National Lampoon's Independence Day Vacation

Have you ever tried to fit 3 adults, 2 kids, a 100 pound dog, and 4 days worth of camping gear in a Subaru Outback? I did last week, and let me tell you, it was an experience. Even with the Thule on the roof, the car was packed. Of course, some sacrifices had to be made to fit everything inside. In this case it was food. I know, sounds crazy right? But on paper it made sense. Our planned destination at Fool Hollow Lake had a grocery store less than 30 minutes away. We figured we could get to the lake, make camp, and then run into town for supplies. Unfortunately it did't quite work out that way.

You see, we were running late. By the time we reached Fool Hollow Recreation Area it was nearly 5:00 at night. It was a long morning of packing, and an even longer drive in the cramped car with a farting dog and yelling kids. But when we arrived at our spot that we had reserved for four days, we were shocked by how tiny it was. Literally the size of my living room. With two tents and the picnic table, we would have had no room. On top of that, the neighbors were directly next us. As in ten feet away directly next to us. We had absolutely no privacy. To make matters worse, our tiny campsite ended with a 20 foot cliff that plunged down to the rocky beach at the waters edge. Not exactly safe for kids. We didn't want to camp there. It was the worst camping spot I've ever seen. Luckily the ranger refunded our money, and we hightailed it out of there. My "plan B" was to drive an hour-and-a-half back toward Phoenix and camp somewhere on the Mogollon Rim. 

On the way we stopped at the condo Maggie and James had rented near the lake. We had planned to spend our 4 day trip hanging out with them and their wonderful children. After looking over a map of the area with James, I decided to check out a different spot close by. A place called Scott Reservoir. As we neared the reservoir we encountered a herd of free range cows. Not a big deal. We might have to dodge some landmines was all. A short distance later we spotted vultures circling overhead near the road. As we slowly drove past I could see them feasting on something dead. Probably a cow, I thought. It set an ominous tone for that location. The camping area was a dump. Discarded furniture. Trash. Even a rusted out propane grill. Not the camping kind mind you, but the full size ones you keep on the back patio. There were some other campers. Men mostly, drinking beer and lounging around on couches and recliners... You know, the kind that you normally see in a living room. I wasn't feeling very good about the spot. It resembled more of a homeless camp than a wilderness camp. As I was looking for a spot Sarah finally blurts out "Turn around. I am not staying here!" So, it was back to "plan B" and around 6:30pm we turned back toward Phoenix, and our new destination near Woods Canyon Lake. 

This camping trip was supposed to be special for two reasons. First, Sarah's oldest daughter Bianca was in town visiting from Oregon. Second, Jonah turned 6 years old on July 3. We had planned to have dinner that night with Maggie and James at the their condo,  and let Jonah open a present, but seeing how we had yet to find ourselves a home for the week, we decided to press on. The kids were tired and hungry. We all were. Since I had just hurt my back at work the week before, I was feeling really sore from sitting all day. Sarah gave Jonah a present that he opened in the back of the car squeezed between his sisters with the dog drooling on his head. He couldn't eat his new monster truck though, and with dark approaching fast we needed to get some food still, since we hadn't brought any with us. We stopped at some roadside grocery and picked up a few cans a soup and a couple boxes of cereal. Just enough to get us over.

Finally, a camp spot!

We rolled into the Mogollon Rim Lakes area as the sun was setting. After dodging a few elk in the road we found a really sweet spot to camp amongst some tall ponderosa pines. We made camp, cooked up some soup, put the kids to bed, and hit the sack. Even though my back was killing me I was feeling good about the spot we ended up at. There was nobody around us. We had tons of room, tons of privacy, and it was absolutely beautiful. Around 4am I was awaken by the sound of a low growl coming from our dog Rocco. Since I didn't put the rainfly on the tent, I was able to sit up and look around our camp. There, not ten feet away was Rocco having some kind of primal standoff with a huge cow elk, who had somehow wandered right into our camp. For those of you who have never seen elk up close, let me tell you, there are enormous animals. Even the females are huge. Rocco was growling, and that elk was just stood there staring at him. Just as I was about to crawl out of the tent and chase the big animal away, Rocco lets out a thunderous bark and the elk bolts into the woods.

