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Day 2 Arizona Trail Passages 16 17

The feature Micah affectionately called The Thumb.

Wild Camp on Gila River (-111.10906, 33.10830) to Wild Camp on Ridge (-111.13407, 33.19439), 22.5 km, 1070 m Elevation Gain, 448 m Elevation Loss, 8 hrs 25 min, Passage 16 and 17.

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After getting up in the middle of the night to view the stars we slept in a bit. I crawled out of the tent at 7:30 am. Our morning routine is the opposite of the evening. Micah works packing up the tent and everything inside while I make coffee and retrieve our blocks of Logan Bread that we have for breakfast. It was an amazing sunrise and a lovely morning to be on the trail. Being the first morning on the trail we were a little rusty and it took us 1 hr and 15 min to pack up camp. Micah pointed out that I need a better packing system to be more efficient. I carry the tent and I like to have the tent in the bottom of my pack so it has to go in first. But the tent is the last thing to be taken down. So all my stuff is on the ground waiting to be packed until finally the tent is ready. Luckily I have all my stuff in bags so it does not really take too long to pack up but I could probably be more efficient.

Good morning sun.
The sun filling the tent filling the tent with early morning light.
Our campsite snuggled in among the trees and cacti.
Micah and our stuff, little disorganized. You can see some rocks in a ring. No signs of fire but people have camped here before.
All tidied up 8:45 am.

We descend the ridge and hike along in a shaded valley for a few minutes. We climbed up a small bank into brilliant morning sunshine. The sun will be with us all day but never gets hot, just a nice hiking temperature.

Shady start.
In small canyon.
Into the sunshine.
Classic desert scenery.
Cacti and blue skies. Going to be a good day.

The trail is almost pancake flat for the first 4.7 km as we hike along the Gila River. There are small ups and downs but only a few metres each way just enough to keep things fun. We came across a cardinal flying from bush to bush. I chased carefully after it trying to get a good picture. The sun was back lighting the cardinal making it just a dark splotch but I did manage to get one good picture.

Micah off down the trial. Well graded and smooth.
Best picture of the cardinal.

You can see that the trail has had a lot of thought put into it during the building process. The trail never climbs very steeply. To avoid the steep inclines the trail weaves in and out of the little valleys that come to the river in an attempt to find a nice gradient to climb up the other side. As opposed to taking a more direct approach that would result in steeper climbs. This practice of finding nice inclines increases the length of the trail. At one point I had measured the distance that we had traveled in a straight line to be 9 km, but my Viewranger app had said we had hiked 14 km!

A well graded trail.

There is a lot of mining activity in Arizona and we can lots of evidence along the trail. There were numerous holes dug into the ground and into the side of hills. We also lots of green rocks caused by oxidized copper.

Good morning desert. The hole in the foreground appears to have been dug out by someone. It was very round and about 5 feet deep.
Closed off tunnel.
Copper.
Another tunnel.

We stopped for a few minutes for Micah to attend to her feet. Micah’s shoes were quite worn out and the lack of cushioning was bruising the back of her heels.

We continued hiking along the river but never coming down to the river itself. The valley becomes quit wide and the area beside the river has been fenced off for the cows keeping us up and away from the river.

Looking east, double sun star.
The valley has widened. Micah is dropping down to walk in the trees.
One final time in the grass before turning north towards the canyons.

After 90 minutes of hiking and 4.75 km we come to the junction where we leave the Gila River to head north into the canyons.

Trail junction, turn right.
Heading up a jeep track. We will be cutting across the slope to our right. More elevation in our future.
Looking back from where we have come.

The trail is continually uphill for the next 4 km only rising 200 m, so a very pleasant 50 m/km grade. After less than 10 minutes we come to our first junction. Staying to the left we left the jeep road follow a trail around the side of slope and up a small valley. We are entering a canyon and have tall cliffs to our west and high hill to the east (right).

Looks like a good camping or lunch spot.
Cliffs of volcanic rock capped by classic red sedimentary layers.
Off down the trail.

I am still lagging behind as we hike. Taking pictures as the desert landscape continually changes. The trail does undulate a little but we continue to gain elevation. The temperature is warming up but only ever gets to a very comfortable hiking temperature.

