Indian Paint New Year 2007

Indian Paint New Years

New Years 2007 – After Action Report – Eyes Only

                                                                    13 January 2007

Insertion: 29 Dec 2006

Extraction 31 Dec 2006

AO: Superstition Wilderness, Canyon Lake Marina Trailhead

Team Atkins: Steve and Michael

Team Tansill: Joe, Daniel, Jacob, Jonathan, and Patrick

Objectives: New Years Tradition, new AO to explore

This op was renamed due to the totally sweet campsite we discovered. Times and places are approximate and classified.

0830 Dec 29

 Michael loads the enormous amount of food that will be required for this expedition into the Queen’s Urban Assault Vehicle (UAV) at 14DDT HQ. We head to Gilbert to pick up Team Tansill.

1000 Dec 29

Leave Gilbert AZ for Canyon Lake trailhead via US 60 and Apache Trail Highway. This is one of the nicest drives in the Phoenix area. It is the only way to access Canyon Lake from the Phoenix area and it is a great bike route. We prepared to see heavy traffic but had very little and we were able to enjoy a spectacular drive. Unlike previous outings, it is a paved two-lane highway all the way to the trailhead. Actually, we park at the Canyon Lake Marina, cross the highway, and start the hike.

1045 Dec 29

That was easy, we are on the trail. As advertised it is an uphill ascent from the first step off the pavement and continues about a mile up to the Wilderness Boundary.

1145 Dec 29

We reach the top of the hill. Not as bad as advertised in Hike Arizona.com. Many day hikers call it quits here and head back down after taking in some awesome views of Canyon Lake and the Superstitions!

1245 Dec 29

The trail continues for another mile or so along the ridgeline. There are some ups and downs, but we find a small dry campsite and decide to make a lunch stop.

1330 Dec 29

The trail continues to a steep drop off down to La Barge Creek. We are expecting water in the Creek and it is completely dry. The trails are well marked and we follow the trail as it crosses the dry creek bed several times.

This trip became a primer on spotting the trail after it empties into a dry creek bed. Throughout the trip we must have crossed creek beds hundreds of times.

As we climb out of the La Barge Creek and head west the rock turns a deep red color. We guess it’s due to the iron content in the rock.  The trail is cut into the rock here, just below the Indian Paint Mine.

1500 Dec 29

We reach a saddle and just below are the ruins of the Indian Paint Mine. (UTM 12S 0462531 3707064 – verified) Originally, our plan was to continue hiking to Marsh Valley to investigate several historic camp headquarters (more on that later). But we are concerned about water sources. The next reliable water source is Charlebois Spring, a full mile beyond Marsh Valley. We decide to drop packs, take a break, and look for water.

Daniel and Steve go on down the trail toward the Second Water spring. According to trail reports, there are a number of pools at the trail intersection that is .2 miles from the mine. There are also reports of water, about ½ mile downstream near some Oak Trees in the creek bed. We decide to go upstream.

We find the trail intersection and the pools…

Bone Dry!

Again no water. Nothing but a few gallons of stinky, black, stagnant water trapped in a couple of rock pots. Daniel and I decide to keep looking. We head up the trail toward the spring proper. After a few hundred feet along the First Water trail, we drop into a drainage and find an outstanding pool of water. It is moving, ever so slightly, and being refilled by Second Water Spring from a nearby hillside. (UTM 12S 0462241 3706461-verified)

We return to the group and report our find. We decide not to risk the extra miles continuing to Marsh Valley and decide to set camp at the mine area. 

We tuck one tent inside a rock alcove that once formed a cabin at the mine area. The local hiking guide,  “Hikers Guide to the Superstition Wilderness” contains a photo of Ralph Morris building the cabin at Indian Paint Mine in 1956 in this very spot!

 

We set the remaining tents on a tailings heap that forms a nice flat, although rocky, foundation. The place is loaded with mine shafts (all filled in) and tons of ‘historic trash.’

We count our blessings; plenty of water, daylight, and one of the coolest camp spots we have seen. The views are tremendous, there is mining debris (trash) to be discovered, and plenty of space to spread out our base headquarters.

We settle in for a three-course meal of salad, Steve’s Chicken and s’mores. We build a fire in the old fireplace and enjoy the evening.

0630 Dec 30

Temperatures are below freezing both mornings. Steve is up early (to warm up) and sets out to find the water reported downstream. The drought has really taken a toll. Many large pools that would be normally full this time of year are bone dry. Continuing north in the Boulder Canyon toward Canyon Lake is a stand of oak trees. There are several good-sized pools of water near some truck-sized boulders where the runoff has carved deep into the bed. This spot is about a 15-minute boulder hop from camp. The water quality is about as good as Frog Tanks, but not as good as the pools near Second Water Spring.

Back at camp, coffee, bagel melts and hot chocolate is served.

1045 Dec 30 

We tidy up the camp and head to the spring. We need to refill our water containers and set out for Marsh Valley. Our objective is to find the ruins of Crazy Jake’s outposts. Jake was an outfitter who allegedly swindled millions from folks looking for the famous Lost Dutchman Gold Mine. Jake had two campsites and a corral structure in the Valley.

We continue to hike the Boulder Canyon trail until it intersects with the Calvary Trail. We turn left onto the Calvary and continue upward toward Marsh Valley.

1500 Dec 30

It is clear that we will not reach Marsh Valley. So we go off trial and hike up to a saddle overlooking the valley and enjoy an nice lunch. From our spot, we have great views of Weavers Needle, Bluff Spring Mountain, and La Barge Canyon. Many legends of the Lost Dutchman would put his mine somewhere in our field of view! 

 

1600 Dec 30

We return to camp to gather wood for tonight’s fire and continue to explore the area. Near dusk, with wood laid up for the evening, we find a spot to do a little target practice with the Bennelli .32. The sardine can from today’s lunch did not stand a chance!

Hey Mom, look I am even wearing earplugs!

Dinner is a group effort with Jake and Daniel playing key roles in the preparation of Pita Pizzas

After dinner we retire to a rock grotto in the mine ruins. Its amphitheater styled and out of the cold breeze. Much better than last nights fire place.

At the end of an outstanding day!

0700 Dec 31

Our last objective: The La Barge Canyon. About 1.5 miles of boulder hopping up La Barge Creek brings us to the most spectacular canyon in the Superstitions

We hike in the shade, as the sun is yet to reach the canyon floor.

Here we are nearing the turn-around point (the sunny boulders in the background). We have been hiking for about an hour and are amazed by this fantastic canyon.

 1130 Dec 31

We break camp and head back to the trailhead. We stop again at the top of the hill to enjoy a final lunch and one long look at the AO.

1600 Dec 31

We reach the trailhead, but the general store is closed early for New Years. Luckily we scrounge up a few dollar bills and treat our selves to ice cold Cokes from a vending machine at the marina, before pointing the UAV toward the valley and racing to catch Teen Mass at St. Timothy’s.

We clearly met our objectives and discovered another great place for future operations!