Mule Ridge Loop

HIKE THE MULE MTN RIDGE
Join the Muleteam this Saturday to hike from Old Bisbee up to the Ridge Trail to walk along the top of the Mule Mountains and loop back into Zacatecas Canyon. There will be some steep uphill areas with a total hike of less than 5 miles. Bring water, a snack, maybe a hiking stick and wear long pants. Meet Nov 30 at 9am by the Old Bisbee courthouse fountain to start the hike. Free. For more details contact John at 319-325-3605 or johnbroz1944@yahoo.com.

____________


BACKTRACK - Perimeter Trail
18 people and four dogs hiked the perimeter trail including Carol's mother Grace who is visiting for the holidays. It was a sunny day in the high 50s with no wind--perfect! We lounged a bit at lunch, but no one fell asleep like in the old days! We recognized John's pal Jazzy--her last hike and for whom this hike is named "The Jazzy Memorial Hike" -Anne

Slide the group photo to see the whole thing. More are at muleteam.shutterfly.com.



SIDETRACK - Council Rocks hike?
Sara Monsons's husband Charlie does guided talks about Apache history and culture. He has offered to meet the Muleteam at Council Rocks in the Dragoons for a talk about Cochise and a demonstration of Apache customs. Could someone lead a short hike around the Council Rocks area after the talk and set a date with Sara & Charlie? Reply if interested.



CALENDAR

Dec 7 - Garden Canyon in the Huachucas with John Broz
Dec 14 - Zacatecas hike & potluck with Marty & Charlie
Dec 21 - Hike to the Bisbee Cross with Doug & Anne
Dec 28 - Mt Ballard in the Mules with Sandy
Jan 5 - Mural Hill in the Mules with Larry
Jan 12 - Parker Lake & wine tasting with John Wasser
Jan 19 - ??
......

Thanks for hiking with me,
Larry

____________

Perimeter Trail

WALK THE PERIMETER TRAIL
Join the Muleteam this Saturday for a hike along the winding foothills of the Huachuca Mountains between Carr and Miller Canyons. This is a relatively easy, level trail with vista views of the San Pedro Valley, but it will be about 7 miles roundtrip. Bring water and lunch. Back mid-afternoon. Meet Nov 23 at 9am by the Old Bisbee courthouse fountain to carpool. Free, but gas donation is appreciated. For more details contact Anne at 432-0307 or areiniger@wyoming.com.

The trailhead is at the first dirt parking area on Carr Canyon Rd, and the hike returns on the same trail.

____________


BACKTRACK - Ramsey Canyon
Vibrant visuals the order of the day with reds and yellows from the maples and oranges from the sycamores as far as the eye could see. There was also a very attractive water area near the crossing beyond the overlook. If you missed the hike, the leaves should be good tomorrow, as well, when Ramsey Preserve opens at 9 and closes at 4. The charge for county residents is $5 per person. It’s a small parking lot  and many folks were turned away yesterday so arriving at 9 would be a good idea. (Ramsey is closed Tuesday and Wednesday and the predicted front later in the week may play havoc with the leaves.)
Thanks to Gretchen Meyers for shuttling the drivers from the surprisingly packed Brown Canyon lot and to the drivers for dealing with this unexpected problem. Also, thanks to Pete and the Ramsey folks for their many courtesies. -John B.

A couple more photos are at muleteam.shutterfly.com.



CALENDAR

Nov 30 - Bisbee Ridge in the Mules with John Broz
Dec 7 - Garden Canyon in the Huachucas with John Broz
Dec 14 - Zacatecas hike & potluck with Marty & Charlie
Dec 21 - Hike to the Bisbee Cross with Doug & Anne
Dec 28 - Mt Ballard in the Mules with Sandy
Jan 5 - Mural Hill in the Mules with Larry
Jan 12 - Parker Lake & wine tasting with John Wasser
Jan 19 - ??
......

