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| Hiking | 5.20 Miles |
2,550 AEG |
| | Hiking | 5.20 Miles | 6 Hrs | | 1.04 mph |
| 2,550 ft AEG | 1 Hour Break | | | |
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| no partners | | The mission was to do a night hike up Butterfly Mountain and check the sheep tank.
Arrived at the trail head at dusk, about the time when the denizens of the desert emerge from their underground lairs. The Estrellas are well trodden ground, but this was to be my first night expedition in the range.
I hiked up the wash next to the trailhead, and followed it all the way up to Butterfly Mountain, stopping at a sheep tank along the way. It is a more direct route than the ridgeline trail, though quite a bit more difficult to hike, especially the steep southern face. I was in no hurry and spent a good deal of time spotlighting with my new battery setup. It worked great: I wired up a Pezel headlamp and a high power flashlight to a 12V motorcycle battery, providing plenty of juice for the entire evening.
The route took me past Butterfly Tank, a sheep water about 3/4 mile south of the peak. I participated in the refurbishing and cleaning of this tank about 10 years ago, which was sponsored by the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society and Game and Fish Department. The tank was down to its last three inches of water, as the Estrellas have not had a good drenching yet this summer. I notified the AGFD today and they might chopper in some water.
The only wildlife that I saw were a couple of gila monsters, a rattlesnake, and a desert tortoise. The tortoise was located about 100 feet below the summit; half starved and sickly looking. It had made a herculean effort to reach the forbs and sprouts near the summit.
It is illegal to feed wild animals in the state of Arizona, so I was powerless to help the poor creature. I have no recollection of what transpired next, as my early onset Alzheimer's sometimes gets the better of me . All I can remember is that the apple in my lunch sack went missing.
If I did it:
I would have moved the tortoise to a place he felt less threatened, like under a shrub or something. Then I would have sliced the apple into bite sized portions and set them in front of the animal, but not so close as to startle him. Then I would have sat on a nearby rock to watch him feed.
The rest of the hike was easy, taking the well-maintained trail all the way back to my Ford Bronco parked at the trailhead. The heat had caused my leather driving gloves to shrink, and try as I may, the gloves no longer fit. |
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