April 24,'08 Superstitions; Rogers Trough to 2 Bar TH

Rogers Trough, where we started this days ride, is on the SE edge of the Superstition Wilderness .
Unknowing that I was starting the toughest ride of the whole trail so far, I started off at 7:15 in the morning, just as the sun was entering the mountains .

We'll sign the trail register and be ready to go .

Here we go, Billy .

Following a creek down from Rogers Trough, the trail was easy to follow but not always easy to get through . There were a number of rocky step/jump downs, and some fairly heavy brush overhanging the trail in places . But the morning was glorious and I was enjoying being out on the trail .

A pool in the creek just down from the trailhead, the morning sun has not quite arrived here .

After turning up Grave Creek the going became a little more difficult, brushier and rockier . There was clear water flowing in the creek and yellow monkey flowers along the banks .

The climb up to Reavis Pass was often narrow, but the brush was so thick that it would have been difficult to fall very far off the trail . I was glad that I was not leading a pack horse as it would have been hard work to drag a wide pack through that brush . At Reavis Pass there were three or four logs in a clearing; just right for sitting on and taking a rest . (How did they get there ?)

The trail down Reavis Creek toward Reavis Ranch was in and out of ponderosa pine and huge alligater juniper; shady and cool . Access to water in many places in the creek kept Billy hydrated and happy .

I got off of Billy at this log . I climbed over and asked him to come along . He hopped right over it . I love this mule .

This huge,huge old juniper is right next to the trail as you enter the meadows near Reavis Ranch.
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All that remains of the ranch house at Reavis Ranch
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Remains of a loading chute at Reavis Ranch

Another look at the loading chute

The route of the old road that used to come up to the ranch passes along this old pasture and corral area, as well as along the old orchards . This road is now the trail through this area and on into the ranch house site .

The famous apple orchards at Reavis Ranch

Although these trees are never pruned,as you can see, they still produce fruit and people hike up to the ranch to pick it . The trail up from the north side of the mountains is the old road, so it is easier than the trail from Rogers Trough .

From the meadows at Reavis the AZT turns abruptly east, crossing Reavis Creek for the last time, and angling up a stairstep rock bluff . Then on and on over very rocky trails; to imagine the size of rocks think: size of your fist to size of your head, and then some small boulders . But the scenery was wonderful ! Boulder outcroppings, vistas across small canyons with sycamores in the drainages, yuccas blooming, Indian paintbrush, the scent of pinyon pine warmed by the sun ....

And then at Pine Creek, I came upon a camper. A woman alone who had backpacked in and was planning to stay a few days . Pine creek, on the Arizona Trail, is quite remote ! I stopped and talked to her a little while . She was having some trouble with her knee so she was going to rest another day and then take her last ibuprofin and hike out the next day . I had 3 ibuprofin with me so I gave her 2 of them . We exchanged email addresses and I went on down to the creek to let Billy get a drink before we went on . Somehow in our surprise to see anyone else out there, we each forgot to take any photos !

I was beginning to be concerned about the time, so I did not stop for many more pictures .

Walnut Spring (if you can find the water))

The trail went on and on; over ridges and down into drainages; no more water for Billy . We are now 9 hours into the ride .



Up one side and down the other, over the ridges....... great views down north-facing canyons, Apache Lake to the northwest, now Roosevelt Lake to the northeast........... maybe I'm finally on 2 Bar Ridge ?!..... but it goes on and on ........11 hours into the ride .

I was getting concerned that Billy would get too tired, so I began to "tail" up the hills (hold onto his tail and let him pull me up the hills instead of him carrying me up the hills) and led him down the hills . (After I saw how well he recovered from this days work, I know that he did not need this help .) I also took the bit out of his mouth so that he could more easily grab bites of grass without stopping - it had been a long time since "breakfast" . Steering suffered a bit from this arrangement but we managed to get along alright .

Thank goodness we had the satellite phones so I could call Dick in camp and let him know where I was on an hourly basis . But for some reason I was unable to reach him for 2 hours, and it was getting late in the day, so he called Search and Rescue . I was able to get through to him in the next hour, so he canceled Search and Rescue .

The sun was going down; I was still on 2 Bar Ridge . I was well enough prepared that if I had to spend the night out on the trail I knew that I would be okay......but I would rather not do that .

We came onto an old roadbed traversing a side-hill; must be close now ? Around the side of the hill and YES!, the Wilderness Boundry marker ! But no AZT signs to tell me which of the two road options to take . Sense of direction tells me to go east . " T" into another road; it's almost dark; keep going east . I see a hill I recognize from our scouting of the area and I knew we were going to make it into camp that night .

I called Dick again; get the hors d'oeuvres ready, we are almost there ! As I rode into camp I could no longer see the ground from Billy's back . 13 hours on the trail - my personal best (or worst?) .

Camp, the next morning

Me and Jane

The next morning Billy looked like he had not been anywhere ! I, however, had had enough for a while, so we went home .