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| Hiking | 11.12 Miles |
739 AEG |
| | Hiking | 11.12 Miles | 3 Hrs 50 Mns | | 2.90 mph |
| 739 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Even though Flagstaff is 30 miles up Lake Mary Rd., the Flagstaff area always has great flowers this time of year. So, I planned a loop around Mahan Mountain.
I started hiking south, counter-clockwise, on Arizona Trail Passage 28, at 8:30 a.m. It was a perfect morning, high 60s, mostly sunny. There was plenty of quality shade the whole way to Shuff’s Tank, and not just because the sun was on the opposite side of Mahan Mountain. The AZT maintenance crews have done a fantastic job on the trail. 
After photographing Shuff’s Tank, I continued across FR 135D on Arizona Trail Passage 28. I soon realized I was off my route. I doubled back to the tank to re-orient myself. I wasn’t worried about getting lost, but I didn’t want to end up in Happy Jack, or points further south. After a short break, I decided to stay on route, turning left onto FR 135D.
The AZT segment I bypassed is only a ½ mile longer and, I am sure, much more enjoyable. FR 135D had some nice meadows, but many fewer flowers and was rocky as well. Both FR 135D and the AZT end up in the same place, rejoining near FR 9255A.
There were a number of cattle on the west slope of Mahan Mountain. There were loud crickets — I’m not good identifying critters — all along FR 135D, east of Shuff’s Tank. I saw orange-belted bumblebee (bombus huntii) snacking on Wheeler’s thistle. Th AZT between FR 135D and FR 135A had too many gnats. Thankfully, the route is not too strenuous, so I could breathe through my nose. 
That AZT segment beween FR 135D and FR 135A was rocky, and not as shady, with scrub oak predominating. I took a second break there, finding I still had 2-bar Verizon on my iPhone SE. (I had 4-bars at my trailhead, and again when I took my final break at the bottom of the Hutch Mountain summit road, north of Mahan Ranch.)
I turned left off AZT for good at FR 135A. This time on purpose. (The trail continues straight across the forest road.) The first mile on FR 135A was similar to FR 135D, but it climbed 200 ft. The slight change in elevation was enough to change the microclimate, so that the area around Mahan Ranch was densely wooded, almost like an old growth forest.
Mahan Ranch, itself, was thoroughly fenced and frequently posted with a variety of no trespassing signs. I could see the buildings through the spruce and pines, but not in detail. The property, though, was idyllic and perfectly located. Would love to own it. 
Past Mahan Ranch, the forest roads get a bit confusing, twisting around. Several of the forest roads are decommisioned for vehicle traffic. (In one case, being blocked by logs across FR 135A.) At least two appear to be routes to the summit of Mahan Mountain.
By the time I reached gate #5, at the Hutch Mountain summit road (FR 135B), the “old growth” forest had ended, and I was back in the type of terrain I’d started in four hours earlier. My pocket camera battery had died an hour earlier, so I was reduced to taking photos on my iPhone SE. Good thing I’d already shot all the flowers I could handle!
Thick clouds had come in on my way north past Mahan Mountain, and I’d even heard distant thunder. But I did not feel even a spinkle, though my car was doused. It needed it. 
Hike Video: https://vimeo.com/593761816 |
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Wildflowers Observation Moderate
Silverstem lupine, velvety goldenrod, Wheeler’s thistle, showy fleabane (best I've seen for quality & quantity), paintbrush, Mexican silene, Huachuca Mountain morning glory, mullein, western dayflower, western yarrow, pineywoods geranium, showy phlox, redroot wild buckwheat (a first for me), showy goldeneye, scarlet penstemon … and dandelions. lol |
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| http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored. |
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