GHOTM February 22 (Sunday), Hells Canyon Wilderness

UPDATE 1/4/09

The desert is looking great with the recent rains-green abounds! The mountains along the route are quite impressive.

Where we need to leave the cars is in the Regional Park, and they want $5 / car. The first park entrance is said to be open by 7 so we can decide who's going to leave cars in the park and they will have to get a sticker, or risk the ticket.

The GPS software I've been playing with changes its mind on distance. If a couple miles more or less matters, I'd plan on as much as 12 miles. We'll only know for sure after we walk and track the actual hike, rather than scribing the line on the computer map.

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The polls are closed, sorry if your date didn't prevail; there is no greater tyanny than democracy. Maybe some of the Saturday workers can make this one!

Those coming from the east, let's meet at Denny's parking lot on the SW corner of Bell and I-17. I'm open to suggestions for those of you living in East LA; if there is a better meet-up spot speak up, no sense in you driving east to get west.

The Hells Canyon Wilderness is located northwest of Lake Pleasant. If you've driven past Castle Hot Springs, the Wilderness is the pile of mountains to the west. This hike celebrates the BLM acquisition of the last private land in-holding in this designated Wilderness Area. We may have some of the BLM people who made this happen with us.

This will be a through-hike so we'll need car tricks. We'll leave a car or two on the east end where Garfias Wash flows into Lake Pleasant, then pile into others and drive around to the west end. Regular street cars are OK for the east end, the west end takes high clearance.

We need a recommendation for Mexican food place in the northwest end of town for afterwards. I'm fine with Te-Wa's recommendation but open to local preference.

http://www.arizonahikers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7609

The route is down Garfias Wash from North Castle Hot Srings Road almost to Lake Pleasant. If you go to Google Maps , click "Terrain," and search for "Garfias Mountain" the wash is just north (up) from there and this will start to make sense. Scroll around and you'll see the route down the wash.

And thanks to Todd, a TOPO map is in the gallery:
http://www.arizonahikers.com/forum/modules.php?set_albumName=albwb11&id=Hell_s_Canyon_Hike_001&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php

Come on everybody, this is not quite an amble but it's not a butt kicker either, and it's on the west side!

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

Oh no .... Crying or Very sad

May be a visit to Tempe Camera Camera Doc before you power it up.
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Life is but a dream ...there is no end to what you can dream!

Suz · Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 3186

Oh Standby------------I think I've saved the pictures.........and there are some beauties!

beckett · Joined: 14 Feb 2005 Posts: 1066

I hope you are able to save your photos. I think you're the only one that got the traditional GHOTM group shot.
Linda
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desertgirl · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 3350 Location: Chandler, AZ

Looks like Suz found GOLD! Lets go back....
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Life is but a dream ...there is no end to what you can dream!

Shawn · Posted: 2/23/2009, 9:19 pm Post subject:

It's a Wilderness, no mining allowed. Maybe she's just found gold fever!
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The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see.

Al_HikesAZ · Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 263 Location: Scottsdale, AZ

Suz · Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 3186

Yeah well didn't you notice that he took off and went the opposite direction of the rest of us at the end of the day.........I think he went back!

Shawn · Posted: 2/23/2009, 10:13 pm Post subject:

Suz · Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 3186

joelh · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 7 Location: phoenix

I don't have photo posting permissions and I would love to post some Mr. Green

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"Arizona is the land of contrast. You can go from Minnesota to California in a matter of minutes, then have Mexican food that night." -Jack Dykinga

azhiker96 · Joined: 05 Jan 2003 Posts: 1419

I need to work on the exposure on my pictures before posting them. I won't have time until later this week. That four letter word getting in the way (work).
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It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. -- Carl Sagan

joelh · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 7 Location: phoenix

Thanks Suz! I posted only a few photos, as you documented the trip quite well.
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"Arizona is the land of contrast. You can go from Minnesota to California in a matter of minutes, then have Mexican food that night." -Jack Dykinga

Suz · Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 3186

Joel, it was fun to hike with you. I hope you are able to get out with us in the future. We wondered where you disappeared to during the drive to Valle Luna but figured you were off chasing the sunset or something important.

You know I'm a fan of your pictures. I shared your snake shot with my students today. They were exceptionally excited to see the "rattle". I think it kind of looks like the snake might be shedding her skin.

windymesa · Joined: 06 Jan 2004 Posts: 76 Location: Peoria, Arizona

Hey... sorry.. been in Hell's Canyon for a couple of days... thanks for the hike, great day, typical BLM trail, and good crowd to run with. See you in the Mazatzals.

oliverr99 · Joined: 04 Jul 2006 Posts: 632 Location: Glendale

I added a few photos, sorry I did not see how to make it into an album, but I added them. Not as good as Suz and Joel, but good enough.
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Anne
"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" -- Dr. Seuss