Nothing like low morning sun.
We are rising steadily on excellent trail.
Does hiking get any better?
Micah called this “The Thumb”
Well, we still have some hiking to get to The Thumb.
Looking back. There are large mountains on the distant horizon.

We took a break on a north facing slope after 2 hrs 20 min and 7 km of hiking. While we enjoyed the view I had some fun taking photos of our hiking mascots, Horace the Hedgehog (Micah) and Frosty Paws (me). The mascots are great at holding still while I photograph them but Horace did have an adventurous tumble down a very steep slope from which Micah made me do the rescue.

We started off again heading towards the Thumb. In a straight line The Thumb is 1.9 km away but it will take us 2.3 km of hiking to get to our closest point which will be still 500 m away.

As we start hiking The Thumb is 1.9 km away. Photo shot with a 47mm focal length.
Zooming in with a 70mm focal length The Thumb appears much closer but was only 5 minutes since the last photo. Note the hill and trail in front of The Thumb.

As we continue hiking we come across more blocks of quartz. We follow a jeep path for a short way. Where the trail leaves the jeep path there is a large camping area with an amazing view of The Thumb (-111.14410, 33.13623).

Well used camping location.
View north of the camping location of The Thumb.
View south of the camping location.
Panorama of The Thumb.

As we pass by The Thumb is is noon and the trails flattens out for a couple of km’s. We have been hiking primarily on the west side of the valley. We have been trying to guess what ridgeline we are going to hike over and as usual we got it wrong. Just before crossing the valley Micah spies some more cows. Back home we have to make noise on the trail to alert any bears in the area. So we continue the practice of making noise to alert wildlife but now the wildlife is cows. As we yell the cows did hesitantly run out of the way. I am not generally afraid of cows but they are large animals and if one was to run at you serious injury could result.

Micah spies a cow.
Cow
The tree is the giving the golden pincushion an hug.

We head across the valley while carefully dodging the cows. The stream at the centre of the valley contains a small trickle of water. With all the cows walking through it we decided it not worth filtering to top up our water supplies. The rocks the stream is cutting through where a dark green and very different from the other rocks in the area.

Cutting across the valley bottom.
A very small flow of water.
Such a dark, deep green.

Once across the stream we head up. This was about the steepest section of trail as we rose 100 m in 1.4 km. We switchbacked up the hillside. As we come around the corner of a ridge we are afforded an expansive view of the valley and Micah decides that this is a good place to have lunch. It was just before 1 pm. We had been hiking for 4 hrs 15 min and covered 12.2 km.

Micah passing through a forest of teddy bear cholla.
The view across the valley looking east.
The saguaro have returned.

Lunch was the same as yesterday minus the tomato. I had two tortillas and Micah just one. We added some sweetness by having some chocolate Aero Bubbles for desert.

Lunch day 2.
It tasted delicious!
Our view at lunch.
More green rock interlaced with the red sandstone.

We spent just a bit less than 30 minutes on our lunch break. Micah took the time to tend to her heels which were sore. As we started up again we followed a contour running along the slope on the west side of the valley not gaining much elevation. We could see a trail in the distance cutting up alongside a slope at much the same elevation we are at. We are not sure if the trail in the distance is our trail but it was. It took us about 30 minutes to arrive at the trail and it was there that we started to climb out of the valley.

You can just make out our trail on the brown slopes in the distance.
Panorama of our view as we start to head upwards and out of the valley.

Once arriving at the trail we spied in the distance we started to head upwards towards a pass. After a few minutes we came to a flowing stream. Micah suggested we stop and fill a water bottle since we were not entirely sure of where the rainwater collector was located.

Desert scenery.
We are now headed up. We cut across the centre and around the little outcropping on the left of the picture.
Filtering some water.

After filling one bottle we continued hiking. As we turned right around a rocky outcrop there was a flat section of ground that provided a view point of the entire valley. I snapped a picture of Micah looking back over the valley. It is my new favourite photo of her.

Micah surveying where we had come from.

