for others interested in doing similar work, but the before/after photos are ridic :lol:
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Trail Maintenance

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Castersen Seep Dripping Dripping
Less water flowing from pool to pool than in Apr, still enough clear water to scoop around the algae.
_____________________
  1 archive
May 20 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Goldmine Trail - San Tan MRPPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
 Hiking avatar May 20 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
 Hiking2.52 Miles 783 AEG
 Hiking2.52 Miles   1 Hour   2 Mns   2.52 mph
783 ft AEG      2 Mns Break20 LBS Pack
 
no photosets
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Solo ruck. Felt reasonably good for two saddles, though I had to pause for a few too many breath breaks on the second. Impatient for the day I can do three.
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May 08 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Goldmine Trail - San Tan MRPPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
 Hiking avatar May 08 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
 Hiking2.65 Miles 826 AEG
 Hiking2.65 Miles   1 Hour   10 Mns   2.37 mph
826 ft AEG      3 Mns Break20 LBS Pack
 
no photosets
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Ruck w/ two kids. Started from Goldmine TH, left kids in dust near the grave (pretty sure it's not haunted), made it to the saddle in quick order. 20lbs felt much more doable. Passed kids on the way down (they were cooking!), started up for the second climb, and was feeling pretty puke-y when they started yelling encouragement down at me... from the top of the mountain. They didn't stop at the saddle. With that encouragement I _had_ to finish up, so I pushed up and exchanged some sick dabs. Victory Sonic slushes once we eventually rolled downhill.
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Apr 25 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Sandy Saddle TM 0, AZ 
Sandy Saddle TM 0, AZ
 
Volunteer avatar Apr 25 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
Volunteer12.00 Miles 2,500 AEG
Volunteer12.00 Miles2 Days         
2,500 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Partners none no partners
Oldest son & I headed out to try our hand at trail maintenance. We headed out on Friday afternoon, hauling overnight gear & tools up the Barnhardt Trail. Reached the Sandy Saddle Trail pretty easily and then it took us over an hour to bushwhack our way down to Casterson Seep :lol:. Filtered water, cooked dinner, ate s'mores, and watched the stars multiply above.

Woke up early on Saturday to start clearing. Took me an hour to clear the deadfall on the short spur leading from Sandy Saddle to the campsite, that was a hint for how intensive this project was going to be. We then had breakfast and continued to clear, cutting deadfall, trimming manzanita, and often uprooting plants that were in the tread itself. After 4 hours we had a respectable path cleared from the drainage to the camp and we were both exhausted, so we decided to call it. Took the drainage up to Barnhardt Trail to skip the bushwhacking and followed it down to the trailhead, just in time to get stuck in that 87 closure and have to circle around by Globe.

All-in-all it was a good, tough, weekend, and I have a ton of respect for trail maintainers. Son is really excited to continue clearing the trail to show off to his friends, so we'll be back there throughout the summer :)

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Big Kahuna Falls - Mazatzal Wilderness Pools to trickle Pools to trickle
Waterfall was trickling and there were multiple deep, clear pools just off trail to pull from.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Castersen Seep Quart per minute Quart per minute
Several algea-filled pools directly below the seep, trickling into larger, clear rock tanks that tasted... okay.
_____________________
  1 archive
Apr 11 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Goldmine Trail - San Tan MRPPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
 Hiking avatar Apr 11 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
 Hiking2.28 Miles 572 AEG
 Hiking2.28 Miles      55 Mns   2.58 mph
572 ft AEG      2 Mns Break40 LBS Pack
 
no photosets
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Ruck w/ eldest son. Started at Goldmine TH, made it to the saddle once, doubled back to the start of the climb, and then only went up halfway. 40lbs was way too much to start, gonna come back w/ less.
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  1 archive
Mar 21 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
South Galiuro Loop, AZ 
South Galiuro Loop, AZ
 
Backpack avatar Mar 21 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
Backpack47.06 Miles 9,362 AEG
Backpack47.06 Miles3 Days         
9,362 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
This one has been high on my list, and just so happens to "finish" off the Galiuro Wilderness trails... though exactly what counts as a trail out here is up for debate :D

Ash Creek
Trail conditions were fantastic. Lots of fall colors (still!) holding on. Creek was mostly dry until the last 1/2 mile, where the overflow from the upper spring set up some intermittent pools. Switchbacks passed by quickly in the chill morning air, even with my water-laden pack. This might be the best-maintained trail in the wilderness (at least until the junction w/ East Divide, more on that later).

