|
| | | |
| |
|
| Hiking | 8.65 Miles |
3,074 AEG |
| | Hiking | 8.65 Miles | | | |
| 3,074 ft AEG | | | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | I wouldn’t attempt this hike without this GPX file loaded in my phone using GaiaGPS, Alltrails, or some other mapping app to navigate as the route finding is tricky for this once you leave the mining road. However, there are cairns, a few flags, one burned trail sign, and the trail is visible for roughly 50% of the hike. Its was more mentally challenging than anything and after and during I kept thinking this isn’t that bad. There are a few downed trees and I found that at times I thought I was on a trail but it was not the actual trail but perhaps a game trail (but it paralleled the main trail). There was a bit of fighting with brush/shrubs. It’s a good challenge, wonderful solitude, and you summit the iconic Cochise Head.
After arriving at Wood Canyon Saddle, where the only trail sign is located with one of the signs completely burned, it appears there never really was a trail between the saddle and just below the summit (where a bit of a trail begins). The good news is the terrain is much more open here with clumps of manzanita/oak/other large shrubs which can be navigated between. So watch for loose and steep terrain and just go for it using good judgement, although I slipped at least twice here. When you get close to the summit, cairns reappear and, hallelujah, some signs of a trail appear. Don’t follow this GPX file exactly here; it has you doing a Class 4/5 climb up the summit for some reason. Instead, follow the GaiaGPS/Alltrails depicted trail (which you can mostly follow anyways) and approach the summit from its East/SE face – a few cairns are here too. Surprisingly yet unsurprisingly there was a summit register on top but it was in a plastic container that has busted and the paper inside is water damaged although I was happy to see another party that climbed in September of 2021 (I believe).
I was very interested in doing a loop via Indian Creek and Whitetail trails but at last, after investigating the trail for a short bit from Wood Canyon Saddle, the fire damage is just as bad here and I was worried about having enough daylight and mental fortitude to attempt this. What if the trail really crapped out somewhere on the loop? This my fear with loops where you might have to turn around at some impassible point or some highly degraded trail segment. |
| | |
|
|
|
Route Editor
Route Scout
