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| Backpack | 6.97 Miles |
1,422 AEG |
| | Backpack | 6.97 Miles | 5 Hrs 30 Mns | | 1.76 mph |
| 1,422 ft AEG | | | | |
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| partners | | With the long weekend, and both of us wanting to test our tolerance for backpacking, a plan was made to get back to the Blue Range Primitive area. The loop hike that was planned seemed doable, though in hindsight it was a poor choice given the heat and the AEG.
With my somewhat recent re-acquaintance with my love of hiking, I wasn't sure if I'd still have it in me to backpack. My recollection is that while I definitely prefer hiking, I could tolerate backpacking -- though I honestly don't remember the last time I did a backpacking trip. When preparing for this venture out, I was glad to discover all my gear in good working order...though I suspect the urethane coating in my backpack is starting to show its age with a tiny bit of tackiness discovered in one of the exterior pockets (a check of my notes tells me this particular pack has been with me for nearly 18 years  ). When fully loaded, I was glad to discover the pack still carries as well as I remember.
We met up early to make the drive out to allow us to get started before the full heat of the day, arriving at the Trailhead to find the temps sitting in the low to mid 80's. After doing some final sorting and situating of gear along with the requisite application of sunblock and insect repellent, we started off through the gate.
A short walk past a ranch property brought us to the crossing of the Blue, after which the trail began climbing steadily before dropping us into the riparian area created by Lanphier Creek. The area has been frequented by cattle, though it seemed that it may have been quite some time since there was significant cattle activity given how old the cowpies were. After a brief stop, we crossed the creek and started up the Largo trail. The trail climbed somewhat steeply to the ridge between Lanphier and Largo Canyons before dropping into the completely dry Largo drainage to follow it at a slightly more gradual grade.
With the heat, the weight of the packs, and the rocky tread, our pace was slower than anticipated. When we reached Dutch Oven Spring, we decided to call it a day and set up camp. The area is pretty torn up from cattle, with lots of old cow patties scattered liberally about. Finding spots to set up camp was challenging given the terrain - I suspect I would have been better off if I had brought the hammock instead. After getting things set up, we opted to explore further up the trail and hunted for Maple Spring with no luck. We returned to camp to filter water and settle in for the evening, with our late afternoon and evening's entertainment provided by the wildlife coming to the spring. There were numerous birds, squirrels, and even a deer that came by!
Dutch Oven Spring was in good shape, with a nicely built catchment and active inflow through the pipe. The animals seemed to prefer to drink from the overflow. The catchment itself had lots of bee and wasp activity.
Things took a while to cool down, making for a restless sleep. The next morning, we got up and struck camp at a leisurely pace, and headed back down to the truck. Even with the relatively early start, the day heated up fast, and temps at the truck were already in the upper 80's by the time we returned. Overall, the trail conditions were decent, if a bit rocky. There is some deadfall, with one not far from Dutch Oven proving to be the most annoying/challenging - requiring duck-walking in a full crouch under the fallen snag. The other deadfalls were easier to navigate, with most being a straight-forward step-over.
Since we finished with our hiking so early and neither of us in a rush to get back to the valley, we drove around to check some of the other trailheads in the area to make notes for future visits. While I enjoyed being out and seeing all the wildlife, I'm pretty sure I'd rather pull a 20+ mile dayhike than do an overnight or multi-night backpacking trip to cover the same distance 
Wildlife: Loads of birds, lizards, squirrels, moths, butterflies, deer, and elk.
People: No others were foolish enough to attempt the lower reaches of the Blue  but the solitude is always preferred! |
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Dutch Oven Spring |
Gallon per minute |
Gallon per minute |
| | | Very nice catchment, overflowing with observable flow in through the pipe. The surrounding area is rife with old cow patties, though the catchment was clear with some leaf matter in the bottom and a tiny bit of algae present. |
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Lanphier Canyon |
Light flow |
Light flow |
| | | The Blue River near Lanphier Canyon was easy to cross via a few rocks and a smallish log, and was perhaps a meter or so across. We did not walk to the confluence, but about 0.5 miles up the trail, where the Largo Canyon Trail branches off and crosses Lanphier Creek, there was also decent flow. | | _____________________
| Happier when hiking....I may not move fast (and I'm often distracted by wildflowers), but I'll get there eventually |
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](https://hikearizona.com/dex2/images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall"){kind=small}
I'm all for recreation of various varieties outdoors, but it's this kind of behavior that results in increasing access issues.
). When fully loaded, I was glad to discover the pack still carries as well as I remember.