That morning, as we sat around eating Lucky Charms and drinking coffee, an off-road vehicle rolls up into our camp and a woman steps out. Her presumptuous demeanor immediately put me on the defensive. I was surprised to learn she was the camp host. She clearly was not a "people person". She started by giving us a list of what we couldn't do in camp, and threatening us with all manner of fines if we didn't comply. She followed that up with this gem, "I don't like to categorize people, but if you look like the partying type, I wont let you camp here." Then she goes on about how she likes to establish a "presence" with campers by patrolling the area on her ATV and periodically checking on the individual campsites. I couldn't believe it. The last thing I wanted was a damn babysitter. 

After she left, the girls drove into town for much needed supplies. Jonah and I spent the day shooting the sling shot, playing with his new remote control car, and lounging on the hammock. I managed to use my new knife some as well. It was my third attempt at a figure-four deadfall trap, and I managed to make it properly this time. The only problem I had was actually setting the trap, which turned out to be so difficult that I gave up on it. I wanted to get some fishing in, but I was so tired from the day before and lack of sleep, I just felt like lounging. Besides, the hammock was just so darn comfortable. 

Playing with knives is fun.

That night we watched the sunset from the very edge of the Mogollon Rim. When you're up there, it feels like you're in a whole different world from the dry desert heat of Phoenix.  As we ate dinner in camp a truck towing a trailer showed up in the campsite across the road from us. At about 200 yards away, he was our closest neighbor.

Jonah whacking Riley. This pic cracks me up.

The very next morning Rocco followed Jonah down to the road. As Jonah was playing around with his new remote control monster truck, Rocco wandered into the guy's camp with the trailer who just pulled in the night before. He yelled at the dog then confronted Sarah about the dog being off the leash. Sarah replied that we were camping, and that she would not put the dog on a leash. The guy immediately gets in his truck and reports us to the camp host. About 30 minutes later the camp host rolls up in her ATV. She threatens to call the cops on us if we have another complaint about the dog. We decided to leave the dog off the leash but keep a close eye on him. Afterall, no one was around us, and even the camp host had been in our camp and seen the dog off the leash and not said a word. Apparently Joyce (the camp host) decided not to wait for another complaint, and call the cops anyway, as an hour later a Coconino County Sheriff rolled into our camp. He proceeded to tell me that in Coconino County, a dog off its leash is an arrestable offense. I couldn't believe it! I was being threatened with jail for having my dog off his leash in the middle of the woods with no one around. It was totally ridiculous and Sarah and I were both so pissed off we decided to pack up and leave a day early. Before we left I actually photographed our entire campsite because Joyce had threatened to fine us if we left a mess, and I just didn't trust her to be honest about it. She seemed like the type of person who would burn us just because. 

Sarah and Bianca at Willow Springs Lake

We decided to stop at Willow Springs Lake on the way out to do some fishing and swimming. I was eager to catch some fish to make up for the stressful time I had been having. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed my camping experience, but I felt like like catching some fish would make up for some of the negativity we had experienced with the some of the uptight people we dealt with. Instead of going to the marina, I decided we could avoid the crowds by parking away from the main body of the lake and hiking in. It worked great too because we had an entire section of the lake to ourselves. Despite the thunderclaps and lightning overhead we spent the afternoon swimming, fishing, and having a good time. The fishing didn't go so well. Even though I've always caught fish at this spot, I didn't even get a bite. The water was just too dang shallow. So shallow in fact that I could walk out to the middle of the lake (in the area we were) and still touch. Arizona has been in a 5 year long drought and the evidence of that is everywhere. This is the second time I visited a lake that was visibly suffering a lack of water.

All in all, I still had fun. But the experience definitely left me feeling resentful of this nanny state we live in. I mean, I get making sure that people clean up after themselves and don't start fires while its so dry, but the babysitting business is just out of control. If camping has come to this, then I don't even want to camp... at least not in the busy season when the forest service feels the need to employ camp hosts. Frankly it made me feel like I have no freedom at all. I would have camped dispersed if I knew of an area where I could do that. I've lived here two years now, but I'm still not really familiar with all these forest roads and backroads, and just don't know the good places for dispersed camping. And the tiny campsite at Fool Hollow Lake just makes me angry. Do they need money so desperately they have to pack people in like sardines? Doesn't it just defeat the purpose of camping? The entire experience just makes me want to move to Alaska... Thanks for listening to my rant, and thanks for reading.

