Hiked out to Ernie's Falls in Saguaro National Park East today. First time ever seeing Ernie's Falls, which resides just 0.6 miles north off the Douglas Spring's Trail on the same path that also serves Bridal Wreath Falls. Bridal Wreath Falls is the main attraction in the park, no doubt because it's just 0.3 miles to the south and east. Perhaps because Ernie's Falls isn't as accessible from the trail (it's be a scramble down a hill with no describable trail, which would violate my no-bushwhacking rule), as well as being a half again as far from the main Douglas Spring Trail as Bridal Wreath Falls, Ernies Falls gets a fraction of the visitors. This fact also draws me to Ernie's.
Bridal Wreath gets all the love and attention, and it is often choked with visitors: it's a readily accessible destination and a relatively short and easy 6-mile hike. In fact, on our return, we ran into three hiking clubs or tours of a few dozen older primates vanned in from surrounding areas. I was so glad we hit the trailhead at eight so as to avoid these crowds. We even managed to get Bridal Wreath to ourselves once the trio of hikers we met there departed.
I have hiked the Douglas Spring trail many times, usually the 19 miles round trip to Cow Head Saddle, like I last did two years ago, but occasionally to the Douglas Springs Campground, especially on solo hikes like I did last year, when I want to stay relatively close to civilization for safety reasons. I also backpacked and camped at Douglas Springs four years ago with my brother Jon from Texas.
Warm temps near 50º at 8 am, rising to the mid-sixties at hikes end around 10:30. A little wind at elevation signaling the cold front moving in, vestiges of the atmospheric river flowing currently down the West Coast. One reason I will be packing in the hikes this week is next week doesn't look too promising, with much colder temperatures in the 50's and 60's, and a potential for rain.
No comments:
Post a Comment