Sierra Vista Hiking

[acgh4life]

I am new to the area with hiking...looking for trails in the area that have creeks around them--any ideas?

[joebartels]

Ramsey Canyon
http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=788

Miller Canyon
http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=508

then here's everything in the area on HAZ
http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?PID=11284

[Jeffshadows]

I second Ramsey; it should be running right now, too..

[azbackpackr]

Brown's Canyon up and around to Ramsey by way of Hamberg (I think it's called) Meadow. Makes a nice overnight backpack. You have to get permission ahead of time, as I recall, from the Nature Conservancy, to come on down Ramsey. I have never hiked on the Army base, but they used to give passes if there was no national emergency occurring.

The coatimundis are unbelievable in Ramsey Canyon. They are just about my favorite animal. By the way, that word is pronounced "co ah tee MUHN dee." (Not "co tee muhn dee")

Coronado National Monument is worth a visit; the cave there is a "been there done that" type of experience, but fun to take kids there. The Arizona Trail passes through the Huachucas and is very popular with illegal immigrants and smugglers. It has been said over and over again--in some areas of the Huachucas it is best to not hike alone, and perhaps to go armed as well.

The San Pedro River Preserve has some easy mellow hiking, wear sandals and a swimsuit, get wet, it's fun!

The Whetstones are an interesting range as well. Drive up French Joe Canyon and hike to the top of Apache Peak for a nice little bushwhack. There's a waterfall back in there, if there is any water.

Then there are the Chiricahuas some miles to the east. (Cheer uh COW uhs). This list could get a lot longer.....

[samtn99]

Miller Canyon is almost always running, if anyone is interested in doing some hikes in SV area hit me up.

[samtn99]

In response to azbackpackr:
Do the Whetstones have any historical sites?

[Jeffshadows]

I think the ghost town of Gleeson is somewhere near there but that would be the only thing that comes to mind. Maybe some old mine workings, too...

[azbackpackr]

Gleeson is just a few miles from Tombstone. So not that close to Sorry Vista, but close enough for a day trip. And you need to do some research on this, but French Joe Canyon in the Whetstones was supposedly the site of a shoot-out between one of the Earp brothers and (as I recall) one of the Clantons. You'll have to research this if you're interested, my memory fails me totally, and I did look at some of my books but can't find the reference.

The Whetstones offer some very nice hiking, by the way. For instance, you can hike up French Joe Canyon, then bag Apache and French Joe Peaks. It's a long dayhike, all bushwhacking, but not too difficult as to finding the route.

The person who requested the info about Sierra Vista has never acknowledged our responses, but I guess we can talk to each other about this very interesting area of Arizona.

[samtn99]

The Whetstones area was also where Howard Bass Cushing was killed by an Apache group led by Juh, would love to find this spot but the references I have on it are pretty vague. Area sounds like a fun hike, anyone up for it?

[Jeffshadows]

I think a lot of clashes with the Apache unfolded there; there's a peak in the Whetstones named "Apache Peak" right? Or is that the Dragoons?

The reference to the Earp\Clanton shootout might have come from an AZ Highways article, I think I remembered reading something similar after you mentioned it...

[samtn99]

azbackpakr said Apache Peak was in the Whetstones, and I found some info on google on the Earp/Clanton thing. Might hit this area up tomorrow.

[fricknaley]

Ramsey and Miller Canyons are both sweet.

Might hit this area up tomorrow.

Let us know what you discover here, I would have some interest in checking out Apache Peak.

[azbackpackr]

There are several Apache Peaks in Arizona! One of them is in the Whetstones.

As I said, it's easy route finding. You need the Coronado National Forest map, Sierra Vista Ranger District, PLUS a 7.5" topo map entitled "Apache Peak, AZ." You'll want to four-wheel drive up French Joe Canyon until the road ends. Then you start hiking up the canyon. When snow is melting there is a big waterfall in there, but usually it's dry. Using your route-finding skills you hike up that canyon and then top over to Lone Pine Saddle. Using your maps and visual, you can easily find Apache Peak and French Joe Peak from there. You can also take your Jeep and camp in French Joe Canyon, and if you have time you can also climb another nearby peak, spectacular to look at, called The Cape.

OK, nuff said. You can find it from my directions.

[Jeffshadows]

There are several Apache Peaks in Arizona! One of them is in the Whetstones.

As I said, it's easy route finding. You need the Coronado National Forest map, Sierra Vista Ranger District, PLUS a 7.5" topo map entitled "Apache Peak, AZ." You'll want to four-wheel drive up French Joe Canyon until the road ends. Then you start hiking up the canyon. When snow is melting there is a big waterfall in there, but usually it's dry. Using your route-finding skills you hike up that canyon and then top over to Lone Pine Saddle. Using your maps and visual, you can easily find Apache Peak and French Joe Peak from there. You can also take your Jeep and camp in French Joe Canyon, and if you have time you can also climb another nearby peak, spectacular to look at, called The Cape.

OK, nuff said. You can find it from my directions.

"The Cape" huh? ...sounds like it might be interesting, indeed!

[fricknaley]

As I said, it's easy route finding. You need the Coronado National Forest map, Sierra Vista Ranger District, PLUS a 7.5" topo map entitled "Apache Peak, AZ." You'll want to four-wheel drive up French Joe Canyon until the road ends. Then you start hiking up the canyon. When snow is melting there is a big waterfall in there, but usually it's dry. Using your route-finding skills you hike up that canyon and then top over to Lone Pine Saddle. Using your maps and visual, you can easily find Apache Peak and French Joe Peak from there. You can also take your Jeep and camp in French Joe Canyon, and if you have time you can also climb another nearby peak, spectacular to look at, called The Cape.

Hmm....sounds nice, thanks for the info.

[samtn99]

There was alot of references to "easy" in that post, why am i worried....

[Jeffshadows]

Check out "Arizona's mountains: A hiking and climbing guide" by Bob Martin. They had a two-page write-up in there about hiking to Apache Peak in the Whetstones. If I remember tomorrow, when the book is sitting next to me, I'll try to post a gist of what they have in there...

Jeff

[azbackpackr]

Well, easy if you are used to hiking a lot in Southern Arizona, off-trail, using a topo map. Easy if you are used to scrubby scrambly peak-bagging in that area. I am assuming people who are interested in this hike are hikers, not mall walkers. I'm assuming they have some hikers' skills. There is no trail. There are no cute wooden trail signs. It's bushwhacking, scrambling, route-finding. But the route-finding is not hard, as the mtn. range is very small and you can see where you are at all times.

I have that book by Bob Martin. By the way, some people climb it from the west side.

[azbackpackr]

When it comes to peak-bagging off-trail, a little description should be enough for most hikers--all they will need is the map, a couple of directions. If they need more instruction than that, then they probably aren't ready for that type of hike yet.

[fricknaley]

When it comes to peak-bagging off-trail, a little description should be enough for most hikers--all they will need is the map, a couple of directions. If they need more instruction than that, then they probably aren't ready for that type of hike yet.

I couldn't agree more...