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Baldy Loop 2010 Version
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 6/29/2010, 10:56 am    Post subject: Baldy Loop 2010 Version Reply to topic Reply with quote

I posted this in the old 2008 thread, started by gpsjoe, then decided to start a new one. For those who would like to view our previous discussion, click on:
http://www.arizonahikers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7742&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

For 2010:
A new post up today on HAZ with triplog and photos. It looks to be very doable now, without needing snowshoes. I think I might do it on Sunday. The guy said there is a lot of deadfall on the East trail.

I hope Springerville is funding a trail crew this year. (I am getting tired of trying to get them to do something about the Overland Trail. This is a yearly battle and there are still ATVs on there all the time.)

I am thinking if I do the entire Baldy loop I would start at East trailhead, get the crossover trail out of the way first, then up the West trail and down the East. I have always gone up the East and down the West, so would like to see it in the other direction for a change! Doing crossover very early in the a.m. would mean I'd probably see a lot of elk.

Here is the HAZ write up and photos:
http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=11593
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desertgirl





Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 3350
Location: Chandler, AZ

PostPosted: 6/29/2010, 11:46 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Oh I wish I lived that close to the White Mountains ....Smile Looking forward to hear about your trip!
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Life is but a dream ...there is no end to what you can dream!
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 6/29/2010, 2:06 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Forgot to say I also signed onto ABC's Baldy backpack. Then I got a call asking me to work at Hidden Meadow several weekends in July.

Thought I would have to cancel going on the ABC one, but I think I have it worked out.

By the way it is POURING RAIN in Eagar right now, and I am wearing sweats and turned the heat on!
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sam_hikes





Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 383

PostPosted: 6/30/2010, 10:58 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I did the drive from phx and hiked west - east loop as a long daytrip for memorial day.

Deadfall not much of a problem so not sure if haz folks got onto old east which has tons except for last mile which somehow gets none.

USFS crew cleared everything including xcut trail last week.

They also removed several more of the metal culverts/concrete bridges so expect to get wet when the drainages are running.

Guess these culverts weren't in line with current wilderness stds
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sam_hikes





Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 383

PostPosted: 7/8/2010, 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Spent Tues off trail on Baldy.

Drove in via 261 with view of huge areas destroyed by beetles?

Hiked thru 1 area above 10k which was very slow going moonscape.

People are worried as Baldy is covered with deadfall... Without USFS trailwork most couldn't hike over the deadfall which is really bad elsewhere on the mtn--not to mention the huge fire danger.

Be warned of hour long closures of 273 so take 261 or Greer Rd. HCV also suggested for construction area as crew has made a big mess.

A pretty good hike if you like thick forests with daytime temps below 70f and nights in the 40s.
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 7/8/2010, 6:20 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Baldy has appeared somewhat gray, as viewed from near Big Lake, from all the dead trees for many years now. The die-off had already begun when I moved up here 11 years ago. For the past several years the deadfall has really kept the trail crew busy, just to keep the two trails hikeable. It will be interesting to see how it looks once all the dead trees have actually fallen. It seems that there are not so many actually dying any more, they all died quite a few years ago. So now they are falling in huge numbers. We are talking about hundreds and hundreds of acres of mostly Doug firs, I believe.
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sam_hikes





Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 383

PostPosted: 7/14/2010, 12:52 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Escaped again to enjoy 65 degree temps vs 110... Took it easy and did East Baldy where 5 cars were parked on Sunday. Saw next to no one but enjoyed a moment with the tribe. They were friendly and one had a 2-way patched into the ski area but they gave me no trouble--they even provided additional info on the Mt Warren approach. Enjoyed the usual noon monsoon activity with impressive lightning and thunder with rain from the peak to above the hoodoos--but lower half of the mtn was dry. Sheep's Crossing Day lot was packed full of mainly tourists and West Baldy had about 5 cars.

Couldn't sleep so b/4 dawn on Monday I decided to explore a another approach to Baldy based on the info from the friendly tribal folk. Unfortunately I picked the wrong historic logging road which dead-ended after 3.5 miles at about 10,000ft which seems typical of many logging roads.

Once home I was able to determine the error of my ways so someday I'll complete that approach to Baldy.
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sam_hikes





Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 383

PostPosted: 7/14/2010, 1:02 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Be warned.... Expect 1hr closures on 273 between Sunrise General Store and Greer Rd as this is the new norm until Fall. Use Greer Rd or if you don't like dirt roads than take US60 to 261 to 273. 261 to 273 is a top drive in AZ with 273 having new blacktop all the way to the West Baldy TH.

