Wednesday November 29, 16.1km/10.0mi

US Highway 60 (334.5/2000ft) to McMullen Valley (344.5/2080ft) (AZ)

It was a cold night, and I slept until 7am, when I could feel the air start to warm up. After a nice hot shower, I walked over to the restaurant for breakfast. It was a lazy, relaxing morning with nothing else to do after breakfast but wait. I sorted my food on a table, to make sure I had everything for the next 5 day section.

Eventually, we left the campground, and said goodbye to the cozy little place.

TopShelf had arranged a ride back to the trail with one of our campsite neighbors, but he was nowhere to be found. So, we walked to the highway and hitched a ride. We made a quick stop at the grocery store, which turned into a long stop. Finally we were ready to do the final hitch back to the trail, but there were hardly any cars. After an hour, we gave up and asked for a ride from the storekeeper. She agreed to give us a ride at 3pm! We arrived back on our trail at 3:15, about three hours later than planned. Darn, time to make up some miles with night hiking. We watched a train go by while we were hiking.

And saw way too many green fields…in the desert. What a waste of water.

Just before sunset, we saw Cullings Well, an old water source that was famous for having a beacon light so people could find it.

We night hiked until 6:45, about an hour later than we usually hike. Darn short daylight hours! Hopefully it’s not as cold tonight.

Tuesday November 28, 27.5km/17.1mi

Base of Harquahala Mountain (315.5/2360ft) to US Highway 60 (334.5/2000ft) (AZ) -1.9mi shortcut

We were aiming to get to town today, and knew we had a big 3,000 ft climb ahead of us, so we started early at 6:15am. We used headlamps for the first 30 minutes before it became light enough to turn them off. The moon was setting and it was really bright!

Looking ahead to what we had to climb.

About halfway up the ridge, I looked behind me and saw the entire valley that we had hiked through yesterday.

For most of the hike to the summit, we followed an old eroded jeep road.

Towards the top the road got better and smoother.

Just before we got to the summit, the clouds started to disperse and it warmed up a little bit. Even so, it was pretty chilly up at 5600ft elevation.

Of course, since there was a road to the summit, there were also a bunch of communication towers and equipment.

I went and found the summit marker, which was embedded in a little boulder.

And nearby, somebody had cleverly placed a half dozen little gnomes. This one was right next to the summit marker, ha!

We also found a picnic table near the summit, which was a perfect opportunity to sit down and relax. I love finding random picnic tables in the wilderness!

There was even a trailhead register, it didn’t have many people signed in but I was sure to add our names to it.

It was pretty windy on the summit and still a little chilly, so after 15 minutes we started our hike down the other side.

I was happily surprised to see a very nice switchbacked trail down to the valley. It started off along the ridge…

… And then started dropping down rapidly.

Near the bottom of the descent, we passed by the ruins of an old mining cabin.

And then we were at a low enough elevation to see the Saguaros again.

We took a short break at the trailhead for lunch, and looked at our maps. We had about 9 more miles of hiking to do and we were hoping to get to town at 4:30 before the post office closed. We planned a small shortcut which cut off almost 2 miles, and we arrived at the highway at 3pm. It’s a remote road with little traffic, so it took us almost 30 minutes to get a ride but we made it into the town of Wenden. I picked up my box of food at the post office, and then we walked next door to the general store so TopShelf could also buy some supplies.

There isn’t much else in Wenden, so we then hitched again a further 5 miles to the little town of Salome, where we stayed at the KOA campground.

After we had set up our tents we walked next door to the Salome restaurant, which was a small little establishment with amazing food and friendly staff.

We ate quickly since they closed at 6pm, and we were back at the campground at 6:30. The KOA had a nice lounge room with a TV and some sofas, so we relaxed and watched some old movies.

A perfect relaxing end to a strenuous hiking day!

Monday November 27, 36.1km/22.4mi

Big Horn Mountains Wilderness (293.1/1520ft) to Base of Harquahala Mountain (315.5/2360ft) (AZ)

We started in the dark as usual, using our headlamps for about 20 minutes before we could turn them off. The wash was a little convoluted and braided, but we gradually made our way uphill. The cows stood nearby to supervise.