Thanks for hiking with me,
Larry

____________

Ramsey Canyon

HIKE RAMSEY CANYON TRAIL
Join the Muleteam this Saturday for a hike through a beautiful nature preserve in the Huachuca Mountains. This trail climbs to a vista point and crisscrosses a running creek to the old Hamburg mine making a roundtrip of about 6 miles. Bring water and lunch but no dogs. Back mid-afternoon. Meet Nov 16 at 9am by the Old Bisbee courthouse fountain to carpool to the Brown Canyon parking lot adjacent to Ramsey Road. We will shuttle to the Ramsey Preserve parking lot from there in exchange for a reduced group entry fee. The fee for county residents parking in the Ramsey parking lot is $5 per person. The hike itself is free but gas donation is appreciated. For more details contact John at 319-325-3605 or johnbroz1944@yahoo.com.

____________


BACKTRACK - Pinery-Horsefall
After leaving the courthouse a little after 9 AM, our crew of seven hikers and no dogs reached our trailhead at a little before 11 AM. We were few enough that giving all their names won’t be an imposition. The five women—Molly, Sandy, Elizabeth, Jan, and Laura—all crowded into Jan’s buggy while George and I traveled in his truck. I was expecting some occupied campsites along the forested sides of the road during the last few miles, but the balmy weather must have really brought out a lot more than the few hunters that usually turn out in this season. Fortunately, conversing with a volunteer at the boy scout camp that filled the open area along the short road leading to our trail, informed us that little hunting activity was noticed since they had arrived. Just in case, we were able to put together a little bright garb to show any hunters we were not legal game, Molly volunteered to be the one not in the group photograph she took of us, and we headed on past the smaller camp of uncordial grumps who glowered at us as we reached the end of the road. My description of the rest of our hike will only include that differing from the report I made of my earlier hike during our campout last May. I am sending a copy of this to Larry again for him to possibly attach it, or interested hikers can contact him or me to be sent one by email. The water flow was a lot less along the stretch of Pinery Creek we followed before we reached the sign where the trail began its ascent out of the bottom of the canyon. In fact there was no flow at all until just before the trail bid its adieu to the stream. Grass along the trail was thicker and taller than in May, but we were able to make our way with little difficulty. This may have been partly because I was able to maintain the lead on the way up. I was in the last half of the group during our return trip, but no one up ahead was delayed by losing the trail at that time. The gate we passed through was closed this time, unlike on my earlier hike, and we made sure to keep it closed. The purple thistle blossoms found just beyond the gate were gone in this Fall season, together with the spectacular abundance of Lupine and small bright yellow blossoms seen in May as we reached the bottom of Horsefall Canyon. We were able to find a remnant of the flagging I left in May as a marker of where the trail begins its ascent out of the canyon, to guide us on our way back. Also clearly seen was the arrowhead I had carved into a tree trunk for the same purpose. As a back-up noticeable from greater distance, some loose tree branches were leaned against a standing tree in an unusual fashion sure to be noticed by us on our return. Iron Spring was in the same state as in May where the trough was filled to its brim with hardly more than a slight trickle still escaping over the edge. There were two or three large tree trunks that had fallen over the trail since May—one badly charred—but the trail was in excellent shape in all other respects, especially in having few rocky sections so wearing on hikers feet. The weather for the hike was ideal not only during the exertion of hiking but also during lunch and our infrequent rest breaks. We had lunch at a scenic spot overlooking Jhus Canyon  beyond a gate through which its trail proceeds just after leaving the Shaw Peak Trail. After finishing lunch around 1:30 PM, we met a couple of women resting at the junction we were returning to after having reached it earlier where the Horsefall Trail reaches the Shaw Peak Trail. They were on an extended hike which started at Silver Peak near Portal and was intended to end at Klondike in the vicinity of Aravaipa Creek after an indefinite time. There was some uncertainty about where they were going to find water for their next night’s camp, and were appreciative of offers of some of our own water. After our late start, we made good time on our way back to the trailhead, arriving back at about 3 PM. Following one last photo session—this time including Molly while taken by someone from the scout camp—we started the drive back. George and I stopped for refreshments and arrived back around 5:30 as darkness was beginning its descent into Tombstone Canyon, the other vehicle presumed to have gotten back before we did.   -- Brad

All photos are at muleteam.shutterfly.com.



