Cooler times in Quartz Canyon

Quartz Canyon via Peters Canyon , 3AIII
Tonto National Forest – Superstition Wilderness
04/01/13

 

Summertime in Phoenix is a combination of hibernating indoors, traveling to higher elevations for outdoor activities and lounging in our community pool like water buffalo. As I type these words temperatures outside are near 110 degrees. Sitting in front of my laptop in a dark room under a whizzing fan to the sounds of the hum of our air conditioner it is nice to look back several months to when our Sonoran Desert was not so roasting hot.

Spring time in the Superstition Mountain is a beautiful time. The drainages are often flowing, the rocky terrain covered in grass and the desert wildflowers blooming. All were present on this day for a descent of Quartz Canyon. It was a rather warm day. The desert letting us know that summer is just around the corner.

Laura and I are joined by Brian K. who I only just recently met through another friend. Brian has a great energy and passion for the wilderness and we are excited to be sharing the day with him. As we set foot on the trail we almost immediately encounter a plethora of varied wildflowers. 2013 shaped up to be a banner year for wildflowers and this trip gave us a great show. Tortilla Creek is flowing nicely as is Peters Canyon. A scenic narrow section in Peters reveals some nice swimming holes for the return trip. A brutal bushwhack out of Peters to gain the ridge above Quartz Canyon is far from pleasant but does afford some stunning views of the wilderness. We also encounter, for Laura and I the never before seen Desert Mariposa Lily, stunning.

Good and hot now we drop into Quartz Canyon. Not much to this canyon outside of two interesting enough rappels with a trickle of water to cool us down. After the second rappel we explore a nearby alcove cave. Firewood covered in what appears to be maybe decades worth of dust is piled inside the cave. We rejoin Peters Canyon. Taking advantage of those swimming holes we cool off during the hike out. This would be our last Sonoran Desert outing until cooler times return. With a new season it just means a different part of the Southwest landscape to explore and hopefully with the right mindset those cooler times will be here before we know it.

-David

Brian and Laura hike up Peters Canyon en route to Quartz Canyon.

Brittlebush.

Desert Mariposa Lily.

Laura on rappel in Quartz Canyon.

David on rappel in Quartz Canyon.

Brian and David pull the rope after a rappel.

David on rappel.

Peters Canyon as seen from Quartz Canyon.

Brian checks out a cave at the bottom of Quartz Canyon.

Laura hikes out in Peters Canyon.

Brian down climbs.

Brian cools off in a pool in Peters Canyon.

Wyatt’s first overnight backpacking adventure in Aravaipa Canyon

Aravaipa Canyon
Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness Area
4/7/13 – 4/8/13

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One of Wyatt’s favorite books to read before bed is “Fred and Ted Go Camping”. Fred and Ted pack their car, hike into the woods and have a few adventures/ misadventures along the way. To celebrate David’s birthday we planned two days in the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness Area with our two and a half year old son for his very first overnight backpacking trip. In the weeks leading up, we read that book countless times. While reading we talked about how Mommy, Daddy and Wyatt were going to do those things too.

The Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness is a 19,410 acre wilderness area on the northern fringe of the Galiuro Mountains featuring a perennial stream that has carved a scenic canyon 11- miles through the Sonoran Desert. Hiking under sycamores, cottonwoods and willows below towering cliffs we cross in and out of the warm, shallow waters as we make our way up canyon.

Thirty pounds of Wyatt sit snuggly in the baby backpack on David’s back. Another 20 pounds of gear is stuffed into the few available pockets of this pack in addition to a daypack filled to the brim with gear and lashed to the back of the larger baby backpack. With David unavailable to carry the majority of food and camping equipment like he normally does my bag weighs more than it ever has.

The weight on my back aside, seeing Wyatt’s face light up when he spots a frog hop under our feet is almost as gratifying as hearing him say “Good job Daddy” as David ducks under a fallen tree. We stop for lunch between narrow, red rock walls where Wyatt has a chance to put his toes in the river, feel the current, throw some sticks and watch them float away. “More sticks, more sticks,” demands Wyatt.

After lunch we continue up canyon. The gurgling of the river, light wind and rocking, lull him to sleep for 45- minutes. David and I share in conversation in hushed tones. About nine miles from the start we set up camp along the creek under a giant sycamore tree. With Wyatt’s assistance we erect the tent, collect firewood and pump water out of the stream. In the pre-dusk evening we go for a stroll giving Wyatt a chance to do some hiking on his own two feet before eating dinner by campfire. “Like Fred and Ted,” Wyatt says.

What will not go in the record books as the best night of sleep, though it could have been worse, we wake not long after first light and warm up by the campfire. Before breaking down camp we explore the nearby side canyon of Deer Creek. A dozen vultures circle overhead as the walls of the canyon narrow in. “Tunnel,” Wyatt shouts. A few miles up this deep, accordion canyon we break at a natural spring flowing right out of the rock lined with Golden Columbine flowers. We fill our bottles and Wyatt put his lips up to the trickling water, drinking right from the spring. On the way back to camp we spot the sluggish, brightly colored and venomous Gila Monster.

After breaking down camp we see more wildlife during the hike out. “Monkeys!” Wyatt shouts. The long tails throw him off. Just off the banks of the river is a pack of ten coati mundi. Again Wyatt falls asleep as we make miles only to be woken by 40mph gusts of wind that develop in the afternoon. Wyatt is not pleased, but we trudge on.

One aspect that makes spending time in the wilderness so special is the experience is scaled back to a much simpler form. It is all about what exists before you and what you need to do to safely enjoy these surroundings. All the other noise of everyday life fades away. For a toddler that simplified existence is the everyday. Sharing that with your son is truly special.

Things we did wrong: We forgot coffee. We WAY overpacked clothes for Wyatt. We even brought 2 pairs of shoes yet he was barefoot most of the time.

 Things we think we did right: Talking about the backpacking adventure for a few weeks before the trip so Wyatt would know what to expect.

 -Laura

David and Wyatt explore Deer Creek Canyon, a side canyon of Aravaipa.

Wyatt gets his feet wet in Aravaipa.

David and Wyatt in Aravaipa Canyon.

Wyatt takes a nap in the backpack on David’s back while hiking through Aravaipa.

David and Wyatt hike through Aravaipa.

David and Wyatt cross the creek of Aravaipa Canyon.

Laura and Wyatt take a break in Aravaipa Canyon.

David and Wyatt hike in Aravaipa Canyon.

Wyatt hikes in Aravaipa Canyon.

David with the assistance of Wyatt filters water out of Aravaipa Creek.

David and Wyatt set up the tent.

Wyatt checks out the inside of the tent.

Laura and Wyatt hang out the by the campfire.

Laura and Wyatt hang out the by the campfire.

David and Wyatt hang out by the campfire.

The morning after not the best night’s sleep.

Wyatt gets warm by the campfire.

Exploring the narrows of Deer Creek, a side canyon of Aravaipa Canyon.

Wyatt feels the dripping water of a spring in Deer Creek.

Exploring the narrows of Deer Creek, a side canyon of Aravaipa Canyon.

Golden Columbine in Deer Creek Canyon.

A Gila Monster in Deer Creek Canyon.

A pack of Coatimundi in Aravaipa Canyon. When Wyatt saw them he shouted out “Monkeys!”

Wyatt and David hike under an arch in Deer Creek, a side canyon of Aravaipa Canyon.

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