The wash system continued uphill all the way to a pass.

We had a neat view of a rock window at the pass.

The view to the south, from which we came:

The view to the north:

Our descent off the pass was slow, as this section of the route is unrested, and some of the suggested washes were choked with paloverde and mesquite bushes. We stuck to the higher ground, eventually joining the wash a mile further downhill. Fortunately, that wash soon joined with a very large wash, which was easy hiking.

We hiked along a road for a couple miles, and then stopped at our first water source for the day. Like most of them, it used to be powered by a windmill, but is now solar powered.

We continued on thru an alternating series of washes, old roads, and xc. It was mentally tiring to always be paying close attention to all the turns. We had lunch on top of a little pass, where the sun finally came out and we could recharge our phones. After lunch was a descent to another wash, which had a tricky exit.

After we solved that puzzle, there was a relaxed stretch of roadwalking, with some old mines along the way.

And the views of our upcoming terrain were pretty impressive too.

After one final wash…

…we were on dirt roads for the rest of the day. The big peak ahead is Harquahala Mountain, our objective for tomorrow.

We stopped by Tiger Well, our final water source for the day, and for the next 20 miles. They were doing some unrelated construction nearby, so we didn’t linger long.

The cows weren’t happy about the construction either.

We continued another hour on dirt roads, and then we had to make a short detour around a tiny parcel of private property where a gun nut lives. After some quick xc, we were back on a dirt road. I looked behind me, and saw that the almost-full moon had just risen. Amazing!

I hiked until just after 6pm, and setup camp in the dark. TopShelf had taken a wrong trail, believing it would reconnect but it didn’t. After some minor shenanigans, we reunited at the campsite. Even though today wasn’t even 23 miles, it felt like a long day!

Sunday November 26, 35.1km/21.8mi

Base of Saddle Mountain (271.3/1320ft) to Big Horn Mountains Wilderness (293.1/1520ft) (AZ)

I started hiking at 6:15am, with TopShelf a few minutes behind me. After a mile, I was able to switch off my headlamp and see the valley to the east. I think the smokestacks are a huge chicken processing plant.

Saddle Mountain had this cool stripe in its summit rock formation. Neat!

I stopped to get some water from some potholes in a slickrock wash. The map calls these “tinajas”, but usually they’re just called potholes.

For the next hour, the morning light soaked everything it touched.

The view to the south, thru the Teddy-Bear Cholla cacti.

Eventually I left the Saddle Mountain wilderness, and was back on flat land.

I took a break, and waited 30 minutes for TopShelf. Morning delays. A few miles later, we walked over our first and only paved road in this section.

And shortly after, we crossed under I-10 our 2nd of three interstates on this route.

For a couple of hours, we followed a set of high-voltage powerlines. It was neat to see they had just finished building a 3rd set of lines, a project that was promoted as part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2021.

We crossed a canal, which was the main canal for the Central Arizona Project (CAP).

The construction project had built a bunch of supports for the Saguaros, presumably to protect them, but it looked pretty funny.

We stopped at a guzzler, which had good water in the troughs, though it also had this creepy looking dead frog.

Just after getting water, we entered the Big Horn Wilderness area.

As usual, we entered the wilderness on an old disused dirt road…

…and then hiked up a wash.

We spent the rest of the afternoon hiking up and down various washes, which was entertaining but also slow. The view of all the nearby mountains was cool.

At one point, we hiked xc over a tiny pass, and it was a nice surprise to discover a game trail to follow.

We stopped for the day at 5:45pm, setting up camp next to a wash. The moon is full tonight!

Zzzzz…

Saturday November 25, 39.6km/24.6mi

Woolsey Spring (246.7/1010ft) to Base of Saddle Mountain (271.3/1320ft) (AZ)

We started off at 6:15am, which is noticeably dark now that we are further west.

After 30 minutes we left our dirt road, which was good timing since it was now light enough to easily walk in the wash.

