Reavis Ranch Trail Loop

BT hiker · Post by **BT hiker** » Feb 20 2008 3:28 pm

So here is the deal. I am leading a group of 6 grown men, 3 experienced, 2 never backpacked before.

Day 1, We start at the Reavis Ranch North trailhead and head to the Falls, enjoy the sights and head back out and go south to camp at the Ranch.

Day 2, easy hike to Ravis Saddle to connect with Rogers Canyon, see the ruins and camp at Angel Basin.

Day 3, Frog Tank Trail North to connect back up with the Reavis Ranch trail. I have calculated the entire hike to be approx. 36 miles. I have done sections of this hike but not all.

My concern is the first day. Day 1 comes to 16+ miles. Are these guys going to kill me for taking them on a death march? I want this to be a positive experience for all. Should I ditch the falls (I don't want to) and incorporate a side trip on day 2 to Circlestone or ????.

We are all shooting for a total pack weight (everything including food and H20) of 30lbs. Plus we will probably leave most or our gear behind for the trip to the falls.
Should I tell everyone to suck it up or ........................ whadathink?

Hoffmaster · Post by **Hoffmaster** » Feb 20 2008 5:19 pm

BT hiker wrote:So here is the deal. I am leading a group of 6 grown men, 3 experienced, 2 never backpacked before.

What happened to the other 1 person?

BT hiker wrote:My concern is the first day. Day 1 comes to 16+ miles. Are these guys going to kill me for taking them on a death march? I want this to be a positive experience for all. Should I ditch the falls (I don't want to) and incorporate a side trip on day 2 to Circlestone or ????.
Should I tell everyone to suck it up or ........................ whadathink?

If you don't want to have any friends left after the first day, then yeah, tell 'em to suck it up. That's a looong, hard day. I have no problem with 16 miles, but I would be hating those 16 miles. Why don't you do the falls yourself if you just can't pass them up, and send your friends to Reavis Ranch? Circlestone is barely worth the side trip. I'd skip it. Then again, I'd do a lot things that other people wouldn't do. Keep it fun!

BT hiker · Post by **BT hiker** » Feb 20 2008 5:30 pm

The 6th guy is in awesome shape and has done some backpacking. So that's 3 experienced, 2 with no experience and 1 with moderate experience and in shape.

nonot · Post by **nonot** » Feb 20 2008 6:43 pm

I would think day 1 would be too much for beginning backpackers, skip the falls, getting to the ranch will be enough for them.

I'm confused, does you last day end near Plow Saddle, are you taking a helicopter out from there?

BT hiker · Post by **BT hiker** » Feb 20 2008 7:28 pm

Connecting up with Plow Saddle and heading out the way we came in from the 109 North Reavis Ranch Trailhead. :bdh:

te_wa · Post by **te_wa** » Feb 20 2008 8:00 pm

id say the Frog tanks from Angel Basin all the way up to Plow saddle and on to the trailhead is going to be some rough hiking. Expect a 10 hour day. Better you than me!

BT hiker · Post by **BT hiker** » Feb 20 2008 9:05 pm

OK, granted I may be pushing this group a bit on the first day, day 2 is a cake walk (7.5miles), but day 3 is right at 12.5 miles. Down 500' up 1700' then cruise down 1400' for the last 5 miles. Unless the trail is hard to track or I'm missing something it seems pretty doable. Again, remember at the end of the hike we'll only be carrying 25lbs or less. At 1.8mph overall, that's around 7hrs, 8 with breaks.
Another question. Does anybody know the availability of H20 on this hike. I know there is water at the Ranch and Falls but are there any other spots I can count on for sure?

te_wa · Post by **te_wa** » Feb 20 2008 9:19 pm

you'll spend a lot of time trying to stay dry I can tell you that much?
and that avatar looks like Trail Days in Damascus or something. Those AT folk can be "colorful".

fairweather8588 · Post by **fairweather8588** » Feb 20 2008 9:24 pm

I'll jump in on this thread

I hated the Frog Tanks Trail (perhaps a little harsh, but at the time there was a lot of place that I would have rather been). There was plenty of water at plow saddle springs, though, which was a nice little area. But the rest of the trail I could do without. Was quite overgrown, and in our direction was almost all downhill so hiking back out to the reavis trail would make a nice loong uphill stretch.

Hoffmaster · Post by **Hoffmaster** » Feb 20 2008 9:49 pm

In addition to the ranch and falls, with the recent rains, you should find water at Angel Basin and in Fish Creek near the Frog Tanks Trail. I can confirm water at Plow Saddle Spring. I'm sure there will be other spots too, but I'm not looking at a map right now.

BT hiker · Post by **BT hiker** » Feb 20 2008 10:41 pm

And for the final question.
What exactly is the distance from the Reavis Falls Trailhead to the Falls? (as you leave the RR trail) I've heard from 2.8 miles each way to 3.5 miles. The triplogs hikers have entered for hiking distance from the Reavis Ranch North Trailhead to the falls and back vary widely. Some list 11 miles and others say 14 miles. Thats big spread. What's the truth?

joebartels · Post by **joebartels** » Feb 20 2008 10:51 pm

It's 3.4 mile to the turnoff.
It's 2.9 miles from there to the falls.

The higher claims come from those waving their GPS back and forth along the trail. Or the cheaper units without the a quadrifilar helix antenna.

Personally I'd forget the ruins and include the falls if you're going in the next week or two.

BT hiker · Post by **BT hiker** » Feb 20 2008 11:09 pm

Thanks everybody for your help. This trip is planned for early April. So hopefully the water will still be there.

Some of the maps indicate a potential trail from the falls - down Reavis Creek - to the ranch. I'm guessing this is not the case. Maybe it was a trail at one point but is overgrown and currently impassible. Has anybody tried to hike from the falls to the ranch following the creek?

SuperstitionGuy · Post by **SuperstitionGuy** » Feb 21 2008 7:45 am

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO GO FROM THE FALLS TO REAVIS RANCH BY FOLLOWING REAVIS CREEK!!! This would be a day of route finding, sweat and tears! It is a great and beautiful section of Reavis Creek for those that have the time, energy and know how of difficult route finding. I.E. - it is not for someone not familiar with off trail/canyon backpacking in the Sups. And if your going to do it - not now with so much water flowing....

Instead drop your packs off shortly after leaving the trail to Reavis and just hike to the falls. Then return and backpack as far as Plow Saddle and camp there for the night. The next morning go on into the valley but do not pass up seeing Circle Stone...

And don't worry about water in this end of the Sups this year. With all the rain we have had the streams and springs will be flowing all summer....

And early April depending on the weather is when the apple orchard is in bloom....