Retro Blogging # 3: Hell's Gate Hike

Hell's Gate is the name of the confluence of Tonto and Hager (sp?) Creeks, just east of Payson, AZ. You can get to the Gate by backpacking/swimming up the Tonto (so I've been told) but most people opt for the 7 mile overland route. Though this is a recommended 2 day backpack or longer, Lara, Bo, and I did it all in one burly 14 mile day. The last 1.5 mile drops something like 1300 feet, making for one hell of a hike back out.....but the views along Apache Rideg of distant Mazatzals and the 100 foot walls of Hell's Gate make it well worth it. True, Bo did take off for about 30 minutes during our hike out, all at a time when we had little day light left and still 5 miles to hike, but overall, I really dig this area and recommend it to anyone looking for a challenging day hike with a rewarding turn around point.

The first several miles had lots of water from the melting snow.

A view of Tonto Creek north of Hell's Gate

Great rest spot and vista about .25 miles from the confluence.

Smiles all around (this was before the grueling hike out,

Bo's disappearance, and busting out the head lamps for the last half mile)

Last proper view of Hell's Gate before heading out

P.S. There are great campsites at the actual Gate so it's well worth a backpacking trip too.

Retro Blogging # 2: Superstition Mountains Backpacking Trip

Unkown spring at the junction of Coffee Flat and Red Bluffs Trails?

Despite the rager that was NYE, myself, Lara, Bo the Dog and our buddy Jerry hit the road around 10am on January 1. Our destination was the Peralta Trail Head of the Superstition Wilderness. Wilderness is used loosely here as this area is very near ever expanding Phoenix (and everything that sucks about it) and hence draws lots of hikers. However, our route - Lost Dutchman's to Coffee Flat to Red Bluff's Divide (camp site) through La Barge Canyon and over Miner's Needle via another section of Dutchman's - saw few fellow hikers. This was especially true once we got into the Red Bluffs. This area is very beautiful and relatively remote......it's also full of Cat Claw, a bush which tears at you as much as its name suggests. After 7 miles of getting torn up by this beastly plant, we made camp at the top of La Barge Box Canyon. The next day's descent through La Barge had awesome views of distant peaks and nearer saugaro fields. Water in the box canyon was plentiful due to a couple of massive December storms. From the bottom of La Barge we turned left and climbed to the base of Miner's Needle before descending back to the trail head and our car.

Bo the Intrepid, with pack

Campsite at the top of La Barge

Looking down La Barge Box

Start of descent through La Barge

Retro Blogging # 1: NYE 2008

It's time to play blog catch up:

We spent 12/31/09 in fair Flagstaff. First a bluegrass show at the Orpheum and then to the streets for the Great Pine Cone Drop, Flag's answer to NYC's Timesquare party. Afterward, we headed to Pay 'N Take, a liquor store that allows you to drink inside. They also sell toiletries. Not a bad night overall.

Drunk guy in foreground, pine cone in background.

Lara, Sarah, Corey, and unidentified man with beard at Pay 'N Take

Lara, Sarah, and Jacob, all in various states of consciouness