|
| | | |
| |
|
| Hiking | 6.98 Miles |
1,969 AEG |
| | Hiking | 6.98 Miles | | | |
| 1,969 ft AEG | | | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | I am sure if not for my long, durable pants I would have bleed to death on this trail. I actually did the hike on 2 separate days. One from the Cuff Button TH, I went in and back out 5 miles and then today I finished the last 2 miles by coming from the West Pinto trail from Miles TH.
Trail Conditions
The recently updated main description for this trail is really good. Here are some things I noted on my hellish journey.
From Cuff Button TH: (mileage is approximate)
- 0-2.5 miles or so is a road basically.
- 2.5-3.25 miles you are pushing through dense, head high brush. Fortunately it is nothing with thorns or 'claws' at this point. The trail can be hard to follow at times.
- 3.25-4 miles, the catclaw becomes prominent. If you stay on the trail, it is not too bad, though. However, it is really easy to get off trail in this section. In 2 places there was a path that looked much more like the trail than the actual trail. I tried to mark those spots better with some cairns.
- 4-5 miles, the trail is easier to follow and still not too terribly overgrown compared to the first overgrown section.
- 5-5.5 miles. trail is a bit harder to follow and more overgrown, some really bad spots for both trail finding and bushwhacking.
- 5.5-6.5 miles. Worst section of the trail to follow. I was repeatedly losing the trail and it sucks to be off trail in this section. Actually it sucks to be on trail too, but much less. I remember one spot in particular coming back down. The trail seems to go off either straight, or maybe turn to the left. When actually, the trail does a hairpin turn back into dense brush. The only way I found that was someone on a horse had gone over this trail and I could follow those tracks leading into seemingly a wall of brush.
- 6.5-7 miles. Not bad. Very pleasant walk through trees and generally easy to follow, especially compared to the rest of the trail. Not much overgrowth either.
Trail Route Finding
Another note on route finding. I had a GPS with me, and frequently out to confirm I was still on the right track. There are many false cow/game/who knows what paths leading all over the place. It is easy to go for quite a distance off the trail before you realize its turned bad. Usually on hikes, I just keep going, making my way back to the trail. I would highly recommend against that here. If you get off trail (leave GPS out and on and check very frequently), backtrack and get back on the trail. I didn't do that and paid with around a mile total (3 hours) of pushing through dense catclaw and other dense brush. I wish I had a machete with me.
Trail Short Cuts
I had the 'alternate' trail on my map and decided to give it a go for part of the return trip to oak flat from about 2 miles up the trail from oak flat. If you like screaming, falling, and bleeding that is the way to go. Otherwise, stick to the main trail, as bad as it is.
Conclusion
Overall, this is a trail that is worse than the sum of its parts. I think my difficulties came in when I repeatedly got off trail and tried to bushwhack my way back to it. If you can somehow stay on the trail the whole time, the experience would only be bad to awful, but for me and my off trail adventures it was a pretty terrible trail from a condition perspective. |
| _____________________
| | |
|
|
|
Route Editor
Route Scout
Frog Tanks Trail 
