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| Picacho Butte & Coffee Flat Mtn, AZ | |
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| | Picacho Butte & Coffee Flat Mtn, AZ | | | |
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Picacho Butte & Coffee Flat Mtn, AZ
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| Hiking | 16.70 Miles |
4,996 AEG |
| | Hiking | 16.70 Miles | | | |
| 4,996 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no linked trail guides |
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| partners | | This was on heck of a hike. We started out in the cold-- it was definitely cold but fine once we got moving. We took Dutchman/Whiskey/Red Tanks out to Upper LaBarge where we would leave the trail and take a side canyon up to the ridgeline. This side canyon was really fun though there were a couple climbs I wasn't so excited about. We worked out way up the canyon for about a mile and then Bruce, Wally, and I decided to attack Picacho Butte directly. Vince, Dave, and Joe still wanted to play in the canyon a bit.
We finally made it up to the ridgeline. It was pretty easy going and we bagged Picacho Butte with no trouble. There is a seldom used summit register up there. We ate lunch assuming the most difficult part of the day was done. We headed out to go bag Coffee Flat Mountain. The ridgeline remained easy going for a while and then became a bit dicey-- a little more bushwacking and scrambling.
Bruce and I trailed behind a bit taking our time. We noticed the others climbing up an unnamed peak that should have been skirted so we followed suit of course. As we finished one of the most treacherous climbs of the day, we arrived to hear them laughing as they discovered they were not on Coffee Flat Mtn. Yeah... Bruce and I knew that.
At this point, I think we were all pretty much done with our adventuring and the real Coffee Flat Mtn looked so far away with some major obstacles in between. Bruce and Wally opted to stay. Vince, Joe, Dave, and I headed to bag Coffee Flat Mtn. If I didn't do it today, chances are I never would.
The route over to the summit wasn't anywhere near as bad as it looked and we were there before long. We rested a moment and headed back to meet up with Wally and Bruce to ride the ridge back down to the Whiskey.
The ridge heading back down was free and easy at first and then the lower you get, the more overgrown it becomes. Once we got about a half mile or so from the end of the ridge, it was pretty much every man for himself. Vince, Dave, and Wally opted to drop down all the way into the creek bed and take that to the trail. Joe and Bruce disappeared ahead of me and I think came down the east side of the ridgeline. I plugged away and followed the ridge all the way. The trail was in sight.
Everyone was pretty happy to be on trail again and we made our way back pretty quick. It was an awesome day. I'm glad I finally got up on that ridgeline I've stared at so many times. It was worth doing and the views are spectacular the whole time. |
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