Sunday March 18, 2018 Queen Canyon Kofa NWR Arizona
Ridge top trail
The plan for the day was to hike up the ridge top trail that goes up Indian Canyon about a half mile past the Indian Skull Cave on the Queen Canyon road.
I started out about 11:30. The wind was cool and gusty, but I was hoping it’d warm up a bit as it did yesterday.
Off with a stick
I was warmed by some guys the other day that did the trail that a stick would be good to keep from slipping on the way down so I took my black bamboo stick with me and a flashlight and I was off starting here were I’m camped with my van.
The trail starts off going up the wash.
And eventually the trail starts up the hill through here.
Rocky trail
This is the trail as it climbs up the hill.
The trail climbs up the hill and then cuts across to the right through here.
Can’t tell where the trail goes
And up through here. I can’t tell where it’s going until I get there.
The trail goes through here and on up.
I know the trail goes to the top somewhere up ahead so I continue on.
Can’t find the where the trail goes
Eventually I got to just under the top ridge, but I couldn’t find which way the trail went here as I look back down from the way I came up the trail.
I followed several trails that dead ended and just couldn’t find a way through.
I think maybe the trail went up these rocks, but I didn’t check.
Piled rocks mark the trail
I know the trail goes through here somewhere from this pile of rocks, but I couldn’t find it.
Break time
So I sat down for a break in this spot as I looked back down the way I had come.
Eventually I started back down the trail down this way. My van is just above center, but you can’t see it as it’s too small.
Going cross country
Still going down the trail, but I will turn off it soon to go cross country.
Checking out the cave
I turned off the trail here to get closer to the cave over there. I walked almost to it and then turned to the right and down.
Here’s the best photo of the cave, but I didn’t go into it.
Finding a route down
I continued cross country below the cave. I had to get down through here, but I couldn’t get through some spots and had to retrace my way and try some other routes until I was able to get through here.
This was one of the areas I couldn’t get through down through the raven.
Last obstacle
I was able to find a way down through this canyon which was my last obstacle before getting back on the trail for the rest of the way back to the van.
I got back to the van about three. It took about an hour and a half to get up the trail just below the ridge top.
I was beat so a nap was in order and that was my day as I explored the trail to the top.
I needed the walking stick
It wasn’t too hard getting up as far as I got. The walking stick the guy recommended helped out a lot and kept me from falling on my butt more than once.
Nice day even if I didn’t get to the top.