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Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak, Arizona

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Like many others driving between Phoenix and Tuscon, I’d always wanted to climb this unique volcanic plug.

It looks challenging, but I found it not too bad.

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It’s not via ferrata, but there are cables and other assistance everywhere needed.

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Bring gloves.

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As a former gymnast, I was certainly overconfident on arrival at the trailhead.

Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak

I’d already embarrassed myself pronouncing the name of the peak as Pikachu. That’s wrong.

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Though one hiker cried 4 times getting up and down, I found it fun.

I love the giant, individually unique saguaro cactus.

Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak

On the way up it’s difficult to imagine there’s actually a hiking route.

Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak

This beautiful day attracted many to the peak. Everyone made it to the top so far as I could see. Myself included.

Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak

Certain birds and animals make a good living waiting on lunch crumbs here.

Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak

The vista from the top is not all that spectacular.

Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak

I made a sidetrip to a smaller peak. Here’s the vista looking back to the summit.

Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak

Still, Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak is unique and interesting enough to be added to our list of best hikes in North America.

If you have two vehicles consider climbing up via Hunter Trail, returning via Sunset Trail. 

 

 

 

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hiking the Gila Wilderness, New Mexico

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

You’ve heard of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.

It’s adjacent to the Gila Wilderness.

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Gila Wilderness was designated the world’s first wilderness area on June 3, 1924. … part of New Mexico’s Gila National Forest. …

The Mogollon Mountains traverse an arc across the wilderness. The tallest peak within this range, Whitewater Baldy at 10,895 ft (3,321 m) …

I headed for the most popular Baldy trailhead – Crest Trail #182.

I never made it due to mountain road improvements January 2017. ROAD CLOSED.

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So I read some of the Peakbagger trip reports instead.

The consensus was not good: bad roads, snow into July, forest fire recovery sections, hunters.  It will not go on our list of the best hikes in North America.

The most popular hike in Gila Wilderness is the Catwalk – “… a one-mile trail suspended above a rushing stream in a gorge only a few feet wide.”

It had been rebuilt over a period of 2 years costing over $4.4 million dollars. And opened again in 2016.

I’d been advised by a Ranger that only the catwalk part of the trail was open. Hikers often continue on to #207. I would have wild camped if it had been open.

Sadly, that Ranger was wrong. It was all closed due to flooding.

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Still, the Catwalk does look very cool.

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The 1.1-mile Catwalk National Recreation Trail winds through the canyon’s steep, pink walls of volcanic rock, following the path of a pipeline built in the early 1890s to provide water and electricity for the mining town of Graham.   …

Desert USA

LESSON LEARNED — Before driving out to hike the Gila Wilderness, phone first to be sure your trail is open.

 

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Thru-Hiking Will Break Your Heart …

An Adventure on the Pacific Crest Trail by Carrot Quinn 

I’ve read a number of books on the PCT. I believe this is my favourite.

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Amazon

Carrot Quinn was raised in Alaska on welfare by a schizophrenic single mother. A rough life. In fact, she became a hobo riding the rails.

This book reads as a blog. That’s because it started as blog posts from the trail.

reaching the Canadian border
reaching the Canadian border

If you are one of those who disliked Cheryl Strayed’s memoir Wild … because it had too little actual hiking … know that this extended trip report is all about the hiking. 🙂

It’s funny. It’s real. It’s surprising. Carrot makes no apologies.She’s a big advocate of trail romance. Even sex.

I’ll certainly buy any of her other books that get released on audio.

related – Carrot did not love the Continental Divide Trail. She did love the Hayduke Route.

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hiking White Sands National Monument

New Mexico

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Length: 2 miles (3.5 km), round-trip

The White Sands National Monument … at an elevation of 4,235 feet (1,291 m). …

It is the largest gypsum dune field in the world. …

The Monument is completely surrounded by military installations (White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base) and has always had an uneasy relationship with the military …

Located on the northernmost boundaries of White Sands Missile Range, the Trinity Site can be found, where the first atom bomb was detonated. …

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Backcountry Camping Trail map

There are non-stop warnings about dehydration.

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Let’s go.

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I wore these lightweight camp shoes. They turned out to be perfect for the soft sand.

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It was VERY windy.

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Deserts are always interesting.

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There are 10 backcountry campsites available.

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details on Backcountry Camping

Following my hike, I joined the sunset dunes walk led by a Ranger.

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It was very interesting and entertaining. This entire structure was created by that plant.

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Sunsets are wonderful in the desert.

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The Ranger noted that any President could remove National Monument status. Potentially this land could be given to the military. 😦

details – Backcountry Camping Trail

There’s a longer (5 mile) Dunes hike called the Alkali Flat Trail. If you want more.

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Republicans are enemies of the Outdoors

Land totaling the size of Connecticut has been targeted in a new bill in the Republican House, uniting hunters and conservationists in opposition

Now that Republicans have quietly drawn a path to give away much of Americans’ public land, US representative Jason Chaffetz of Utah — @jasoninthehouse —has introduced what the Wilderness Society is calling “step two” in the GOP’s plan to offload federal property. …

Chaffetz introduced the bill alongside a second piece of legislation that would strip the BLM and the US Forest Service of law enforcement capabilities …

The 10 states affected are Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. …

Republicans move to sell off 3.3m acres of national land, sparking rallies

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Perhaps not ALL Republicans:

The bill seems to run in direct opposition to Interior Secretary appointee Ryan Zinke’s (R-Montana) initiatives. In his confirmation hearing earlier this month, Zinke said: “I am absolutely against transfer and sale of public lands. I can’t be more clear.” …

Outdoor Life – House Bill Would Sell 3.3 Million Acres of Federal Public Land

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Last Chance Canyon, New Mexico

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Story goes that ranchers in 1881 got lost in the deserts. Had no water. With their horses failing they spotted the limestone walls of one more canyon. This would be their last chance.