East Divide (Ash Creek -> Rattlesnake)
After a quick hop on the shoulder of 6996' the trail slides down the other side, and I totally missed where and had to play in snow before getting back on tread. And... that was the only mishap. The trail is in RIDICULOUSLY good shape for how little traffic it gets, largely due to its original construction.

From the GPS it looks like this rollercoaster is a squiggly line that dances all over the place. On the ground it's much more tame, designed mostly as straight segments that are easy to follow even when there's minor overgrowth or faint tread. The intermittent switchbacks are well-constructed, large cairns mark directional changes, and the route dances through some downright cool formations.

There was some snow clinging on north-facing slopes that provided minor obstacles, over a week since the storm that had "1-2 inches of accumulation". The switchbacks that climb up the side of 7193' are deceptively numerous and made my hamstrings sad. Near the High Creek junction, along 7490', the overgrowth does get thick (about the same as the upper sections of High Creek Trail, not spiky, just thick). Otherwise, this trail was a complete delight and I'm eager to find an excuse to revisit.

I was running low on energy & water at Paddy's Saddle and seriously thought about bailing down High Creek. The hassle of getting from one trailhead to the next kept me out there. Pushed on through increasing snow to the Rattlesnake Trail, with a few sections getting up to 4" of slush that chilled my trail runners. Dropping elevation for the night was my main goal at this point.

Rattlesnake (East Divide -> Holdout Spr)
For the shade this trail gets, the snow accumulation wasn't that bad, and I made pretty quick time down. That washed out section now had ice & snow, so yeah, I bypassed above again. Otherwise, some overgrowth, mostly not spiky, and then Rattlesnake had intermittent flow, which is always nice to see. Then I was at Holdout Spring and it was time to set up camp.

Opted to do the cave this time. There was a single bat and some shy flies on the wall -- otherwise, no droppings or nasty critters to deter me. Waterfall was trickling, which made for a lovely ambience, and I had a great night of sleep on that shelf.

Rattlesnake (Holdout Spr -> Powers Cabin Connection)
Was braced for this to be a slog, and it wasn't really that bad. The overgrowth isn't nearly as bad as I remembered. There were one or two sections that I opted to boulder-hop instead of haul up a steep slope, which may have skipped the worst of it. Oh, and a large patch of deadfall directly west of Holdout, that was annoying.

Powers Cabin Connection
I was just on this a few months ago so I zipped up quick. It was an easy climb with minimal overgrowth and a few small patches of snow.

West Divide (Powers Cabin Connection -> Jackson Cabin)
Trail down to Powers Cabin was recently groomed, though the person who clipped the catclaw & manzanita left the pieces on trail, which snagged at my pants and was slightly annoying. I tossed the larger pieces to the side. The old cabin showed up suddenly and I paid some quick respects there. It was cool to see, though the catclaw is growing so close around the walls that it's annoying to get decent photos.

After the cabin the trail is almost easier: gentle downhill, less catclaw, and intermittent shade. At the bottom there is a large, grassy clearing with a fire ring where I suspect @ShatteredArm camped last year. Continuing south, there were a number of pleasant water tanks in the tributary below the large dam, and a less-pleasant (but probably more dependable) tank above the dam. There was good tread and a cairn that headed east on a tributary but the trail was supposed to go south, so I went south and picked up the trail after 5-10 minutes.

Things were starting to heat up and I was not looking forward to the exposed sections south of Kielberg Divide, so I made quick work up the climb and didn't pause at Long Tom. Next time. Trail was pretty well defined all the way to the saddle except for one section just below the mine. Dropping south off the Divide was not too bad -- there were no cairns, just plenty of game trails that made for easy switchbacks. Near the bottom the catclaw showed up, by then it was easy enough to use the drainage instead and deal with the occasional deadfall or boulder obstacle.

The area around Knothe Spring was interesting, though the trail was difficult to track, and beyond the bone-dry trough there was a large washout that erased any sign of tread (and looked a bit sketch). Managed to find a rough track with a few cairns that went up and over the hill to avoid it. Trail quickly dropped into the drainage that winds through Cedar Flat, which was a fascinating area. For the most part the trail stayed in the drainage, and I did track it across a few shortcuts. The surrounding hillsides were dotted with junipers and steep enough to block any big view and it felt... both expansive and claustrophobic at the same time.

