Superstition Ridgeline Hike ->Carney Springs to Siphon Dr

[Canyon Dweller]

after doing the Flatiron I am highly interested in doing the whole ridgeline. It looks like a really neet hike.
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Mountains are there to be climbed!

"Meaningless! Meaningless," says the teacher, "Utterly Meaningless, Everything is meaningless."-Ecclesiastes 1:2

[Wiz]

Whoa! Trail?? What are you guys talking about? I've only done the ridgeline once (as an overnighter, from Carney Springs), but other than some intermittent game trails, I don't recall any trails or spurs. I went around Superstition Peak to the east, scrabbling over a steep shale slope. At the far end I ended up on a little mesa that didn't seem to offer any way to proceed. It took us about 15 minutes to figure out that you had to ease down this little chimney thing to continue. A little ways beyond that was a small saddle where we camped.

Was I on the same ridge line as the rest of you? I went about 5 years ago, so maybe it's changed.
Also, learning both ends of the trail is great advice. I did that and still got lost at the west end! Took about 1 1/2 extra hours to find Siphon Draw. We ran out of water while looking.
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"...A man who knew that he had to do what he knew he had to do, and knew it!"

[Shawn]

I had the same concern, but am told there is now a well worn path. Take that for what it's worth, not my first had experience.
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The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see.

[mike]

I did the ridgeline a little over a year ago. There is a good, easily followed trail for most of the way. There are only a couple of spots where there isn't a trail, and that's when you cross over areas of bare rock. Even those were cairned, though. We lost the trail just once and found it just over the next small peak. Wiz, I think we camped in the same small saddle you mentioned. It's at the head of Hieroglyphic Canyon.
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[gps_hiker]

I did the route solo a few weeks back starting at Siphon Draw TH and certain parts are getting worn and there are more carns since last year.

There are also a couple chimney's to climb which can be confusing.

Route is still faint in parts & doesn't get enough traffic so bring your route finding expertise or GPS to keep you from getting lost or at least on trail.

Other half of my party had to abort a Double Ridgeline due to getting lost at the start coming up from Carney Springs b/4 dawn. (they'd hiked Ridgeline 5 times b/4)

[cactuscat]

When we did the Ridgeline in November there was a pretty good trail the whole way. Two of our group had done it before, though, so without them it may have been a little harder - but really the route finding didn't seem to be any big deal.

[Wiz]

[mike]

Wiz, check my photos on the Ridgeline page on HAZ. http://hikearizona.com/photocodeZOOM.php?ID=246&TNI=126

The sunset photos were taken from that saddle. The night we were there, there was a winter storm moving into the Valley. This was the weekend after Thanksgiving 2001. The next morning, we had drizzle and even a bit of snow.
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[gps_hiker]

[Wiz]

[mike]

[CatValet]

That's where you lowered my remains, right? -R

[cactuscat]

[mike]

[cactuscat]

Yeah we did - they were smaller packs.
I wasn't trying to insult you!

Jeez - I still thought that little spot wasn't anything special, but probably would have taken off a pack large enough to get in the way.

My only problem on that hike was struggling with the uphills, they seemed never ending to me!