We continued on up. We crossed over to the other side of the pass and could see out to the flatlands of Arizona through a new valley. We stopped for a few minutes to enjoy the view. As we traveled clockwise around the peak of our pass and could see that the trail headed up very similar to earlier trail had sidesloping up to a south facing slope to a new high point.

Heading up to our first high point of the day.
View to the south west. I believe that the mountains on the horizon are the Table Top mountains due south of Phoenix, about 100 km away.
An indication of the low rate of erosion is the ever present lichen on the rocks.

We follow the trail around and up the sideslope. It appears that we should head up and over the grassy pass but the trail takes a hard turn left across the slope. Later we would find why we could not just head over the pass as there is a large cliff on the other side.

Micah hiking past a new plant, very tall.
Plants fighting to survive.
We thought we should head up and over the pass at the centre. You can see the trail cutting across the bottom to the left. We would go around the large peak on the left. There is a large cliff on the other side of the pass that we will pass under a little later.

We hiked up and between two peaks. The area at the top was a pleasant little plateau. As we head around the other side we hug the cliff on our right. We wrapped right around the cliff turning a complete 180 degrees.

View looking south east. I believe that is Sombrero Butte(1688 m) on the horizon about 80 km away. Our elevation was 1050 m.
The plateau at the pass.
Heading over and into a new valley.
Stay close to the left. A little skinny here.

The trail through the next valley stays close to our cliff before swinging left and heading up the valley. There was very little elevation change as we are already quite high. The valley has some interesting rock outcrops, remnants of volcanic activity. We make very good time through the valley. We are still not sure where the rainwater collector is and the day is starting to get late so similar to day 1 it is time to find water and a flat place to camp.

Our trail starts on the right and cuts across the far slopes staying high all the way to the end of the valley.
The cliff that was on the other side of the grassy pass. It was a good plan to hike around. This would have been an exciting scramble with packs on.
We momentarily come to a low point where we had a view of the first valley we had hiked up. We had been hiking on the trail at centre about 90 minutes previously.
Micah checks out the cliff we walked over. The cliff we walked beside is on top, if you zoom in you can see the trail. The cliff Micah is looking at is a few hundred feet high.
Up the valley we go.
The rainwater collector is just coming into view at centre of photo. Now we know where the water supply is.
This was an amazing piece of rock, and for scale can you find Micah right of centre.
To me it looks like a cat sitting.

Between the Cat rock and the upcoming pond is the boundary for the Tonto National Forest. On the AZT Passage 16 ends at boundary for the forest.

There is a large pond at the base of the hill leading to the rainwater collector. I am going to find out why it is not listed a as water source.
Looking back down the valley we have just hiked. You can follow our trail back. In the middle it moves up underneath the cliffs. I took 1 hr 10 min to walk down the valley.
Micah heading up and out of this valley.
A steep 4WD trail leads to the rainwater collector. Good signage from the AZT Association.

We arrive at the rainwater collector at 4:00 pm, 5 hrs 45 min and 14.9 km since we left the Gila River at GPS coordinates (-111.13617, 33.17957). The rainwater collector is located just 400 m north of the boundary for the Tonto National Forest. Had we been using the AZT Trail App the collector would have been clearly marked.

The newly constructed AZT Rainwater Collector
Appreciate all the hard work of the AZT Assoc. We always treat our water.

We refilled all of our water which included our water bladders (3L each) and water bottles (1L each). We did not want to stop for the day yet and needed to use some water for both dinner and breakfast. We decided to fill our collapsible 10L bucket with 3L of water. The water in the bucket would be used for cooking, coffee and replenish any water we would drink in the next hour or so of hiking.

Micah filling her water bladder.
Water bucket with 3L of water.
Took this photo from beside the rainwater collector. Did not know it, but we ended up camping just to the right of the rock feature left of centre.

The trail headed up a short ways before dropping steadily losing 90 m over the next 1.2 km. The sun was setting fast and as we climbed up a small slope we started looking for a flat spot to pitch the tent. Micah decided that she would like to make it up to the ridge beside the large rock outcrop. As we came past the rock outcrop the trail crossed over the small pass and took a hard left. There was a distinctive trail leading along the ridge to the west that brought us to a lightly used campsite complete with fire pit (-111.13407, 33.19439). It took us 35 minutes to cover the 2.8 km from the rainwater collector.