I assumed that the best way to drop into Redfield would be to stay in the drainage, and boy was that wrong. First I bumped into a 20-30 foot dry fall that might have been possible to navigate around, so I scouted out the eastern bank and picked up a trail. It was very steep and dropped down quickly, and then I saw a 100+ drop in that drainage that I was planning on following. So... guess the trail is it. The last few minutes of the drop got annoying and overgrown.

Redfield, all the way to Hooker Cabin, is an absolute gem. There's some rough boulder-hopping, and the intermittent flow meant a few large pools that made for difficult bypasses, and it's choked with huge logs in sections, and it's gorgeous. Towering rock walls, weird formations, and gargantuan trees felt like I was in another land altogether. I did pass by what might be an alternate route in this area, the marked topo line that climbs up next to 5626', which I'd consider a "highwater" option. Otherwise, by all means, stay in the canyon, it's fantastic.

After Hooker Cabin the sheen wore thin. There were still cool rock formations and towering walls, though they were muted and withdrawn in comparison of the upper stretch of Redfield. Also, the intermittent flow completely dried up, leaving me with a dry, empty canyon in the fading afternoon heat. To break up the miles of boulder-hopping I tried to follow the tread along the banks a few times, pushing through catclaw and deadfall at times. I was pretty exhausted by the time I reached Jackson Canyon. The trail does clear up in this final section (likely because Jackson Canyon has much larger boulder obstacles) and it was fairly easy work to reach the cabin.

Slept on the floor in the back room. With the windows closed it stayed pretty warm in there, I didn't even put my beanie on until the next morning. Having no water sources along Redfield yesterday afternoon and a bone-dry Jackson Canyon I borrowed a few water bottles from the cabin to get me through the night.

Bassett Peak (Jackson Cabin -> Peak -> East Divide)
Couldn't find where the trail leaves the cabin area so I went cross-country until the tread materialized, and after that things were pretty easy. The trail stays out of the creek, dancing from one bank to the next, and is relatively easy to follow, with a combination of flagging and cairns to help guide through the rough sections. Took a quick stop at the spring area before pushing on to the "steeps".

There was one annoying washout where the drainage ate up the slope which caused some route-finding, think it was around 5330'. After that I was happy to see the tread mostly leave the canyon and start really steeping. The first climb reminded me of YLE, a steady, somewhat defined march up a grassy, rocky slope where it's useful to just aim for a landmark instead of fretting over tread. When the switchbacks finally kick in more than half of the total elevation gain is already behind you, and they are well-defined and make for a solid paced haul up the hill.

I broke up the next few miles into groups of switchbacks, and there was only one that gave me some issue at 6680', when it's easier to go straight up a rocky washout than fight the brush. I'm sure that a little more attention here would have found a tread on one side or the other, just didn't have the patience at this point. Was pleasantly surprised when the trail crested up and over the ridge and turned northwards, with Bassett Peak, the last milestone, looming above, though that last mile absolutely dragged. The trail is in good shape and the views are good, I was just tired.

Quick stop at Bassett Peak and then it was time to descend, where I finally saw my first set of human prints in the snowy northern slopes. Someone else had been out here! I was glad, because the tread was infinitesimally narrow on the steep, loose, and soggy northern slopes, covered with a few inches of slushy snow and ice, and those tracks gave me a bit of purchase. Also, the trail was quite overgrown here, which gave me extra handholds on a few sections. After those nasty switchbacks it was back to the fantastic East Divide vibe with solid tread and creative routing.

Ash Creek
This again. With the exception of a few stops to nurse blisters, guzzle extra water, and chat w/ a lone bear hunter by Lower Ash Spring (the only other human I saw out there), it was a downhill race towards an eventual greasy burger.
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Dam - Rock

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Cedar Spring Dripping Dripping
Missed the actual spring, but drainage had intermittent flow for most of the trail.