Ashurst Lake

Jimbo

Another fantastic trip in the books. We were supposed to go to Lower Lake Mary outside of Flagstaff, but when we arrived the "lake" more closely resembled a pond. I guess that's what 5 years of drought will do to a body of water. A shopkeeper at a general store near the lake recommended Ashurst. He told us that someone had recently caught a giant Northern Pike on powerbait there. Jim and I were pretty pumped about the prospect of catching pike, as neither of us had ever caught one before. Ashurst Lake we found out, was a total gem. Beautifully located on top of Anderson Mesa, the lake is surrounded by trees and offers great view of the San Francisco Mountains. The best part about Ashurst Lake is that there wasn't anyone else there. We camped all alone, and except for the sound of someone's generator off in the distance, didn't hear another human being.

I see you.

The fishing wasn't bad either. We caught a ton of rainbows between us both, with Jim catching the lion's share. These Arizona trout sure love powerbait. It's funny how different trout fishing is down here versus up north in Eastern Washington. Up there, I always used lures. Down here, I cant catch squat on lures. Powerbait is king. Maybe it's because they're mostly farm raised down here. This trip they seemed to like the green powerbait, which we fished off the bottom. This seems to work best for catching trout both on Ashurst and the Mogollon Rim lakes. A little trick Jim learned from a guy working the outdoors counter at Walmart. Didn't catch any pike though, but we didn't care. I did see a snake. It was only the third snake I've seen in Arizona. I still haven't seen a rattlesnake (or a scorpion for that matter). We also saw an Elk driving back to camp from the water. I thought I saw a bear, but now I wonder if it was just a dog. I only caught it out of the corner of my eye running across the road.

The man on the silver mountain

Overall it was a fun but brief trip. Overnighters are just enough to tease me it seems like. I have a big trip coming up to Fool's Hollow Lake in another week, but I hurt my back at work so now I'm afraid I can't go. I'm really hoping this injury is not very serious. I hate getting hurt. Sorry about the short blog. Between school and work my blog time has taken a serious hit. I do have a couple reviews on the horizon though, and I might talk my friend Jimbo into reviewing some of his gear for me. So stay tuned.

Horton Loop

View south from The Highline Trail.

Rim country can be such odd country below the rim. Something I notice every time I visit. Last weekend's overnighter was no different. We started in the shade of towering ponderosas and gnarly alligator junipers on the Derrick Trail heading North/East. The ground was dry and the vegetation sparse, like if you had to go off trail for any reason, it wouldn't be terribly hard to do. But the scenery changed, and by the time we reached The Highline Trail the forest looked quite a bit different. 

Alligator Lizard

Its like we entered some kind of transition zone. Now the forest was a mix of pines, junipers, and more of the plants you might associate with desert areas like manzanita and agave. In this area we came upon two Arizona Alligator Lizards duking it out in the middle of the trail. Amidst all the biting and squirming and teeth baring, I'm pretty sure it was just a male and a female making ready to get busy (if you know what I mean). I felt bad disturbing the festivities, but it was really awesome to see. It was the first time I had ever seen an Alligator Lizard in my life, and they are just gorgeous looking lizards. We ended up seeing quite a few lizards in this zone, including some really small Short-Horned Lizards that were about the size of a matchbox. They are very skittish at that size, which surprised me because the big ones I've seen are so calm.

Mogollon Rim

Eventually the Highline portion of this trip levels out a little bit, and some nice views of the rim and the mountains to the south open up. 

Ferns

As the trail drops toward Horton Spring the ecology changed again to one more of a purely coniferous nature. Ferns carpet the ground in spots, and lichens grow on the pine trees. I know I've mentioned this before in other blogs about my trips to the rim, but it really reminds me of the Cascades at times.