My guidebook author called this “one of my favourite spots in all of New Mexico”.

It has plenty of water year round. A rarity in this part of the world.

I started late in the afternoon as it was only 2.7 miles to the recommended campsites.

Last Chance Canyon, New Mexico

The light gorgeous.

Last Chance Canyon, New Mexico Last Chance Canyon, New Mexico Last Chance Canyon, New Mexico Last Chance Canyon, New Mexico

Here’s that water that saved the ranchers.

Last Chance Canyon, New Mexico

Obviously this canyon floods at times.

Last Chance Canyon, New Mexico I checked out the campsites. Too exposed. It was very, very windy.

Instead I hunkered down in this more sheltered spot.

Last Chance Canyon, New Mexico

Having forgotten my bear bag rope, I instead tossed my food bag up into a tree attached to a loose branch. Ingenious improvisation I thought … at the time.

The wind blew it down during the night. Happily my food stayed undisturbed lying on the ground.

Next morning I had the option to try to loop to famed Sitting Bull Falls.

But to save time I opted to backtrack from here, visiting  the falls via the front door.

Sitting Bull Falls, New Mexico

As you probably would guess, the Sioux medicine man Sitting Bull never visited New Mexico.

This is a great hike. Highly recommended. We’ve added it to our list of best hikes in North America.

 

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Rattlesnake Canyon, New Mexico

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

After visiting Carlsbad Caverns I dayhiked nearby Rattlesnake Canyon.

Rattlesnake Canyon, New Mexico

It’s well loved for Spring wildflowers and a variety of cactus. But I was there in January. Not many flowers.

You immediately drop down into a small drainage following cairns. There’s no signage.

Rattlesnake Canyon, New Mexico

Up the other side the trail is well defined.

Rattlesnake Canyon, New Mexico

Rattlesnake Canyon, New Mexico

I love the desert. And it was a beautiful day … though very windy.

Rattlesnake Canyon, New Mexico Rattlesnake Canyon, New Mexico Rattlesnake Canyon, New Mexico Rattlesnake Canyon, New Mexico

You can go 3 miles out, 3 miles back. Or try to loop via other canyons. Instead I went out about a mile … enjoyed some solitude … then hustled back to my vehicle.

The “unfriendly vegetation” was too often snagging on my favourite hiking pants. It was difficult to avoid.

Rattlesnake Canyon, New Mexico

In the flat desert it’s easy to get lost. Even here close to Carlsbad Caverns and many roads. In 1999 hikers Raffi Kodikian and David Coughlin were lost in Rattlesnake Canyon. Coughlin died.

related – trip report by 160k- Rattlesnake Canyon

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Guadalupe Mountains TX – Bowl Loop

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

  • 8.5 miles
  • 2380ft elevation gain
  • side trip to climb Hunter’s Peak

The Parks recommends a (strenuous) 6-8 hours. In a rush to finish before dark, I did it in 4.5 hours.

Trailhead is the Pine Springs Visitor Center. I checked in with a Ranger on trail conditions. She neglected to tell me there was a LOT of snow up in the Bowl.

My guidebook recommended to climb up via the Tejas trail.

Bowl Loop, Guadalupe Mountains TX Bowl Loop, Guadalupe Mountains TX Bowl Loop, Guadalupe Mountains TX

A very easy way gain all that altitude. Very well maintained.

Bowl Loop, Guadalupe Mountains TX

Up top in the bowl it looked like the Canadian winter I’d fled.

Bowl Loop, Guadalupe Mountains TX

I met only one other hiker. She too was surprised with the snow.

It’s a different ecosystem up here.

A beautiful coniferous forest of pine and Douglas fir … awaits those who are willing to hike up 2500 feet from the Chihuahuan desert below.

Bowl Loop, Guadalupe Mountains TX

Close to the turnoff for Hunter’s Peak I saw a herd of mule deer. I’m not sure why they are so high this time of year.

Bowl Loop, Guadalupe Mountains TX

Behind me is the highest point in Texas – Guadalupe Peak. I left a Summit Stone.

Great vistas.

Bowl Loop, Guadalupe Mountains TX
flat desert below

From there I needed to either backtrack. Or finish the loop.

Signage in Guadalupe Mountains National Park is not nearly as good as in Big Bend. The free Parks trail map is not detailed enough to do many of the hikes it recommends. Get a better map.

Happily I did find the sign to Bear Canyon Trail. The descent was much different — and much steeper — than how I got up.

water pipe
water pipe

I saw some strange wreckage. An airplane crash, I assume.

Bowl Loop, Guadalupe Mountains TX

It was much quicker down than up.

Bowl Loop, Guadalupe Mountains TX

In fact, for most people it’s better to climb on Bear Canyon, descend on Tejas. Easier on the knees. We’ve added The Bowl to our list of best hikes in North America.

related – Backpacker – Guadalupe Mountains National Park: The Bowl

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State Of The USA National Parks

hiking-big-bend-national-parkKurt Repanshek posted a comprehensive overview:

The arrival of 2017 has opened a new chapter for the National Park Service and the National Park System, one that in the first days of the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress is fraught with concern over both the stability of the agency and the health of the parks.

  • The administration wants to reduce the size of the federal workforce.
  • Nominees for key agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy could support initiatives detrimental to natural resources.
  • Republicans in Congress are pushing to limit, if not entirely do away with, use of the Antiquities Act by presidents to designate national monuments.
  • Budget increases for the Park Service, feeble during the past eight years, could be even more meager.

It’s too early to say how these will play out, but they all bear watching. …

National Parks Traveler 

Personally, I’m very worried for ALL the American Parks. Republicans are not often friends of outdoor recreation. 😦