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Echols Spring Dripping Dripping
Spring had water and there was intermittent flow down to Gold Gulch.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water 3 out of 5water less than max Holdout Spring Gallon per minute Gallon per minute
Waterfall was flowing, cave was dripping, catchment was overflowing. Plenty of water here.

dry Jackson Canyon Dry Dry
Dry at confluence w/ Redfield, dry along trail up Bassett Peak.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Jackson Canyon Spring Quart per minute Quart per minute
Steady drip coming out of the pipe, full (and very green) plastic trough. Source is more appealing than the trough.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Kielberg Tank 26-50% full 26-50% full
Several tanks were flow and trickling due to recent rain & snow, tho they dried up quickly downstream.

dry Knothe Spring Dry Dry
Knope water to be found. Dry drainage below the dry trough.

dry Mitchell Canyon Dry Dry
Bone dry at confluence w/ Redfield.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Negro Canyon Light flow Light flow
Steady flow coming out.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Upper Ash Spring Quart per minute Quart per minute
Dripping out of pipe, intermittent flow from here downstream for 1/2 mile or so.
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Feb 17 2025
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 Guides 38
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male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Tent Lookout Loop, AZ 
Tent Lookout Loop, AZ
 
Backpack avatar Feb 17 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
Backpack32.00 Miles 6,694 AEG
Backpack32.00 Miles2 Days         
6,694 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Tortilla
Started about 20 mins before sunrise and enjoyed some dreamy light over the yellow, parched landscape. There was some rain out here a few days ago, enough to collect in a few rock tanks and catchments, otherwise the land felt thirsty. Made quick time over to Mud Spring (which was prolific in water & smell), made a quick detour on Sycamore to the Horse Canyon(?) connector, then trotted the rest of the way to Powers Garden to refill at the spring. Made some deer friends here who were soothed by soft reassurances about my lack of boom sticks. Trail conditions were good.

Field Canyon
Quick climb up a catclaw-covered hill and then drop down into the canyon. Trail was quite overgrown and I opted to boulder-hop most of the way, enjoying the rock formations along the creek. Not a lick of water was found along the way until the spring, which was overflowing right next to the trail. After the spring the trail turns and zips up the rest of the way to W Divide with only minimal route-finding.

West Divide
Bracing myself for a bloodfest, I was surprised at how much easier the two miles between Field & S Field (or Tent Lookout) trails passed. Think I was more patient and willing to "just follow tread" instead of fighting for elevation, like I did last time I was on this stretch. The next few miles were similar conditions, with some great views along the way. I assumed that the trail would stick to the very tippy-top of the ridge the entire way -- instead, it drapes like lazy garland, swinging from one side to the other, only occasionally riding the top.

Swung out on Grassy Knoll for camp with some stellar views out west. Wind was a slight issue, even nestled in a small grove, which woke me up a few times before I gave in and piled clothes around me. Solid sleep afterwards.

West Divide pt. 2
I had forgotten my phone cord and over-used my phone yesterday texting with the kids from Grassy Knoll (had a bar or two), so I rushed this section with the little bit of GPS-battery I had left. It felt more overgrown today with numerous sections of greedy manzanita encroaching on the trail, still offered some good views over towards Kielberg. Reached the junction, turned off tracking, and enjoyed second breakfast with my remaining water.

Powers Garden
Dropping down to the valley on the unnamed? connector was fairly easy, and then the highway along the creek is always a cruise. Spent some time searching below the marked Rattlesnake Spring for some pools -- years ago, some horse riders had told me that there was usually pools of water in the creek here -- and came up dry (heh). Maybe they were talking about another spring. Anyways, watered up again at Power's Garden Spring and reached Horse Creek before noon.

Tortilla
My plan had been to exit via Corral Canyon. However, with a near-dead phone and the route-finding involved on that grassy slope, Tortilla seemed safer, so I had to settle for backtracking (most of) my route in. It was rather enjoyable, with a pleasant breeze cutting through the sun's heat. There were a lot more cows at Mud Spring this late in the afternoon, and I tried to have some conversations with them before they scattered off. Guess I'm more of a deer person. Anyways, was a heck of a fun overnighter, and I'm glad I finally completed the last few miles of the northern wilderness.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Field Canyon Spring Quart per minute Quart per minute
Deep enough to scoop water out of and overfilling onto and beyond the trail. Seems fairly dependable.

dry Horse Canyon Dry Dry
Dry along trail, very disappointing.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water 3 out of 5water less than max Mud Spring Gallon per minute Gallon per minute
Trough is overflowing, but entire area is fouled by cattle and stinks.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Powers Garden Spring Quart per minute Quart per minute
Lowermost pool was full and trickling over, was also greenish and stunk. Upper pools were delightfully clear and tasty.

dry Rattlesnake Spring Dry Dry
No sign of spring, dry in creek below.

