Kearny to Roosevelt Lake, 82 Miles.

Kearny to the Gila River Wash, 18 Miles.

Picked up my packages on my way out of Kearny. New clothes, new shoes, fresh Aquamira water treatment. Feels good to be in something that has not yet processed so much salt from perspiration. 

Back on the trail, today was windy and hot. But beautiful. In the distance, monoliths of ancient volcanic rock stood, reminding me of John Ford’s Western film renderings of Monument Valley. 

On the trail today, we saw our first rattlesnake. A rather small Western Diamondback who rattled as soon as he noticed us. The sound can chill the blood, but he was quite a ways from us and simply telling us to come no closer. We listened and sure enough, the snake quickly made their way out of the trail. Over 1,500 miles hiked in my life, and only one rattler thus far. Must be a record of some sort there. 

Tomorrow, we will reach a landmark: the lowest point on the AZT, around 1,650 ft. It is literally all uphill from there. 

Gila River Wash to Talley Tank, 17 Miles.

Tough climbs today, a cumulative 5,000 ft of elevation. Loose rock covered the trail as I traversed narrow ridgelines, winding through valleys and crossing low passes. 

The landscape here is dramatic, bearing the scars of long past cataclysms. 

Massive volcanic monoliths are visible in every direction, upturned by ancient earthquakes, cast out by primeval eruptions. 

It is a beautiful place, in its hostility. It is dry here, even as I frequently dip into seasonal washes, most look as if they have not held water for at least months, likely years. More recent burns are evident in the blackened trees, invasive species and loose soil. 

Overall, while difficult, this is the most beautiful section of the Arizona Trail that I have been through. 

On another note, my hiking partner, The Accountant, took a hard fall yesterday and is now feeling pain in his hip. We are near the town of Superior and are likely to dip in tomorrow to get him some rest for the injury. I hope that it is not serious enough for him to call his hike early. 

Talley Tank to Rogers Trough Corral, 20 Miles.

With a good night’s sleep behind us, The Accountant and I made our way down 9 miles to the Picket Post Trailhead, which could take us into the town of Superior. With luck on our side, he feels a lot better and we continued on past. 

Moments like these are where I am glad that I received training as a wilderness first responder before this thru hike. That training provides me with a methodology and wider body of knowledge to draw from for me and those with me to make calls preventing and following injury. 

The section we are entering is one of the most remote on the Arizona Trail, The Superstition Wilderness. It is rugged and beautiful here, and water is more plentiful. 

Few things soothe my aching legs more than to see cottonwoods as we descend towards our campsite. Cottonwood trees are almost iridescent in their green against the greys and reds that prevail in the desert. They also are a sure sign of the presence of water, and sure enough, we are camped besides a running stream. It is a rare gift not to dry camp along this trail. 

Tonight we are camped in an old horse corral, flanked on all sides by mountains. I have a challenging day ahead of me tomorrow, and I look forward to it.

Rogers Trough Corral to Reavis Creek, 15 Miles.

Wow. Today was difficult. Started right out the gate with high winds and a climb of 2500 ft over 4 miles. After that, we entered a recent burn area, which means loose soil and rocks, downed trees, and more often than not, very unclear trail. 

The Superstitions are very spooky indeed. Beautiful and rugged, and very quiet. Despite their difficulty, this is an incredible part wilderness, and the Arizona Trail only crosses through a small portion of it.

We were dog tired after today’s antics and called it early, which means we have a ringer to go through tomorrow to make it to the next resupply. 

Reavis Creek to Roosevelt Lake Marina, 19 Miles.

5:30 alarm, I wake up feeling damp. The humidity from the nearby creek and left most of my gear wet and cold in the morning.

It’s 19 miles and change to the Marina, a resupply package with 7 days of food, and a hot meal. I’m determined to make it before 4 PM. 

Out of camp at 6, The Accountant and I part ways, and I book it to town. Many stark climbs and descents characterize the trail here. Sometimes they border on the absurd. In the space of a mile and a half, I lost and gained back 1,000 ft. Practically, this means I could’ve sled down if there was less blocking my way. 

Just off the mark, I make it by 4:10 PM. I get my package, avail myself of a real privy for the first time in a week, and head to Ffinch’s the local bar and restaurant. 

The prices are rather high, as one might expect from this restaurant being in a remote location even in the age of the automobile. 

I sleep outside of the local visitor’s center with the promise I will be gone well before they open at 7.

Total Miles: 345.