Prickly Pears were the dominant cacti in the area.
A lonely saguaro.
The golden glow of the setting sun.
You can locate our campsite as it is beside the saguaro cactus on the right.
A water crossing on the AZT.

We set up camp. Micah got busy making dinner which required boiling water and adding it to our freeze dried food. I took pictures then set up the tent. The sun was setting quickly but provided us with a colourful and brilliant sky as we set up camp.

Micah set up the kitchen to use the fingering as a wind block.
Utilizing the cooking water.
Panorama looking south to where the rainwater collector was.
Night sky.
The lonely saguaro we could see from the rainwater collector.
The brilliance of the sunset sky.
Amazing pinks and blues.
Micah cooking dinner.
Evening sky.

One of our traditions on hikes is that we read out loud at bedtime. It is mostly me doing the reading but on this trip Micah and I took turns doing the reading. Our book was Chris Townsend’s “High Summer: Backpacking the Canadian Rockies”. It is a retelling of Chris Townsend hiking the length of the Canadian Rockies from Montana to almost the North West Territories in 1987. Prior to leaving for Arizona I had scanned the first 55 pages into a PDF file and saved it on my tablet. The story is very well written and captivating from the beginning. Chris Townsend is an accomplised hiker and great storyteller. We called it a night at about 8:30 pm. Another fantastic day on the AZT.

Good night .

AZT Passages 16/17 Day 3

AZT Passages 16/17 Home

bootwreckers

With my trip ending a little early I spent the las With my trip ending a little early I spent the last couple of days doing Trail Magic, full story up on Bootwreckers, see link in bio.

I stayed the night utilizing the primitive camping area at Picketpost Mt. Arizona sunsets are amazing. 

I did two days of Trail Magic. I purchased 14 pops (known locally as sodas) and bags of chips each day and hung out at two different trailheads for the AZT. The thru hikers coming by were always appreciative of the extra calories with flavour.

After I headed back to Phoenix to begin my trip home.

I love traveling and hiking in Arizona, not sure when I will get back but I will go back soon(ish).

#trailmagic #aztassociation #nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Day 3 (and final day) of my hike on the Arizona Tr Day 3 (and final day) of my hike on the Arizona Trail finishing Passage 15, see link in bio.

Had just under 20 miles to hike. Was a great day on trail. After finishing hiking the high desert reentered canyon country which was followed by a quick climb for amazing views from the high point.

The hike ended with what can only be described as a cacophony of flowers. A simply amazing way to finish the hike. 

Now I have to figure out which Passages I can hike next and when....good problem to have.

#nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Just the aurora dancing in the northern skies take Just the aurora dancing in the northern skies taken from my balcony. 

I never tire of seeing the Northern Lights

#northernlights #aurora #auroraborealis #canmore
Day 2 of my Arizona Trail Passages 14 15 hike is u Day 2 of my Arizona Trail Passages 14 15 hike is up on Bootwreckers. 

Big day, 36 km's, but was super fun over varied terrain and some more Trail Magic when I arrived at the beginning of Passage 15 at Freeman Road.

Hiked almost until sundown, but managed to find a slightly sheltered spot to block some of the very fierce desert wind.

Love hiking in Arizona,  next time I will make sure I tape up my heels before I start.

Enjoy.

#nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Arizona Trail Passages 14 15 travel day and Day 1 Arizona Trail Passages 14 15 travel day and Day 1 up on Bootwreckers, see link in bio.

Was a fantastic trip south to hike Passages 14 and 15 of thr Arizona Trail.

Met lots of great people, enjoyed some Trail Magic and experience the raw beauty of the desert. 

Trip didn't go quite as planned but I am still planning on heading back thr AZT for more adventures.

The last photo is my training partner, Margaux,  and what I was hiking in just the week before the trip. Not so much snow in the desert. 

#nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Day 3 of my New Years adventure in Arizona up on B Day 3 of my New Years adventure in Arizona up on Bootwreckers, see link in bio.