Descent to Horton Spring

As we neared Horton Spring I could hear the sound of running water and a giant smile spread across my face. Every time I'm hiking parallel to a creek, or nearing a crossing of one, it reminds of the northwest. I rarely ever hear moving water in the woods down here in Arizona, so when I do, I just really appreciate it. Like wind, water makes such a soothing sound, and I love to sleep near it if I can. In fact, that's exactly what we did Saturday night. We camped not far from the mouth of Horton Spring where fresh (and delicious) water gushed right from the side of the Mogollon Rim. 

Horton Spring

We followed Horton Creek all the way out the next morning. It made for a relaxing stroll, especially because the wind and the clouds kept the temps nice and cool. Overall, it was a great (albeit short) trip with some good company. This was my 3rd (I think) trip with the Arizona Backpacking Club, but everyone this time around was new to me. It didn't matter. It never does with backpackers. We all seem to get along pretty easily... Until next time.

John looking down at Horton Creek

Cabin In the Woods: Historic Cabin Loop Overnighter

Another backpacking adventure in the books. This trip turned into something we didn't plan for at all, but was still a ton of fun. The original plan was to hike the entire length of The Cabin Loop on the Mogollon Rim in Coconino National Forest. Starting the loop clockwise, we planned on hiking around 10 miles to Barbershop Spring on Saturday, and finish the loop in another 10 miles on Sunday. Well, it didn't quite turn out the way. After a conversation I had with a Forest Ranger, we ended up in a maze of poorly marked forest service roads and even missed the trailhead, completely diverting us off course. By the time we found the trailhead, at a spot marked simply "Houston Draw" it was 1:30 in the afternoon. We knew based off our research that the first few miles of the loop on the U-Bar Trail was confusing and difficult to follow, and since it was late in the day and the gray sky was pounding us with rain and plenty of thunder and lightning, we decided to shorten the route 5 miles by taking The Houston Brothers Trail along Houston Draw straight to Barbershop Spring. 

Cabin near Aspen Spring

The area was absolutely beautiful, with tall ponderosa pines towering overhead, and carpets of fern covering the forest floor. Walking in an area like this can make you forget that you're in Arizona. It was very reminiscent of the Cascades, especially with the rain, the ferns, and the clear flowing streams. About 2 miles in from where we parked we reached Aspen Spring and one of the coolest campsites I have ever seen. In a small clearing surrounded by ponderosa pines sat an old log cabin with a covered porch area. In front of the cabin was a large fire ring and right next to Aspen Spring (where fresh water actually flowed from the hillside under an Aspen grove) was an old fire place and chimney. It was all very beautiful and alluring, and I was overcome with the urge to camp there. "But we just started" was Sarah's response to that suggestion. Indeed, we had, but it was such a great place to camp, why not? I mean, isn't that one of the reason we go backpacking, to leave schedules and plans behind, and just do what we want to do? Besides, wasn't I just saying in a blog last week that backpacking isn't about mileage, it's about just being there?

Sarah in front of an old fire place. On the right below the Aspens is Aspen Spring.

It didn't take any convincing. She loved the spot too, so we made camp in the rain 2 miles from where we parked. At first we pitched a tent in front of the cabin, but feeling sorry for the dog (who I was not going to let sleep in my brand new tent) we decided to move it under the cabin's covered "front porch" area, so he could be close to us, and stay dry.

Rocco after a long night.

We explored the area, and saw lots of wildflowers and pretty scenery. We also saw lots of barbwire fencing. In fact, I've never seen so much barbwire fencing in the backcountry before. I found it out of place, and an eyesore. In the early evening I made ready to build a fire. Sarah was having serious doubts about whether I'd be able to do it, since everything was so wet, but I brought an Esbit tab just for such a scenario, and after a lot of blowing and feeding it with small twigs, I got a great fire going that burned through hours of rain.

Wildflowers in adundance

We turned in early, but that night around midnight I was awaken by a very strange sound coming from the woods. At first I thought It must have been a coyote, but as the sound continued I realized it didn't sound like any coyote I've ever heard. In fact, it didn't sound like anything I've ever heard in the woods ever. I counted 6 howls total, but it wasn't a howl as much as a high pitched screech. It almost sounded like screaming, except with no desperation or random pitch change. It was the same howl every time, and it was just really weird. It sounded like it came from something big, because it was really loud and each screech echoed through the forest. I just laid there quietly and listened, wondering what it was. After it stopped I asked Sarah in the dark if she heard it, "Yeah, what was that?!" she replied. 

