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| Hiking | 6.40 Miles |
1,650 AEG |
| | Hiking | 6.40 Miles | 8 Hrs 45 Mns | | 1.04 mph |
| 1,650 ft AEG | 2 Hrs 35 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | Arch in March
3-7-26
Usually I make this trip once or twice a year. IF I do this next year, it will be my last trip and I’ll replace the register. The original Register bottle is still there. I would like to take an ammo box instead of the plastic waterproof phone case put there.
Getting there:
Head West on Camino Ramanote. Go past Toruno Tank and park at the high point in the road. If you have a razor, you could make it to the Dam at the bottom, This is as far as the Silverado will got. You will need a 4wd if you go down to Toruno Tank. I used to just park the car on the mesa and follow the path to the West road.
Descend into the canyon via the washed out road and stay in the canyon till you get to the base of Butte 4833. Take the right fork and keep between the cliffs and the creek bed. Mostly stay in the creek bed.
There is a series of ledges and once you cross the 4th one, which is now covered in downed trees you will be next to a rock cliff to the north. 15-20 feet tall. There is a square boulder on the edge of this cliff. Stay on the ridge between two washes until near the top then head across the west one. Skirt around the cliffs until you come to Ramanote Arch.
Views – Atascosa Peak and Lookout – Ramanote Peak- Puerta del la Cruz – Butte 4833-Red cliffs
Features – A hint of a trail that comes and goes. Rock hopping galore-Small Caves-pristine views of the canyon and surrounding area.
One reason I wanted to go on this hike is so Mathew could bring his drone and send some footage to John Montgomery, who discovered this in 1988. AND to get a picture of myself in front of it. I’ve been to this arch at least 10 times and have yet to get photo of me under it.
Times
7:35 – left the truck
7:39 – Overturned truck
7:46 – On the dam
8:03 – Found Phoenix Zoo camera
8:26 – Rest area- (grotto- to N is a Hoodoo far on the ridge) rested for about 5 minutes and stashed some water.
8:52 – “X” marks the spot rock
8:55 – At fork in canyon below Butte 4833
9:15 – Smashed my upper lip breaking off a branch crossing a 20 foot tall cliff.
9:24 – Across from Cave on North side of canyon – below towering rock
9:50 – Migrant camping site. As many as 15 packs are around here. 4 years old.
10:25 – Cliff with square rock on top. Rested here about 15 minutes and stashed water and other weighty things. From here it is UP UP UP
11:38 – At the Arch – 4 hours and 3 minutes.
12:32 – Headed back. I could have stayed another hour. Mathew flew his drone around.
1:35 – Back in the canyon with our stash of water. I wish I had half frozen mine. It was half melted.
The descent from the base of the cliff took about 35 minutes. We dilly dallied around between the arch and the base of the grey cliffs.
Rest
1:54 – left the jump off area
2:48 back as the base of the butte
2:53 – “X” marks the spot rock
3:21 – grotto – last of stashed water
3:49 – back at the dam
4:06 -over turned truck
4:17 – Back at the truck – 3 hours and 45 minutes back from Arch.
8 hours and 45 minutes. Either 6.99 miles or 7.6 miles, depending on whose app you believe.
Stashing water. In one way it helps to lighten the pack. Especially for the part from the canyon floor to the arch. In another way… if something happens to the water you leave behind you could be in trouble really fast. This trip, I’m glad I stashed some along the way because we ran too low. Dangerously low. When I stash water I usually bury it and cover with leaves or hide it under something.
I was totally done with this one on the way back. The walk UP the road after 7 miles of creek bed and cross country was right at my limit. I would like to go back one more time next year and replace the register box.
In 2020 I replaced the original register bottle left by John Montgomery. The original pages from his register are missing from the waterproof one I replaced it with. I hope someone is rewriting them and will replace them.
Today, the day after, the only sore part of me is my stomach from sneezing so much. At the Arch I changed my socks and maybe that’s a reason my feet don’t hurt at all this trip.
I’ll head back one more time next year. 62 will be my limit… I think. I’ll got out the month before to the butte and stash a gallon of water just in case. There is also a stash of water up at the register by butte 4833
Water-food
I took a gallon and came back with less than one pint. I found it in the bottom of my pack as I sat on the tailgate.
Almonds, Cheetos for electrolytes
Half of my water was mixed with electrolytes and frozen. It finished thawing at the dam on the way back.
Ham/egg/cheese sandwich at the arch.
3 protein bars.
If anyone wants to go next year, let me know.
I'll post more pics later. Internet is too slow tonight, |
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