Hiked the Superstition Ridgeline Trail, 23 km of some very rough terrain.

The views from the ridge were spectacular. The trail is more of a route, then a trail. I got off trail a half a dozen times just on the ascent to the ridge. Sprinkled in for fun where several down climbs where I had to drop my poles before climbing down a small chimney or crack.

There is camping possibilities on the ridge and I do wish I would have camped just before Syphon Draw and enjoyed the sunset. Maybe next time.

This was a very challenging 10.5 hrs on the trail, one of my hardest days ever, but worth every drop of sweat.

Till next time Arizona.

#nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Even in the smoke, there is nothing like hiking in Even in the smoke, there is nothing like hiking in the Canadian Rockies.

On the way to Pinto Lake, going over Sunset Pass with Tuft Peak in the distance.

#parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks #alberta, #albertaparks
Day 2 of my New Years Arizona Adventure is posted, Day 2 of my New Years Arizona Adventure is posted, see link in bio.

Fun and easy day exploring the Superstitions with my four new friends. Lots of varied terrain and lots of breaks. Will make up for that on Day 3.

I did run out of superlatives to describe the scenery, in one word it was simply spectacular!

#nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Day 1 of a fun two day trip out to Pinto Lake over Day 1 of a fun two day trip out to Pinto Lake over Sunset Pass.

It was a little smokey but as you can see from the first photo the views were spectacular.....

The little dot in Photo 9 is a Common Loon, and entertained us for several minutes swimming across the lake and diving for fish.

Big thanks to @kbsymington , @sio.mellors , Kylie and Charlie for making it such an awesome trip.

#parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks #alberta, #albertaparks
Day 1 of my 2023 New Years Arizona Adventure is up Day 1 of my 2023 New Years Arizona Adventure is up on Bootwreckers,  see link in bio.

Day started off rainy, see photo 2, but the clouds cleared off by 8 am and I finally got my hike started.

The day wasn't without adversity as I slipped chasing my water bottle in a stream and fell in the water. My camera got flooded and stopped working so the rest of the photos were taken on my aging BlackBerry Key 2.

Met up with a group of 4 med students and hiked with them for two days.

Despite the ruined camera was a super fun day on the trail in a new place. 

#nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
It took a while but finally posted the intro to my It took a while but finally posted the intro to my New Years trip to Arizona, see link in bio.

I was greater in Arizona to 18C weather followed quickly by near freezing temperatures and the most rain in the Phoenix area in one day since 1906!

My trip went from Plan A, 4 days on the Arizona Trail,  through Plans B, C and Finally D.

Was a fun if sometimes frustrating adventure.

#nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Day 3 of Rockwall 2022 is up on Bootwreckers, see Day 3 of Rockwall 2022 is up on Bootwreckers,  see link in bio.

Sweet little day up and over Tumbling Pass with and a long view of Tumbling Glacier. 

The weather cooperated with blue skies and no threat of rain so we were able to linger at The Glacier before heading down the long descent to the car.

While a straightforward day there were still some adventures to be had, but you have to read about them on the blog.

Big thanks to my amazing hiking partner, @sio.mellors

Looking forward to our 3 day adventure this summer, which will no doubt generate more stories to tell.

#parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks
Day 2 of our Rockwall 2022 trip is posted on Bootw Day 2 of our Rockwall 2022 trip is posted on Bootwreckers, see link in bio. With @sio.mellors

This day was Helmet Falls CG to Tumbling Creek CG.

Day started off beautiful with blue skies which turned to rain after lunch. Somehow through all the rain and thunder Siobhan  never lost her smile.

The day ended with beers and Siobhan giving butt rubs to the doggies in camp.

Photo 1 Siobhan taking in the Rockwall at lunch

Photo 2 Helmet Falls at Golden hour

Photo 3 me and my morning coffee waiting for Siobhan to wake up

Photo 4 on the way up Siobhan with Limestone Peak in th background 

Photo 5 Siobhan at Rockwall Pass (can you tell?)

