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| Hiking | 16.20 Miles |
2,292 AEG |
| | Hiking | 16.20 Miles | 7 Hrs 8 Mns | | 2.42 mph |
| 2,292 ft AEG | 26 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | I started at the Pidgeon Springs Trailhead and hiked the roads northbound for 8 miles and turned around. For just hiking on the dirt roads, the hike was still very enjoyable. The views up there are phenomenal, being able to see from the Estrellas over to the Sierra Ancha/Salome Wildernesses and glimpses of the Mogollon Rim. The cooler weather also helped immensely, feeling the relief of the summer heat finally being gone. The wind was also kicking in pretty good at times, which kept it cool when the temperature got to the upper 70s.
Didn't see any hikers or bikers for the entire time, but I did see several hunters and 4x4ers. On my way back, I saw two hunters at their side by side they parked along the road, they had just bagged an elk and were relaxing. Also saw a game warden on the way in who got out of his truck and talked with me for a few minutes. Several hunters who were driving the road stopped to talk with me and were actually very interested that I was hiking the AZT there. They may not have known that road is part of it.
FR422 has some gnarly sections, there's about 4 of them. Most are steep and rocky sections, and one section has a seriously deep rut that narrows the road. I wouldn't put this road in the FR213 category, but it's a little worse than FR143 and maybe FR172A. the road actually has quite a lot of traffic and when I got the chance to see some vehicles actually navigate some of those sections, it didn't look too bad. I'm thinking to go back and drive that road out to where I left off and finish up this section.
FR143 seemed to be in better shape than it was when I last drove it in Jan22. Seems like some grading and even minor repair has taken place. the one hairpin above Mud Springs at the drainage crossing used to be really bad, now it's pretty mild. The rocky section between that and Mud Springs is still just as bad and likely will be long after we're all dead and gone.
Got home in time to see the big landfill fire off the Beeline. From the 202 exit for Higley Road I could see the flames. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
