Superstition Springs Mountains
Carney Springs Trailhead
West Boulder Saddle Trail, + extra distance
August 14, 2009
Start time 0700, Temp: 95*
West Boulder Saddle is the first stage in a three stage climb over the Superstition Mtn's (aka, The Supes). Its the mountain range in my blog header. The middle stage is called the Ridgeline hike which goes from the highest peaks down to an area called the Flatiron, a tabletop mesa running the lip of the cliffs. The third stage is called Siphon Draw which is located inside the Lost Dutchman State Park. Those that know their way can do the whole thing in about 10 hours. Those that do not, it will take atleast 15 hours to find your way.
Part of the reason this one way route is so difficult is that there is no clear path up to the top of the Supes from the West Boulder Saddle route, which as near as I can tell from research is the only way up there. My plan called for me to recon that first stage and lay in waypoints on my GPS, so when I came back to hike through with a pal(s) later on, we would have a defined path.
Then a week before my recon, I lost my GPS.
Undetered, I headed out with my map, compass, photocopies of trail notes, a well stocked backpack (29 lbs) and a lotta luck. Here is my trip notes which I scribble while I am in the backcountry.
Took dads pick up as I don't know the conditions of the roads back here. There is no marker for the Trailhead (TH) but online reports ar that it's been blocked off and have to hike a 1/2 mile in. I missed the turn off, or more accurately, I wasn't sure but knew it was exactly 1.2 miles from the Peralta TH, went there and backtracked.
0700 Start. The TH turns out to be a little turnout on the side of the road with some wood pylons to denote a non-driving area. I head off down the trail at a heading of 330* along an overgrown road.
+o:15. Make it too the wilderness gate in the book and cross over into to State lands.
+0:15:17. Oh Eff. There is no good trail here. Which way do I go? Trusting directions.
+0:31. Something not right. Supposed to be on an old road (?) but this si definitely not. Will go a bit further, famous last words for me, then turnaround. At this point I should hit 'Carney Spring'.
+1:00. Taking a break. Temp climbed to 102* but sun was behind canyon most of way up. I may have seen the pipe in the notes but didn't walk up to it. But there is no such thing as a straight line in nature. They keep saying 'Saddle' but walking up a ravine to what? About 200 yds from the top so I will keep going. The trip length by book is 2.5 hours RT so technically I am still on track. At least if I screwed up and on the wrong trail, it's all downhill from here. haha. I have seen cairns/ducks, a good sign and there can't be that many trails leading up that are not in the book. The rest equalled 25 minutes most of that time orienting the map to areas across the valley. GPS would have solved this positioning so fast. I am rusty with land nav but I think I know exactly where I am.
+1:26. Heading up.
+1:55. Definitely a vantage point but is West Boulder Saddle? Not so sure. I can see the truck below at 150* azimuth. Lots of ducks on the way up and was white spray paint which I have read is a sign of the Ridgeline trail but on the Siphon Draw sign. Still not sure I am in the right spot. Looking for a SW trail from this spot heading to the top of the ridge. There is a geographic signpost mentioned in the guidebook. I don't see a trail at all just animal trails and water runoffs.
+2:11. Dead end. Followed no trail to the SW and ended up behind a a prominent buttress with nowhere to go. I didn't see any ducks or paint marks since I started this direction. It would have been great had there been a map coordinate to the signpost but this is almost like, "Take a left just past where Old Man Johnsons tractor hit the tree in 1977"
+2:25. Done looking, heading back down.
+3:20. Back at TH.
Thoughts. Is it possible I was on the wrong trail the whole time? My back azimuths seem to check out with my map position. That GPS would have been great. There is a trail that leads west from the Wilderness gate so maybe there is another enterence that the overgrowth hide from me.
At the top I may have stayed to close to the cliff face and not worked my way farther in before turning SW to find the signpost. I wonder if I walked in front of a natural rock fence and the trail was behind it.
I think I will come back with a lighter load and a GPS and test both those theories. Right trail, wrong trail, had a great trip.
