hi hikers,
i’m planning on hiking on the AZT from December 23 to January 18, probably from the Mexican border north but possibly SoBo from Flagstaff. Anyone else going to be out there??
happy trails!
Wild Child
Wild Child
Dec 23-Jan 18 trek!
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#2
If you need a ride and resupply help in Tucson, send me an email in advance. I’m back in town starting 12/31, and would be glad to be of assistance.
markv
pct’08
markv
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#3
you thru-hiked the PCT in 08? I was on the trail for just under a thousand miles last summer…Whitney to Ashland.
and thank you! i will probably take advantage of your offer.
WC 
Wild Child
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#4
hey wild child did we meet you on the Pct in 02 ? we were going sobo. Will be on the Azt but not until march… have a great hike though.
yappy
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#5
Is a January or February thru-hike possible given likely weather conditions? If so, hmmm …
Matt
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#6
There was a recent thread that talked about winter travel on the AZT. There is also a blog up from a couple who attempted to hike the AZT SOBO starting Dec. 2007- I will try to find the link.
Sirena
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#7
hey Yappy–no, i wasn’t on the PCT on 02. must be a different wild child.
matt, of course it is possible–anything is possible–you just need to be prepared. winter bag, four-season tent, reliable stove, GPS, the works. it should be a chilly adventure!
Sirena, i would really, really, REALLY appreciate that link. thank you!
Wild Child
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#9
Found it-
http://supportthetrail.weebly.com/index.html
If you are wanting to do a portion of the trail, I would suggest the center of the state, below the Mogollon Rim. The elevation in the center of the state is lower and though it snows in places, it’s not nearly as much as the north or as the sky islands of the south.
Sirena
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#10
sirena, thanks for the link! i have snowshoes and winter camping gear, and i have spent several months trekking on glaciers in Alaska and Wyoming, so i hope i will be prepared to brave the snow and cold. i have decided to start in flagstaff (hiking SoBo) because i have a friend who lives there who has hiked the trail, and i want to chat with him and steal his waypoint data before i trek on. i’m taking all the angeling i can get!
Wild Child
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#11
some relevent info… I just came over the Catalinas and through the Saguaro E NP and though one night was snowy there was no accumulation to speak of. I spoke to Coronado National Monument and they said there is not yet any snow in the Huachucas. All this could change this week as a storm moves in from the NW. If nothing too serious I will be sobo come thurs or so to MX. I recently covered the stretch from Flagstaff to the E.Verde … it’s a good trail. Sobo into the Mazatzal Mts I found very confusing the reroute to City Creek etc and once alongside the North peak I saw none of the flags or trail work claimed on the AZT website, I bailed out but will head back another day. Don’t expect to see alot of folks this time of year, I’ve seen 1 thru hiker (David nobo) in the 2mos since starting in Utah. Happy Trails… hope to cross paths someday.
fla bob
FlaBob
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#12
Hi Sirena!
That was a great link to Bob and Molly’s adventure page. If I had to choose our May-June hot hike or their winter hike, I would hike the high temps and READ about their cold, snowy journey.
GottaWalk
Marcia
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#13
Hi Sirena!
That was a great link to Bob and Molly’s adventure page. If I had to choose our May-June hot hike or their winter hike, I would hike the high temps and READ about their cold, snowy journey.
GottaWalk
Marcia
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#14
Hey I was just talking about a possible winter hike with someone who hiked it last year in spring time. Sounds doable to me. Are you going to keep a journal? I’m thinking about it but trying to decide between Florida Trail. Maybe do a section of the Florida Trail first and start AZT a little later. If you’re not keeping a journal is there another way to track you? I guess I should check out the link mentioned above too.
Apple Pie
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#15
Yep WC, i was out there in 08. I was at Whitney on June 9 and Ashland August 4th i think, if that helps place where we were relative to each other.
There is a storm about to move in, so i hear, but i’m out of town. As of a couple days ago though, there was no snow in the Catalinas.
If you’re going southbound, the spring at the junction just before you reach Mica Mountain (to the north of the mountain) in the Rincons DID have water last month. Throw in the storm coming, and it’s a pretty safe bet there will be water at that spring when you come through. (Sorry i don’t remmeber the name of the spring.)
Safe travels, and maybe i’ll hear from you…
markv
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#16
Thanks for the reports, FlaBob, Garlic, and Markv. i’m taking notes!
Garlic, i’d love to get together for a section. my email is deborah.parker@coloradocollege.edu
markv–i was at Whitney on June 20 and in Ashland on August 13-16, so i guess we never crossed paths. great hike, though!
Wild Child
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#17
hey Apple Pie,
you should definitely do the AZT over the Florida Trail–it is way prettier! also, that way i won’t be the only crazy one out there!
Wild Child
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#18
Personally I would worry about water if the cold doesn’t bother you… we did get some snow here in Flagstaff last night, and more is expected this week, but longer trips at this time of year always bring up the issue of desert hiking outside of the rainy season and the lack of water.
Phoenix Rising
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#19
Garlic,
When did you do the Four Peaks section? I just did it over the Thanksgiving week from Sunflower to the lake and Picket post SOBO… It rained or was misty most of the time with high winds on the ridges and lightening cracking around at night. Rare for central AZ this time of year.
Wildchild
There was plenty of water at Pigeon spring but couldn’t find any at Shake Spring. Somebody left a water box at the Mill Ridge trailhead, probably the forest service and it had plenty of water but not sure if you can count on it. The trail is grown over below the Four Peaks and south around Buckhorn ridge but easy to see the cut through the ridges. It looks like the FS is working on clearing the trail southeast of the Chilicut Spring trail turnoff…
Jasper