Photo 6 Siobhan near Wolverine Pass with Rockwall Peak shrouded in clouds

Photo 7 Tumbling Glacier through the clouds

Photo 8 setting up camp

Photo 9 Dinner time

Photo 10 butt rubs

#parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks
New trip posted, three day trip in the Rockwall in New trip posted, three day trip in the Rockwall in Kootenay NP with @sio.mellors. Introduction and Day 1 up on Bootwreckers.

Trip was suppose to be hiking Northover Ridge in Kanananaskis but smoke had us change plans at the last minute.

This would be my third multi day trip on the Rockwall but the first for Siobhan.

Managed to get two camping sites on the Rockwall and instead of smoke we had to deal with the threat of rain.

We did get wet but we had a blast.

Day 1 is from Paint Pots TH to Helmet Falls CG, with a side trip to get up close the the falls. Pretty straightforward day but visiting Helmet Falls is always special.

#parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks
The sixth and final day of our 2022 GDT Section D The sixth and final day of our 2022 GDT Section D hike is up on Bootwreckers, see link in bio.

This day took us from a random camp on the Howse Floodplain to the Mustafa Canyon parking lot. This was an adventurous day with bushwhacking, stream crossings and dead fall but a simply glorious end to a wonderful hike on the GDT. 

Again thanks  to Sara (@sd_kuz) and Lillian (@waterlilizee) for sharing this adventure with me. I am sure we will meet again on a trail someday.

Photo 1 - Morning Colors

Photo 2 - tents on the floodplain

Photo 3 - bushwhacking to start the day

Photo 4 - fields of flowers going to seed

Photo 5 - looking south down the Howse River

Photo 6 - thigh deep water crossing

Photo 7 - big views

Photo 8 - Sara crossing some dead fall

Photo 9 -Mistaya Canyon

Photo 10 - picked up a thru hiker named Roy, enjoying beverages left by Natasha and Kyle from Backpacks and Bikeracks

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Day 5 of our 2022 Great Divide Trail Section D hik Day 5 of our 2022 Great Divide Trail Section D hike is posted on Bootwreckers, see link in bio.

Truly epic day on the trail. Pass through the debris of two avalanches, had lunch by a waterfall, crawled over so much dead fall and hiked on the Howse Flood Plain.

The sunset on the flood plain was one of most magical I have seen.

As always a big thanks to Sara (@sd_kuz) and Lillian (@waterlilizee) for sharing this adventure with me. The Team totally rocked the trail.

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Evening light on Picketpost Mt. #aztrail #aztasso Evening light on Picketpost Mt.

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Arizona Trail Passages 14 and 15. Some photos of Arizona Trail Passages 14 and 15.

Some photos of my recent hike down a couple of Passages of the Arizona Trail. 

The trail is so diverse, rolling terrain cut by shallow washes leads to the expanse of the desert then into rugged canyons and tall peaks, all in a space of 92 km (58 miles).

Had a great time, some blisters gave me some concerns but they seem to be doing fine now that they are out of my hiking shoes.

Got lucky with Trail Magic courtesy of Condiments who drove his 4x4 deep into an unarmed wash, was really in the middle of no where, and then again at the start of Passage 15, missed the Trail Angel's name, the wind was so loud.

Like to thank my Trail Angels, Carole for driving me to Oracle to start the trip, with side trip to a Hayden Az, a real ghost town and to Edith for leaving a water cache for me at Passage 15.

Included a video of my time at the high point for Passage 15. My kid likes it when you stop and enjoy the view you earned, thought they would appreciate my effort in the face of 1000 mph winds (ok maybe thats a bit of an exaggeration).

Thanks Arizona and the AZT for providing more memories.

I will be back

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That sunset says when I wake up it will be time to That sunset says when I wake up it will be time to start my hike on the Arizona Trail, Passages 14 and 15

Love my little motel in Superior, Az, Copper Mt Motel. Has murals painted on all the buildings

Spied the Grand Canyon from the plane 

Adventure awaits 

#aztrail #aztassociation  #nps, #nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Frosty Paws all packed and ready for an adventure. Frosty Paws all packed and ready for an adventure.

Arizona Trail Passages 14 and 15 starting Sunday

Off weekend gooooooo!

#aztrail #aztassociation  #nps, #nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
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