Author: kaulua26

October 27th, 2019HWY 60 Picket Post Trailhead mm 487.5 to mm 507Distance in miles: 19.51130-1800 I woke with lots to do still. I needed to go grocery shopping for resupplies, but the store didn’t open until 9 am. MJ made me an omelette and I had more of her delicious fresh bread. She also gave me some of her homemade granola to take away. MJ is a mom, grandma, and even a great grandma and she just loves caring for people. Al did his part by resupplying the nearby water caches. Today he was off early in his jeep to deliver water to FR4, which had been out of water for some time, making for a 21 mile water-less stretch[…]

October 26th, 2019Mm 456.8 to HWY 60 mm 487.5Distance in miles: 30.70605-1730 I sleep great and woke to a steep climb out of the valley. I went over another ridge and dropped into a smaller valley and wash. As per usual, all the prickly plants were grabbing at my legs and hanging from above to gouge my face. I did a lot of acrobatics to avoid them, plus a lot of cursing. I start to feel a little anxiety about all the overgrowth. The trail just felt claustrophobic. I couldn’t go 15 seconds without something raking me. My skirt already had numerous rips and my legs were pretty scratched. My foot was swollen where the cactus spine pierced my skin[…]

October 25th, 2019Mm 425.3 to mm 456.8Distance in miles: 31.50605-1800 A cold wind blew all night and I had to really button down my quilt to keep out the drafts. I couldn’t believe it was so hot just a few days ago. I began hiking the trail just in time for the morning ethereal light, enjoying a fresh new day. After about an hour, I came around a bend and saw a furry black figure ambling down the trail in front of me. It was a black bear. I went into stealth mode, hoping to get a little closer, but at the next vantage point, it was gone. I realized that I was upwind, so it must have smelled me[…]

October 24th, 2019HWY 87 mm 402 to mm 425.3Distance in miles: 23.30950-1730 I really didn’t want to get back on the trail for some reason. I think it was because I enjoyed resting and relaxing at Jon and Laurel’s place so much the year before. At that point, I was done with the PCT. Now, I was still facing 400 miles of not so easy trail through the desert. I was kind of ready to be done with hiking this season. It had been a long year. At least this day brought cool winds and a forecasted high of only 80 degrees. The next few days were supposed to be even cooler, so that was good. Jon drove me back[…]

Day 16: October 22nd, 2019Mazatzal Ridge mm 381.3 to HWY 87 mm 402Distance in miles: 20.70605-1300 I slept well overnight but the wind picked up, making some noise. I was glad I didn’t camp at the more exposed site. The horizon was just getting light as I continued walking along the ridge. The glow seemed otherworldly. A few miles down the trail, I meet a SOBO couple, Cowboy and Aurora. They were cooking breakfast and we chatted for a bit. Like me, they were meeting someone at HWY 87 and getting off trail for a few days (Cowboy’s mom lived in Phoenix). The trail eventually wound down from the ridge and through a few creeks and canyons. I passed the[…]

October 21st, 2019East Verde River mm 350.2 to Mazatzal Ridge mm 381.3Distance in miles: 31.10615-1810 It was so cold when I woke. The elevation was only 3300′ but moist air settled into the valley overnight. There was even a tiny bit of condensation on my tent. I warmed up quickly as I begin to climb. A distance of 31 miles was to add up to over 10,000′ in elevation gain, according to my app. I thought I was up for the challenge. I was headed into the Mazatzal mountains, a range that is notoriously rugged and remote. The trail wound up to the ridges and did a roller-coaster effect as it went from peak to peak. I actually enjoy all[…]

October 20th, 2019Pine Trailhead mm 327.5 to East Verde River mm 350.2Distance in miles: 22.70900-1700 I woke to the sound of the rooster crowing. It was a good reminder that I had yet to mess with the chickens. Feeling inspired, I crept outside and into the coop. It was still early, so I easily picked one of the hens off the roost. She was very sweet and seemed to enjoy the warmth of my arms, falling asleep. She was a fantail, similar to my favorite chicken that I had growing up. They are tiny, about the size of a pigeon. About this time, Calypso the cattle dog noticed my transgressions and was freaking out, pacing back and forth outside the[…]

October 19th, 2019East Verde River mm 308.9 to Pine Trailhead mm 327.5Distance in miles: 18.60600-1200 It was another town day. But first I needed to hike some miles along the bottom edge of the Mogollon rim. I left the Verde River headwaters as soon as I started, but crossed many more small streams along the way. People were camping near several of the streams, including what looked like a boy scout troop. I could see why this was suddenly such a popular trail…water makes all the difference. As I would in and out of the watersheds, the vegetation changed drastically. Mostly I was hiking through a dry scrub mix of juniper and mazanita. It finally started to look more like[…]

October 18th, 2019Mm 275.6 to East Verde River mm 308.9Distance in miles: 33.30600-1800 It was a pretty eventful day, in a diverse way. I started off with a little exploration when I came across the new trail that I was alerted to days ago. I followed it, hoping it was more direct than the zig-zaggy road. By the time I came back to the official trail, it appeared that I had shaved several miles (14 miles done by 10 am). I also got really close to a bull elk leading a train of 5 or 6 cows. He was calling like crazy and never sensed me standing there, watching him from about 50 yards away. His calls were so intriguing[…]

October 17th, 2019Near Pine Grove Campground mm 241.4 to mm 275.6Distance in miles: 34.20600-1750 There was some highway noise overnight but the duff was so soft and luxurious, it was worth it. I almost could have gone without my sleeping pad. I also heard elk calling overnight. As soon as I set out in the morning, I saw a huge herd of deer. After this, I kept a sharp lookout and finally spotted some elk. A prized bull was traveling with about 5 cows. They quickly disappeared into the trees. As usual, these sightings were achieved before 7 am. Anything after is generally too late in the day. The forest was beautiful on this morning. The sunrise created a fiery[…]