Hike: Allan Lake, Happy Jack, over the Mogollon rim to Pine - 67 miles

6/25/2010
Highlight: Mohave Rattlesnake.
Lessons Learned:  Always be alert.
Companion: Seth Wilson.
AZ trail Passages: 27, 28, 29.

This trek took Seth and I from the relatively flat area on top of the Mogollon rim and then down nearly 2000 feet. We started our hike at the Allan Lake campground which is about 6 miles south of Mormon Lake.

The land is relatively flat with occasional water holes created by 19th century ranchers

We had trouble finding smooth campsites.  Rocks were certainly hard to sleep on.

The trail was easy to follow and was aided by occasional cairins or piles of rocks.

Occasionally we would reach bobwire gates and several times Seth would mend the fence so that ranch animals will be contained.  Seth also repaired cairins(see below).  Part of the requirements for the 50 mile hike is to complete a service project associated with the hike and this certainly met the requirements.

Small friendly bird

We were about out of water when we found this natural spring.  Even though this spring had moss and scum in it Seth was able to find the source of the water.  He used double chlorine tablets for real protection.

This skeleton could be a bear or a large cow.  It was certainly scary.

Here is another source of water.  We waded out through the mud to get more water.

Time out for lunch

Getting clsoe to the Mogollon rim.  Starting to see large gullies.

Even with roots into rock, if the roots don't go deep there is the danger, much later, of the tree falling.

Elk 100 feet from us. See the video below.
 

A nice Friend

Sometimes the path is clear and obvious how to follow.  But not always.

We followed this pipe line and power poles for several miles.  It provided emergency water for the forest service in case of forest fires.  Hiking in a straight line is quite difficult because of the constant ups and downs.  Going down is easy.

The edge of the rim and starting down.  It is here that we picked up our food supplies which were sorely missed.  Due to a mistake we ran out of food one daily early.  I mixed up the 3 day supply cache with the 4 day cache.  We should have initially started with the 4 day cache.  Fortunately, we found some good Samaritans earlier which gave us food to tide us over.

Going down the Mogollon rim

Probably a campsite for 19th century ranchers

Plenty of Water Cress and fresh water coming out of this spring

Down off the rim and campout on the flatlands

We came down off that mountain!

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Here is a Mohave rattlesnake, probably the most deadly of all rattlesnakes.  He was resting comfortably on the trail.  Seth asked me to take the lead for the rest of the hike.  We learned that we have to be attentive all the time.

One guiding principle we follow is that when we are tired we just stop and rest.  Here Seth takes a 20 minute nap.

It felt so good to take off our shoes and soak our feet in this nice creek.

Now were are much further from the rim.

Looking back on the Mogollon rim.  This is the Skyline trail.

We arrived at Pine Arizona shortly after dark.  The whole family was there to drive us home.  We ate a wonderful meal in Payson and slept most of the way back to Phoenix.