We hiked in a wash or xc all morning, and eventually the sunlight started to reach our little valley between the mountains.

Morning hiking is the best hiking!

We crossed over a little pass, where TopShelf decided to invent an alternate route, so we got a little separated for a few minutes. The descent from the pass was down another wash, but this one had cool little potholes of water in the rocks.

It also started to look a little like a mini-canyon, as we continued down it.

By 10am, we had finished our wash and xc hiking, and emerged onto an old dirt road, which led us to train tracks. Unfortunately, there was also a train parked on them, which made getting across a little difficult.

The train was apparently abandoned, as it looked like it hadn’t been moved in many months, maybe years. We climbed over.

We had a break by the train, enjoying our snacks and beverages. I made crystal light, sometimes it’s nice to have a flavor other than plain water. Afterwards we hiked on roads towards our destination for tonight, Saddle Mountain.

After lunch, we came across some private property next to the road, which had these weird carved signs on the fence.

The afternoon was uneventful, and relaxing on the maze of old dirt roads that led us steadily towards Saddle Mountain. It was relaxing to watch the sunset over the nearby hills.

We arrived to camp at 5:45pm and setup in the waning daylight. Another long but easy day!

Friday November 24, 28.0km/17.4mi

Gillespie Dam Bridge (229.3/760ft) to Woolsey Spring (246.7/1010ft) (AZ)

Roger and Peg dropped us off at the trail at 10am, and we had a nice easy roadwalk for 30 minutes. Immediately after, we entered a huge wash, which was so wide that some people had driven in it.

We followed the wash upstream for an hour, and eventually it started to get a little rocky, and there were even some tiny cliffs.

And by the time we exited the wash, there were some cliffs that presented some thoughtful obstacles.

We passed by our first water source for the day, and it was pretty gross. We had planned to skip this one, bringing plenty of water from town.

We took a snack break nearby, admiring the mountains around us. We had just entered the Woolsey Peak Wilderness, and there weren’t any signs of civilization anywhere. There were some signs of animals though!

From the water source, we followed a very faint old road for a little while. It was almost impossible to see, other than a clearing thru the scattered rocks.

We hiked around this mountain, which didn’t have a name on my map, but it was cool to see it from three sides.

After the faint road ended, we had a couple hours of xc hiking, and it was slow and very rocky. Ugh.

Finally at 5pm we arrived at another old road, and I could look around at the views, instead of staring at my feet. Woolsey Peak was looking big!

And as we walked the road, the peaks ahead of us looked pretty steep too.

The sun set at 5:30, and Woolsey Peak was colored in pink, with a neat line of clouds, and the almost-full moon above it.

We arrived at our water source (and planned campsite) well after dark. The windmill was turning, and pumping out tons of good clear water. Nice!

We filled our bottles and hiked a few more minutes, to be away from the loud squeaky windmill. We setup camp in a shallow wash, which was protected from the wind. A great little camp spot!

Thursday November 23, 0km/0mi

We had a very relaxing day today, doing almost nothing productive. After a great breakfast of eggs, biscuits and gravy, and juice, we watched the usual Thanksgiving parade on TV.

The afternoon was filled with conversations, hanging out by the pool, a visit to the hot tub, and a quick nap.

By late afternoon, the smoker was emitting some delicious smells, as the ribs were almost ready.

We had an amazing dinner of ribs, baked beans, cranberry sauce, stuffing, pie, and ice cream. A perfect relaxing Thanksgiving holiday!

Wednesday November 22, 3.5km/2.1mi

East of Gila Bend Canal (227.2/790ft) to Gillespie Dam Bridge (229.3/760ft) (AZ)

We had a short hike this morning, barely over an hour to get to our planned pickup spot at Gillespie Dam. We started at 6:45am, and it was nice to walk in daylight.

After a few miles near the powerlines, we hiked next to the Gila Bend Canal, which was mostly dry.

When we got to the crossing point of the canal, the little bridge was gone. Since it was dry in the bottom, it was easy to scramble down/up the slanty concrete sides of the canal.

