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| Hiking | 5.60 Miles |
2,790 AEG |
| | Hiking | 5.60 Miles | 6 Hrs 5 Mns | | 0.98 mph |
| 2,790 ft AEG | 21 Mns Break | 25 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | The original plan was an oval-shaped counter-clockwise loop beginning a little farther south, climbing a more direct route to Panorama Peak, then north to Overlook Arch if we could locate it, back down the drainage due west to FR #10 where we would follow it south back to the start. But after less than a mile into the hike we were greeted by a cliff face with no ascent route. We extended the loop a bit farther but with still no feasible route we chose to turn back and take what was to be our descent route.
Back to the Jeep we drove north a quarter mile to where there is more room to park and set off from there. Now some 2-1/2 hours later than our first start, we decided to fore-go a search for Overlook Arch and head directly to Panorama Peak.
With a GPS route of my previous descent of this particular drainage route-finding was no issue, although Tracey was not exactly enjoying some of the steep loose sections... one of which took four steps forward to actually gain one step forward. Having been up and down this drainage previously it was nothing new for me.
Once we hit the saddle at the top we took a glance in the direction of Overlook Arch and quickly agreed to skip it this trip and set out for the canyon floor. The canyon is more of a mildly-sloped bowl than anything so with the relatively open terrain the going was easy.
Although we knew where Panorama Peak was, it wasn't in view due to another hill in between. After a quick look at the terrain we chose to simply follow the dry wash on the canyon floor in a wide arc until reaching the saddle at the far end. As we began the climb at the end of the canyon, we looked up and saw a Turkey Vulture on a rocky outcrop with it's wings fully extended. Whether it was to warm itself in the sun or just to strut its stuff, who knows. All I know was my camera didn't have the zoom to get a good shot, and by the time Tracey got her camera out of my pack (she had put it there during the worst of the climb) it had pulled its wings in. We waited a few minutes for it to spread its wings again but gave up and put the camera away. Oh yeah, then it spread its wings again, only to fold them just before Tracey could get a shot. We only waited thirty seconds this time, when it flew off.
As we neared the end of the canyon the slope steepened and the going got a bit strenuous again so when we reached the saddle, Tracey said enough, you go on and I'll stay here. And as it turned out, where she picked her spot to wait gave her a view of Panorama Peak, which at that moment I thought was the high point in front of me. Only when I reached the 'top' would I realize it was a false-summit and I had another couple hundred yards to go. No big deal, a quick scoot across an easy saddle, winding a bit left which avoided a longer ascent up steep boulders and in moments I was at the top. There was no summit log, just a cairn and of course the awesome panorama! Unfortunately the gusty winds of the last two days left a dusty haze in the air so the photos left a lot to be desired... although to be sure, mere photos could never do justice to actually being there.
The rest of the hike was pretty much a breeze since any slope was downhill. (Tracey didn't quite share that sentiment... especially the spots were more a 'slide' than a breeze.) but it all turned out good, no bumps, no bruises, not even a lasting scratch.
(Hike stats include both the aborted hike and the successful hike)
YouTube video from the summit of Panorama Peak is here:
http://www.changephoenix.com/14/14-03-2 ... aPeak.html |
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