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Reavis Valley is located in the Eastern Superstitions and is regarded as one of the premier backpacking destinations of the wilderness, with tall pines surrounding a cool, grassy valley, and even an apple orchard thriving at an old ranch site. Thanks to the Arizona Trail traveling through it, trail…
There is a loop in the Western Superstition Wilderness that has intrigued me for years. Chris and I attempted a version of it, back in 2016, and even though we split the route up over three days we still struggled to finish a shorter version. I've been steadily increasing my mileage and heat…
The moment my feet dropped off the rim I was buffeted by gusts roaring up the canyon walls, forcing me to lean forward, against my trekking poles, to avoid being pushed off the narrow trail. A long, dark fall down hundreds, if not thousands, of feet was not how I imagined this day would start. When…
Last night's storms left their mark at my campsite on the bank of the Blue River. A few broken branches were strewn around, ground was soft and damp, and the air felt crisp and cool, a welcome change from yesterday's hot, stagnant atmosphere. More alarming, though, was the river itself, which had…
Softly shuffling around my campsite, hesitant to break the cool, still air of morning, I slowly packed up and prepared to start on the trail before sunrise. I was on the Little Blue Trail, which follows the Little Blue River south out of Bear Valley, and had just spent a long, restful night next to…
Spending the night sleeping on a cot at a remote trailhead under starry skies and tall pines gave me a few hours of sleep, enough to feel somewhat rested in the morning, especially given the long drive from Phoenix. When my alarm roused me I stumbled up, made a quick breakfast and checked my gear,…
Fire restrictions for Kaibab Forest would kick in on Friday, making campfires illegal, so I drove the kids up on Thursday after work and we found a small site off of FR 150, south of Williams, and after quickly setting up camp we made our classic hot dogs over a small, crackling fire. It was a…
Mt Baldy rises from the edge of the Mogollon Rim, towering above the lofty pine-covered plateau to an impressive 11,409', making it the second highest mountain in Arizona. While some sections of the mountain were damaged in the Wallow Fire of 2011 it is largely pristine, with some of the finest…
Sunlight filtered softly through the tall pine trees as I eyed up my three kids. We had spent the last few months preparing for this moment, testing our limitations and gear, and I still wasn't sure if we were ready for this particular adventure. Day-long hikes and car camping were one thing -- an…
The last year has lasted an eternity. COVID-19 has impacted, well, the entire world, and my family wasn't spared. I don't mean to complain - we are blessed and privileged and are able to react to the uncertainty - there is just no question that every event in the last twelve-to-thirteen months has…