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Upper Sycamore Tank 1-25% full 1-25% full
A few small pools of water from recent rains. Wouldn't depend on it more than a week past rains, especially during a dry season.
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Jan 25 2025
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Peralta to Fremont SaddlePhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Backpack avatar Jan 25 2025
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
Backpack6.00 Miles 2,000 AEG
Backpack6.00 Miles2 Days         
2,000 ft AEG
 
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Quick overnight w/ the daughter. She had a birthday party at noon, so we didn't start on the trail until after 3pm. Maybe 10 groups hiking down Peralta, only 2 groups that spent the night up there. We chose a campsite that was just east of the saddle and had a quiet night with great sky & needle views. Temps dropped down to maybe 40 overnight, not a bad night for cowboy camping. Came down on Cave Trail so she could get some more caving in. The butt-slide area wasn't as bad as I remembered, pretty easy and enjoyable hike down. Tons of memories and she's already asking for a longer trip in the future.
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Dec 30 2024
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 Guides 38
 Routes 186
 Photos 1,628
 Triplogs 240

male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Holdout Spring Overnight, AZ 
Holdout Spring Overnight, AZ
 
Backpack avatar Dec 30 2024
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
Backpack15.25 Miles 3,940 AEG
Backpack15.25 Miles2 Days         
3,940 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
High Creek #290
Parked near Hooker Tank. Road is in good shape, probably could have driven another 1/2 mile with some pinstriping risk, tho there are some logs purposefully laying on the road to prevent such things. Trail conditions felt very similar to the last time I was out here (mild overgrowth, nothing thorny) about a year ago, and some of the autumn colors were stubbornly holding on. We need a good winter storm out here to freshen up things.

East Divide #287
Great views, easy walking, maybe 4 or so dead tree obstacles. Bumped into a very cool guy (Robert) up here from Wyoming and dumped a ton of trail advice on him. Hope it wasn't too much. He was retired, in the area, and just "kinda exploring" with a bunch of loaded topos and marked springs. I was jealous of his flexibility and lack of schedule.

Rattlesnake #285
First section that drops down to the washout was fine, some minor overgrowth. The washout is about as bad as last time (Class 4), so I did a bypass up and around, sticking right above the precipice, and it was relatively painless. After the washout there was a lot of overgrowth, some of it thorny, and some tread damage that kept me (literally) on edge. Once the trail sinks into the forest below it is very overgrown and hard to track... a LaCroix of trails. With the number of backpacking loops this trail offers, let alone the quick overnight to Holdout, it's a bummer to see it deteriorate year after year. Reached the spring about 4 hours after parking.

Spent the afternoon putzing, filtering water, reading, and generally relaxing. Temps dropped quickly - sun was hiding behind the hills by 4pm - and my thermometer claimed 40F by sunset. Had a peaceful night in the hammock and slept in a bit, enjoying my new book and the cozy quilts.

The hike out was about the same, just in reverse. Bumped into Robert again at the East Divide junction. He had tried to follow me down Rattlesnake and didn't want to chance that washout, so he just spent the night along the trail and was now contemplating a trip up to Corral Canyon. Wished him luck and continued out, cruising along and enjoying the quiet.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water 3 out of 5water less than max Holdout Spring Gallon per minute Gallon per minute
Even with the ongoing dryness, the cave seep had a solid trickle and the trough outside was overflowing.
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Dec 14 2024
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 Guides 38
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male
 Joined Dec 09 2014
 Gilbert, AZ
Hackberry Spring from Horse LotPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Dec 14 2024
jacobemerickTriplogs 240
Hiking5.86 Miles 690 AEG
Hiking5.86 Miles   3 Hrs   6 Mns   1.89 mph
690 ft AEG   23 Hrs    Break
 
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Hike with grandpa & boys! Started from Horse Lot, took Dutchman to FW trailhead, then up and around Garden Valley. Lots of burn damage starting along Second Water trail. Took a little detour in the creek to check out a potential water hole (it was bone dry) before climbing up to the valley, which was devastated by the fire. Circled around down to Hackberry Spring where we found the cutest little fish swimming around. Fire damage along First Water creek, tho a few camping sites near the spring were spared. Then back to the parking lot via the usual way. Good outing :)
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average hiking speed 1.95 mph
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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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