Yours truly.

Sunday morning we awoke with the rising sun. The clouds were gone and the morning was crisp and clear and beautiful as the sun's rays shot through the trees and brought the forest to life. A couple backpackers strolled into camp about 8 am. They had been hiking The Cabin Loop since Friday and our cabin was the first cabin they had seen. They described a frustrating (but still fun, no doubt) weekend of constantly losing the trail, and hunkering down in their tents at camp to stay out of the rain. I felt good about cutting the hike short and camping at the cabin. It was such a perfect spot, and we had an amazing time. I definitely want to go back. That area is just too beautiful to be neglected, and I feel like I need to give The Cabin Loop another go...

Back In Action: Overnight on the Mogollon Rim

After a hectic couple of months, I've finally made it back to the woods. I was invited by friends to help scout a possible location for an Elk hunt at the end of the year. The spot they were looking at was none other than The Highline Trail below the Mogollon Rim. We made a weekend out of it, camping on top of the rim near Woods Canyon Lake. The entire area was overrun by people, and it took over an hour to find a spot. We didn't set-up camp until 1am, and since we were so excited with anticipation for Saturday's scout, we decided to build a fire despite the late hour, and stayed up talking politics and quantum mechanics. By the time I crawled into my tent it was 3:30am. 

We awoke at 5:30am to a bugling elk somewhere near our camp, and after a quick breakfast and a cup of coffee, we drove down to the Geronimo trail-head for our scout. This area of The Highline Trail is also part of The Arizona Trail, making it the most heavily marked trail I've ever been on. Between the white-diamond blazes of The Highline, the frequent Arizona Trail signposts, and the fact that the Mogollon Rim is always visible to the north, it would be extremely difficult for anyone to get lost here.

Arizona Trail signpost

The trail was a lot of up and down, but other than the heat, it was pretty easy going. Unlike further south, the Arizona rim country has tons of trees, and of an impressive variety. We saw big ponderosa pine, alligator juniper, and the alien-like manzanita, which I found to be really cool looking with the twisting red and white bark.

Manzanita

Since the goal of this hike was to scout terrain for a hunt, there was a lot of map reading, and looking through binoculars. I was definitely interested in the insights my friends were sharing about the area, and about elk behavior. The most knowledgeable woodsmen I have ever known have been hunters, and I am always eager to soak up any information they are willing to share. In fact, it made me want to take up the bow and give hunting a go. I like the idea of finding a good hide, and just waiting and watching. As a backpacker, it seems like I'm always on the go. Especially hiking in groups, I find that people tend to hike too fast, and rarely just stop and soak in the surroundings. I think that's why hunters can be so knowledgeable, because they are watching and studying their environment, instead of just hurrying through like hikers do. 

Adam scoping out the area.

After returning to camp, the rain set in. I honestly didn't mind, especially after the hell-like weather Phoenix has been having. It rained all night, and we got to witness a spectacular lightning storm overhead. The next morning we fished Woods Canyon Lake. Other then a crayfish, I didn't catch anything. This was the second time I fished on Woods Canyon Lake, and although beautiful, its overcrowded and littered with trash. I don't think I'll be returning. 

Overall it was a fun trip. The boys have invited me to any future scouts, and even the hunt itself in November. I am really excited for next week because I'll be driving to Spokane and spending 4 days camping in Farragut State Park for my family reunion, which is always an awesome time. Well, thanks for reading.

The Highline Trail heading west.

Fishing The Rim: Willow Springs Lake

What a great weekend fishing on the Mogollon Rim! For those who don't know, the Mogollon Rim is the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau. The rim is one of the most unique geological features I've ever seen. It reminds me of a giant "stair step" because it rises straight-up thousands of feet and extends some 200 miles from Flagstaff to the White Mountains. On top, the rim is covered with pine trees. In fact, the Mogollon Rim has the largest stand of ponderosa pine in the United States. Pretty crazy when you think that just an hour (or less) drive south you're back in the desert. Up on the rim, it feels like you're much further north. And the lakes remind me of some of the lakes back home, surrounded by pine trees and full of animal life. With the beautiful scenery, great camping, lots of hiking trails, and the many lakes, it makes for a really great spot to spend the weekend, though I hear in the summer time its always packed.

