Elk Country

We enjoyed one last complementary breakfast at the Majestic Mountain Inn, packed up our things and checked out before 10. Payson was good to us, and the Inn was one of the best we have stayed at in a long time.

We walked back across town to the city limits, where without any difficulty we caught another ride in the back of a pick-up, this time with a crusty old timer and his dog. He was a kind and quiet man, and he drove us straight to the Pine trail head, where we picked the trail right up.

Knowing that rain was in our eminent future, we hiked for three straight hours, making 9 miles along the high route that follows the Mogollon rim. These were fun miles, as the route follows the old trails that ranchers used a century ago. Meanwhile we were provided with great views of the red rocks that define the boundary of the Colorado plateau.

the Mogollon rim and Colorado plateau

It sprinkled on us a little while we were hiking, but nothing significant. The difficult part was the clay-mud that caked our shoes, growing heavier with each step.We found a nice little camp along Weber creek, where we waited out the rest of the rain through the afternoon. No reason to hike in the rain when sunshine is just around the corner!

The next morning was cold and our gear was wet. We made it out of camp shortly after the sun broke the canyon, and made good time on the well maintained and relatively rock-less trail. We hiked in and out of several drainages, often hugging the base the rim. We took a break after a few hours at one of the many unnamed creeks, before pushing on to the historic Washington Park.

Once we hit the east verde river at Washington Park, we followed the drainage up the Mogollon rim. We kept expecting a dramatic climb to the top, complete with tight switchbacks rising up a vertical face, but it never came. The climb was relatively gradual, and we reached the top of the plateau much more quickly than expected.

closing in on San Francisco peaks!

We couldn’t help but take a detour on the way up to something labeled the “RR Tunnel.” It wasn’t too far off trail, but it was quite a little scramble to get to the top of the small side canyon. We kept climbing up, and still couldn’t see any tunnel. Finally, on the verge of turning around and heading back, we leveled out in time to find a massive tunnel carved into the top of the rim, with an ancient sandstone building just outside. Sometimes hiking off trail has it’s perks.

The “RR Tunnel,” where it goes, nobody knows…

Once we made it onto the rim, it was as if all our dreams had come true. The trail was soft with pine needles as it meandered along the lazy stream. The temperature was perfect for hiking, and the towering ponderosas provided ample shade. It really is better than we imagined. It seems we are hitting it at an optimal time, as just a few weeks ago the trail was nothing but mud. There are a few remnant patches of snow, but they are far and few between.

We hiked into the wild horse tank and hour before sunset. Our first day on the Colorado plateau was filled with animals, as we spotted numerous herds of elk, a pair of antelope, and lots of cat tracks. Apparently wild horse is another name for elk – we had several come into the tank as we were eating dinner and watching the sunset. The best kind of evening entertainment.

When we awoke the following morning, it was not because we were well rested, but because we could hear an entourage of galloping hooves. It seemed that elk in the adjacent meadow where eager to graze, but were very uncertain about our shimmering tarp in the wind. So the leader of the heard would trot out, make her unmistakable call, trot around some more… The herd bounced back and forth between the meadow and the trees half a dozen times before disappearing for good. It was a pleasant treat to start the day with.

Old cabin along the trail

After our longest day on trail thus far, we stopped at the double springs campground which doesn’t open for a couple more weeks. Fresh water is plentiful here, as the campground is aptly named. A good place to wait out the next bout of inclement weather.

When the sun came up, it was not raining, but it was cold and windy, and that was good enough. Thinking we would take the day off out of the freezing rain, we walked a few miles from the double springs campground down the road to the Mormon lake lodge. Here we met the most hikers we have seen in weeks. It is funny how resupply points are where we most commonly run into our fellow hikers.

Our friends Bluebird and Deni picked us up in their van from the lodge, and took us into Flagstaff, where we got some good bites at Diablo burger, and some sweets as well. After grabbing a few extra supplies in town, we headed out into the ponderosas where we set up a camp to wait out the storm. We made a good size fire, complete with tarp shanty, and stayed mostly dry and warm….

colors of Walnut Canyon

We rose slowly in the foggy cold morning that brought the last spits of the departing storm. We built a morning fire, and made a fine breakfast. We packed a few essential items for the day, snacks, puffy, water etc., and put everything else in a big black trash bag and put it in the van…

Once everything was packed up, Bluebird shuttled us back to the double springs camp ground where we picked the trail back up with 5lb packs. It was a glorious feeling clipping up the climbs at 4mph! We maintained this pace for most of the day and made what (relatively) seemed like lightning progress down the trail.

Most of the trail here follows another old railroad grade that went up to Mormon mountain. We finished wrapping around Mormon lake, crossed hwy 3, and then hiked up around the east side of the Mary Lakes, several hundred feet above them on another plateau. Here we caught some good views of the lakes, the fullest many have seen them in a long time. Water was easy to find admist the numerous lakes that dotted the area.

Upper and lower Mary lakes

We eventually came out by an observatory, where Bluebird met us with the van again (and the rest of our gear), and took us to a really nice camp he had setup nearby. With great tarping, fire, and stuffed peppers for dinner, it was a good day. 20 miles in 5.5 hours is a new personal record!!

exploring caves along Walnut creek

With the excitment of “Slack-packing,” beginning to fade on day two, we didn’t keep the ambitious pace that we had set the day prior. Nonetheless we still made it to Walnut Canyon in good time, and unintentionally ventured off trail down Walnut creek, where we came across several sandstone caves at the base of the towering cliffs. After doing a little exploring in the creek, we hiked back to the trail and climbed up the rim of Walnut canyon to the Fisher’s point vista.

sandstone cliffs of Walnut Canyon

Most of the trail in here was set in off the edge of the canyon so all we could see for the most part were trees. As evening set in we crossed Walnut canyon road, where we reconnected with Bluebird, who took us into camp for the night. Another rough day with a 5lb pack!

We are now in Flagstaff, sorting out resupply and planning our next few days up to the canyon. With a 5 mile snow field around Humphrey’s peak and more precipitation in the immediate forcast, it is going to be a cold stretch. We covered nearly 600 miles since we started, and the crown jewel of the trail lies ahead – next stop Grand Canyon!

Cheers from the trail!

Stump & Mandalynn