Carney Springs Trailhead
West Boulder Saddle Trail, + extra distance
August 14, 2009
Start time 0700, Temp: 95*
West Boulder Saddle is the first stage in a three stage climb over the Superstition Mtn's (aka, The Supes). Its the mountain range in my blog header. The middle stage is called the Ridgeline hike which goes from the highest peaks down to an area called the Flatiron, a tabletop mesa running the lip of the cliffs. The third stage is called Siphon Draw which is located inside the Lost Dutchman State Park. Those that know their way can do the whole thing in about 10 hours. Those that do not, it will take atleast 15 hours to find your way.
Part of the reason this one way route is so difficult is that there is no clear path up to the top of the Supes from the West Boulder Saddle route, which as near as I can tell from research is the only way up there. My plan called for me to recon that first stage and lay in waypoints on my GPS, so when I came back to hike through with a pal(s) later on, we would have a defined path.
Then a week before my recon, I lost my GPS.
Undetered, I headed out with my map, compass, photocopies of trail notes, a well stocked backpack (29 lbs) and a lotta luck. Here is my trip notes which I scribble while I am in the backcountry.
Took dads pick up as I don't know the conditions of the roads back here. There is no marker for the Trailhead (TH) but online reports ar that it's been blocked off and have to hike a 1/2 mile in. I missed the turn off, or more accurately, I wasn't sure but knew it was exactly 1.2 miles from the Peralta TH, went there and backtracked.
0700 Start. The TH turns out to be a little turnout on the side of the road with some wood pylons to denote a non-driving area. I head off down the trail at a heading of 330* along an overgrown road.
+o:15. Make it too the wilderness gate in the book and cross over into to State lands.
+0:15:17. Oh Eff. There is no good trail here. Which way do I go? Trusting directions.
+0:31. Something not right. Supposed to be on an old road (?) but this si definitely not. Will go a bit further, famous last words for me, then turnaround. At this point I should hit 'Carney Spring'.
+1:00. Taking a break. Temp climbed to 102* but sun was behind canyon most of way up. I may have seen the pipe in the notes but didn't walk up to it. But there is no such thing as a straight line in nature. They keep saying 'Saddle' but walking up a ravine to what? About 200 yds from the top so I will keep going. The trip length by book is 2.5 hours RT so technically I am still on track. At least if I screwed up and on the wrong trail, it's all downhill from here. haha. I have seen cairns/ducks, a good sign and there can't be that many trails leading up that are not in the book. The rest equalled 25 minutes most of that time orienting the map to areas across the valley. GPS would have solved this positioning so fast. I am rusty with land nav but I think I know exactly where I am.
+1:26. Heading up.
+1:55. Definitely a vantage point but is West Boulder Saddle? Not so sure. I can see the truck below at 150* azimuth. Lots of ducks on the way up and was white spray paint which I have read is a sign of the Ridgeline trail but on the Siphon Draw sign. Still not sure I am in the right spot. Looking for a SW trail from this spot heading to the top of the ridge. There is a geographic signpost mentioned in the guidebook. I don't see a trail at all just animal trails and water runoffs.
+2:11. Dead end. Followed no trail to the SW and ended up behind a a prominent buttress with nowhere to go. I didn't see any ducks or paint marks since I started this direction. It would have been great had there been a map coordinate to the signpost but this is almost like, "Take a left just past where Old Man Johnsons tractor hit the tree in 1977"
+2:25. Done looking, heading back down.
+3:20. Back at TH.
Thoughts. Is it possible I was on the wrong trail the whole time? My back azimuths seem to check out with my map position. That GPS would have been great. There is a trail that leads west from the Wilderness gate so maybe there is another enterence that the overgrowth hide from me.
At the top I may have stayed to close to the cliff face and not worked my way farther in before turning SW to find the signpost. I wonder if I walked in front of a natural rock fence and the trail was behind it.
I think I will come back with a lighter load and a GPS and test both those theories. Right trail, wrong trail, had a great trip.
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