The signs say only 30 minute delay but they close the road each hr--not sure of the exact schedule but I think it's only daily.

Amazing on Monday to see people lined up on the Sunrise side as ADOT & USFS have both done a poor job in advertising the closure... A 30 min delay is different than a 1hr closure
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 7/14/2010, 5:19 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Sam, it is not US 60 to SR 261, it is SR 260 to SR 261. 261 is not off 60.

Option 1 (faster) You can take 60 from Show Low to Springerville, turn right at the McDonald's, go 2 miles to Eagar, turn right on 260, then go the 3 or 4 miles to 261.

Or Option 2 (slower) take 260 thru Pinetop and McNary, and DON'T turn at Sunrise. Go all the way down almost to Eagar, watch for signs for the Big Lake Road, 261, as you are coming into Eagar.

I have tried to get this info out there, but people just get stuck in their ways, I guess. I also think 261 is one of Arizona's premier highways! Several hiking trails off it, too, including Overland Trail, Apache Vista, and upper South Fork.

I was up there on Sunday as well, turned off 273 onto 116, went on down to FR 72 and rode around down there, along the old Apache RR (not the trail part of it) and then drove down to Buffalo Crossing and 191.

I am really trying to see some new country this summer, trying for fewer repeats. I like to go somewhere different all the time. I still have not hiked that "trail" from 3 Forks to Diamond Rock down the East Fork of the Black River. There is a lot of the Blue I have not yet seen. Have not hiked some parts of Mainstem Black River, including Buffalo Crossing to Beaver Creek, and Wildcat Crossing to Rez boundary. Plan to ride that part of RR Grade Trail from 116 to W Baldy pretty soon as well. Maybe even today!

I will be backpacking Baldy with people from ABC meetup group this coming weekend. It seems it is full, though.
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sam_hikes





Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 383

PostPosted: 7/14/2010, 8:33 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

you got it right...people are just used to driving 273 rain or shine.

Rez Lake is really nice especially if you follow the creek up to South Baldy Peak.

Hall Creek is very nice too and I've hiked it over to the headwaters of the West Black River to the top of the mtn.

Problem with those approaches is tremendous deadfall and moonscape above 10,000ft. Below 10,000ft you have to be careful not to get lost in the dark timber as some areas are rain forest dense with little light.
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 7/14/2010, 9:33 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Hall Creek intrigues me. I could not easily cross it on the bike while riding RR grade a couple of weeks ago, had to ride around it on some roads. It was a couple feet deep and running swiftly over where the RR trestle bridge used to be. Not sure why they put hikers' bridge across semi-dry Benny Creek, but not on Hall Creek. I don't think they actually ever finished that RR grade trail. Hope they never do, since all they seem to want to do is to put those horrible red cinders on there. No one likes those, not hikers, not bikers, not horses. Would like to hike Hall Creek downstream toward Greer. It morphs into private land eventually but not for a few miles.
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sam_hikes





Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 383

PostPosted: 7/14/2010, 11:12 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I think most of the streams on Baldy are usually easy to cross due to depth/flow.

Though the West LC can be tricky in the winter with drifts and holes where one could fall/sink into the creek sometimes 10+ feet below the snowpack.
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azbackpackr
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Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 7/14/2010, 11:41 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Oh, well, I could have crossed it, this was down lower of course, but then I would have had to take my shoes off. I didn't have any sandals with me, and I can't seem to walk barefoot any longer.
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sam_hikes





Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 383

PostPosted: 4/15/2011, 9:03 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I thought of gpsjoe doing this hike the year of all the down trees--he sure will be missed.

Upper portions of the mtn are still under 4-5ft of snow but Sheeps Crossing approach was nearly free of snow till the end of the final meadow then snowshoes were required.

261 to Big Lake and all of 273 are now open with the usual super drift that ADOT had to bust open at Winn. Final 1/2 mile of dirt just b/4 Greer Rd is suppose to be paved by summer.
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 4/15/2011, 10:38 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Hey, Sam. Thanks for the info. I'll be living there for part of the summer, from about June 20 til about Aug 10. Hope to get my old job back at the dude ranch, too.
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