SIDETRACK - Video
Mike Foster has created many videos about this area's nature, culture & history. Here is a link to one about the Huachuca Mountains: https://vimeo.com/331069950



CALENDAR

Nov 23 - Perimeter Trail in the Huachucas with Anne
Nov 30 - Bisbee Ridge in the Mules with John Broz
Dec 7 - Garden Canyon in the Huachucas with John Broz
Dec 14 - Zacatecas hike & potluck with Marty & Charlie
Dec 21 - Hike to the Bisbee Cross with Doug & Anne
Dec 28 - Mt Ballard in the Mules with Sandy
Jan 5 - Mural Hill in the Mules with Larry
Jan 12 - Parker Lake & wine tasting with John Wasser
Jan 19 - ??
......

Thanks for hiking with me,
Larry

____________

Pinery-Horsefall

HIKE THE PINERY HORSEFALL TRAIL                                                                                        Join the Muleteam this Saturday for a hike in the Chiricahua Mountains, in the national forest just south of Chiricahua National Monument. After a drive of 1 1/2 to 2 hours, about the same time as to the trails we've dayhiked in the national monument, we will reach the trailhead on the Pinery Canyon Road. The trail is in good shape after thorough maintenance this last spring. Total distance is 6 miles roundtrip and elevation change of about 1000 feet. Lunch stop is reached at a scenic saddle and junction with a ridge trail before the return hike. Bring water & lunch. Back late afternoon. Pets allowed. Meet November 9 at 9am by the Old Bisbee courthouse fountain to carpool. Free, but gas donation is appreciated. For more details contact Brad at 520-432-2476 or bradward.j3@juno.com.

The entire drive to and from the hike is on paved highways, except for the last 5 to 6 miles which is on a gravel road perfectly suitable for passenger cars.

____________


BACKTRACK - Brown Canyon
The Muleteam kicked off its new season with a hike up Brown Canyon. It’s always a good hike to start with because of the leafy trees that provide both autumnal beauty and shade. 22 hikers and 3 dogs were in attendance, and if you look at the group photo you will see our dear old friend L’il Guy who strolled up to the camera and photo bombed us! No, he did not go up the mountain with us, but we all enjoyed seeing him again. The hike was thankfully uneventful (yes, this is the hike that Lynn fell and injured her arm on last year). We separated into groups that went partway, to the trough, to the lookout, or to the top. As the leader, I threw up my hands and wished everyone good luck and told them they were on their own! Hopefully George and Brad eventually got down and had a ride home...they were the last ones on the trail. The highlight for many of us at the lookout was the baby tarantula that Dan was allowing to crawl on his hands and arms. It was a beauty. -Submitted by Laura, your Brown Canyon girl

A couple more of my photos are at muleteam.shutterfly.com. And remember: you can add your own hiking photos to this page.



CALENDAR

Nov 16 - Ramsey Canyon in the Huachucas with John Broz
Nov 23 - Perimeter Trail in the Huachucas with Anne
Nov 30 - Bisbee Ridge in the Mules with John Broz
Dec 7 - Garden Canyon in the Huachucas with John Broz
Dec 14 - Zacatecas hike & potluck with Marty & Charlie
Dec 21 - Hike to the Bisbee Cross with Doug & Anne
Dec 28 - Mt Ballard in the Mules with Sandy
Jan 5 - Mural Hill in the Mules with Larry
Jan 12 - Parker Lake & wine tasting with John Wasser
Jan 19 - ??
......

Thanks for hiking with me,
Larry

____________