We then crossed the Gillespie Dam Bridge, an ancient truss bridge over the Gila River.

The retired Gillespie Dam was just upstream.

Roger picked us up at 7:30, and we drove to the nearby town of Buckeye, where we ate a diner breakfast. I stuck with the softer foods, ha.

After a frustrating visit to the Buckeye post office (incompetent employees), we rode an hour to Roger’s house in the Phoenix area. I had met Roger and Peg last summer, and TopShelf has known them for a long time. It was a nice break to be indoors for a couple days – a bed, refrigerated beverages, and the friendly dog Jenny!

We had a productive afternoon of grocery shopping, and REI trip, showers, and laundry. Everything has to be done today, since most things will be closed tomorrow for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Tuesday November 21, 34.0km/21.1mi

N of Rainbow Wash (206.1/1060ft) to East of Gila Bend Canal (227.2/790ft) (AZ)

We got a late start, knowing we had less miles to cover today. A friend is picking us up Wednesday morning, at a spot that is only 24 miles away, so we have lots of time to get there. When I started hiking, it was already very light.

After following an old road for an hour, I turned north to walk under some power lines. While these little paths are perfectly straight, they are also a little hilly.

Just before I crossed a freeway, I started seeing signs for the Maricopa Trail. Everything around here is named Maricopa, including the county itself, so I’m not sure where the trail went.

TopShelf caught up and we crossed the divided freeway, probably the most dangerous part of the trail so far! On the other side was the Robbins Butte Wildlife Area, a neat little county park.

When we saw a picnic table and a trash can, we stopped for another quick break in the shade. It wasn’t hot, but being in the sun all day is tiring.

The rest of the day was mostly xc travel, either on donkey trails….

…or just straight across open terrain.

After lunch, we climbed a little pass, gaining 400ft while walking up a rocky slope. It was fun!

After we easily reached the top, the trickier part was descending thru a maze of washes. We eventually figured it out, sometimes walking a narrow gravel ridge between two adjacent washes.

We had to take a short side hike to get some water from a guzzler, which was up a rocky wash. It was slow going, and when we got there, there was minimal water and it smelled like sheep poop. Gross.

After that horrible water, we hiked down a wash for a couple of hours.

It was easy to navigate, and relaxing to walk in the cool shade of the wash. Before we knew it, we had arrived at the powerline strip, which we followed for an hour until finding a random campsite under the buzzing wires.

Tomorrow is a short day, only a few miles to our pickup spot!

Monday November 20, 36.4km/22.6mi

North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness (183.5/1580ft) to N of Rainbow Wash (206.1/1060ft) (AZ)

I’m awake at 5:15 to cook breakfast, which I usually never do. But this week I’m only allowed to eat soft foods, so I made oatmeal for breakfast.

The first 15 minutes of hiking were by headlamp, and then the morning light arrived in the desert.

It’s a little cold, so I hike with a warm hat until 8:30, when it finally warms up. It also helps to be walking in a wide sunny valley, instead of a shaded cold wash.

We take a break at a trailhead, which has a toilet and picnic tables! I love finding random picnic tables in the mountains.

We hike for a few miles along an old road, until we reach a guzzler. The next water is only an hour away, so I grab only one liter. There is a fun little xc section next, with a scrambly pass with rocks.

It was short but fun, and reminded me a bit of the Hayduke from this spring. We make it to the next water source, and enjoy a lunch break in the shade of a little Palo Verde tree. There are more dirt roads after lunch, and I see a little critter that’s trying to cross the road.

Gross. A good reminder of why we sleep in tents! After a few more hours of hiking on roads, we finally left the Sonoran Desert National Monument, which we had been hiking in this entire section. There is a fun little xc section….

… which leads to one more little dirt road.

After the sun sets, and the twilight time of 5:45 approaches, we keep our eye out for camping spots.

We easily find some flat spots on a hilltop, and spend a few minutes clearing rocks out of the way. These days feel like they are getting easier!