Barnhardt - Sandy Saddle Loop Photoset • PrestonSands • 2006-08-12 • HikeArizona.COM

Barnhardt - Sandy Saddle Loop, AZ

	2006-08-12
	23 by PrestonSands

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Barnhardt - Sandy Saddle Loop

Payson, AZ

Barnhardt - Sandy Saddle Loop

Payson, AZ

Hiking	16.00 Miles	4,735 AEG

Hiking	16.00 Miles	15 Hrs	1.07 mph
	4,735 ft AEG

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Partners

partners

david_allen_3

This was an extremely long dayhike and side trip with david_allen_3. After a swollen Rye Creek thwarted our efforts to hike the Rock Creek Trail (I camped next to Rye Creek the night before, and fell asleep listening to boulders rolling down the flash-flooding creek bed), we chose this hike. We started at 6 am, and got back at 9 pm. It was nice to see all the creeks flowing, and there was water and green grass everywhere! We started out hiking in the clouds with the humidity probably close to 100%. We made good time until we hit the Sandy Saddle Trail. It was very slow travel along the Sandy Saddle Trail (very little left of it). Unfortunately for me, my digital camera died near the beginning of the Sandy Saddle Trail. :cry:

After a long, sweat-dripping ascent to Sandy Saddle, and extensive boulder hopping on the other side, we arrived at the Mazatzal Divide. The Mazatzal Divide Trail sure was a welcome treat after Sandy Saddle. We had some lunch, then headed down the Mazatzal Divide to it's junction with the Barnhardt Trail. We finished out the last 2 miles of trail by flashlight; absolutely dead exhausted. I would have gladly slept in the middle of the trail. :wink:

An awesome adventure! Didn't see anyone else all day except for 2 guys who were going to do the Mazatzal Peak Loop.

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mazatzal Quartzite

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"…you never know when a hike might break out" -Jim Gaffigan

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