Jimbo fishing on Willow Springs Lake

We got to fishing on Willow Springs Lake almost immediately. A short hike from the road brought us to a more remote section of the lake, away from the crowds of people fishing around the dock. We started off using Powerbait and were instantly rewarded. Jim caught one on his first cast. It took me a little longer, but I managed to get two that first day (to Jim's seven). Nothing huge mind you, just pan sized rainbow trout, but it was still a great time. 

Mogollon Rim camp

We decided to brave the wind and camp on the rim, just a few feet from the edge. It was a really pretty spot, but very windy in the late afternoon. Luckily for us the wind died at dusk both days. For dinner that first night I cooked our day's catch in some aluminum foil over the fire. I stuffed the fish with onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and about a tablespoon of butter each. I've cooked trout this way a few times, and it always turns out delicious... Nothing beats fresh caught trout.

Cooking the day's catch

 We fished all day the next day and both of us slayed, especially Jim, who's Rainbow Powerbait proved to be what those trout favored. It was a great day of fishing and enjoying the bird life. There are tons of birds on those lakes and they are very active. We saw a great blue heron, ravens, duck, osprey, hawks, and even a bald eagle. At one point an Osprey swooped down right in front of us and snatched a trout up out of the water. It was so awesome! I actually heard its wings slicing through the air about 10 seconds before I saw it. A few minutes later I saw a fish floating belly up in the water. I trained my camera on the spot thinking the Osprey might come back, and he did (he missed the fish though). Unfortunately the pics didn't turn out very good, but it was such a cool thing to witness up close.

Osprey pulling up after a missed dive on that belly-up trout.

Overall it was a great trip. There weren't many people out on account of it being early in the season. I guess it is still too cold for most of the Phoenix crowd. I'm just glad I was able to bring some fish home, especially after getting skunked so much recently. Before I left for the trip Sarah looked at me and said rather seriously, "Bring me home some fish baby"... And I did just that.

My first catch on Sunday

Reference for Mogollon Rim info - http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/regions/southwestern/RimLakes/index.shtml

Lost and Found

Last July I went hiking with my friend James near the Mogollon Rim in Arizona. He took me to a really secluded spot; to this pretty little creek that flowed at the bottom of a dark, rocky gully. We found a perfect little swimming hole, and since the temperature was hovering around 100 degrees we decided to take a dip. I stripped off all my clothes except the shorts portion of my convertible pants, and jumped in. When I got out, after a very refreshing swim, I noticed I couldn't find my knife. I knew I had it, because I always carry it, not just into the wilderness, but everyday around town as well. After an extensive search I concluded that I must have jumped into the water with the knife in my pocket, and it came loose from my pocket and sank to the bottom. I vowed to return with snorkeling equipment.

Benchmade 530 serrated Knife

Normally I probably wouldn't have fretted too much, but this was no ordinary knife. This was a Benchmade 530. The nicest knife that I ever owned. I bought it at REI a couple years back with my dividends for around $90.00, and I love it, at least about as much as a person can love an inanimate object. It's just so perfect for backpacking and as an everyday knife. At only 1.8 oz it's so light you don't even notice it's there - hence, why I jumped in the pool with it in my pocket. It's super sharp too, and the locking mechanism is so easy and fluid...

Anyway, for the last couple months I've been really brooding about that knife. I fantasized regularly about buying snorkeling gear or some type of high-powered underwater magnet so I could go find it. I've reached for it, absentmindedly, only to find my pocket empty. I prepared myself never to see it again.

Fast forward to yesterday. I pick-up a couple stray articles of clothing from the closet floor to do laundry, and what do I find sitting on the floor of my closet under a pair of shorts? My dang knife! I couldn't believe it. I had to do a double take to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. Don't ask me how it got there because I have no idea. But I sure am glad I got my knife back. Woohoo!

The swimming hole where I thought I lost it.