Dacite Mesa Loop Trail - Superstition Mountains

I began my 7 mile hike by trekking up West Boulder Canyon on the Carney Springs Trail to the saddle. The saddle is reached in 1.9 miles, and took me 2 hours. Then I traveled east/northeast across Dacite Mesa, and then down to Fremont Saddle. From there I headed quickly down Peralta Canyon because the temperature was approaching 100 degrees. At the trailhead it was another hot walk for one mile along the road back to my car at the Wave Cave Trailhead. I only saw one person the entire time I was hiking, and that was in Peralta Canyon. The hot desert brings wonderful solitude to the trail.

Carney Springs Trail

Dacite Mesa

Dacite Mesa

Dacite Mesa

Dacite Mesa

Dacite Mesa

Dacite Mesa

Dacite Mesa

 

EJ Peak (Lone Mountain) - Tonto National Forest

I hiked up EJ Peak at sunset. It was 2.3 miles round trip to the 2,664 foot summit. Then I realized I had forgotten to bring my headlamp. So I hiked down under the light of a half moon. Little hard to see the trail, but not bad. Hiking at night without a light really forces me into the present moment as I feel and look for the trail. That eliminates all OCD.

I also brought my tripod with.

Pass Mountain

The Goldfield Mountains

Me on the summit.

Pass Mountain - Usery Mountain Regional Park

I hiked up Pass Mountain at Usery Mountain Regional Park. The summit is 3,304 feet, and the trail is 5.1 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 1,133 feet. It took me 6 hours, because of all the scrambling and climbing along a faint trail, which I lost a couple times. This is a challenging class 2 and 3 hike, and the weather was forecast to reach 100 degrees. I wanted to push myself to see if I was capable of hiking in that heat. I packed 4 liters of water, and a camera tripod.  I did just fine, and had a half liter of water left when I got back to my car. The summit was nice with a cool and refreshing breeze, and I hopped around on the boulders taking self portraits until I was satisfied with a few images.

My favorite trail sign.

The faint trail heading north on the ridgeline.

The false summit.

Pass Mountain

On the summit of Pass Mountain.

On the summit of Pass Mountain.

On the summit of Pass Mountain.

Pass Mountain

Pass Mountain

Pass Mountain

Pass Mountain

The trail.

Class 3 section of the trail.

My car.

My route.