Arizona Trail: Sunflower to Roosevelt Lake (Sobo)

March 14

Roosevelt Lake is like a vortex that keeps sucking us in, as we just can’t seem to get past it.  Speaking of vortexes we ended up camping outside Sedona all week (Free on forest Road 525).  I got antibiotics in Payson, as I did have a UTI, only I did not get well.   I actually get worse with crippling headaches and a low grade fever, so we just hang out in Sedona.  Sedona is a nice place to rest and we take  some short day hikes. We decide to leave Arizona as I’m not getting better.  Then I finish the antibiotics and am miraculously cured.   Duh- reaction to meds.  Or maybe the special Sedona energy healed me. 

One of the arches we hiked to. 

We decide to hike this section of the AZT southbound as, frankly, it’s easier.  We leave our bike back by the cemetery at Roosevelt Lake and drive  to Sunflower on Highway 87.   We only hike about six or seven miles. This whole area had a fire last year and it looks like we are hiking to Mordor (from Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings”.)

Camp near Boulder Creek, a good water source.

March 15

See, we can’t shake Roosevelt lake.  We hike up to the ridge and there it is again.  We also begin to see snow in this strange, steep, burnt land.

Yesterday, we gave these hikers ( wearing masks, I’m extremely Covid cautious) a ride to the trail over in Roosevelt.   They’ve hiked over 30 miles in about 24 hours, I’d reckon. Wow!

Wing it, Yetti, Buzz, and Rocket

Onwards and upwards we go.  The hike is easy on the forest road the trail uses for this portion. 

Then a strange thing happens.  A car approaches us.  Almost goes off the side of the road, which would have been quite a drop off. An older, grey haired man  rolls down the window and asks us how to get to Tortilla Flats.  Tortilla Flats!  Dude, you are in the middle of nowhere on a forest road.   (This picture is showing a good stretch of road.  What we had walked earlier was often deeply rutted). The car is full and we hear bickering in the backseat.  Then the rear window rolls down and a teenage boy says, ‘We’ve been off the highway for two and a half hours because of some gps glitch.”  I positively respond with , “At least you have a good view”.  He exclaims, “Well, I’m scared of heights and we don’t even have cell service!”  We try to help by using our hiking app, as it does also show roads, but we don’t see a way out.  We suggest that they turn around and go back.  We hear an audible sigh from everyone, but the driver.  

(Later, we discover there was a way down on El Oso Road!  Oops) 

Then we meet Smash,  who is doing some miles out here before thru hiking the PCT.  We had had met him in Roosevelt earlier and he seemed like a really good guy.  He tells us snow is coming and suggests ( strongly) that we go no further than Shake Springs tonight and cross the snowy, more treacherous section of trail early the next day before things get  slippery.  When an ex marine recon gives you a suggestion, you take it. 

Shake Spring Camp

Anybody recognize this big guy?  Imagine a dog on his shoulders and you will realize it is Mayor, who we met on the Florida Trail.  We have been in touch off and on and knew he was on the AZT too, but are blessed it worked out to share our fire with him once again. We enjoy  congenial campfire conversation. We love this guy.  He inspired us in Florida to finish the trail and inspires us tonight by reciting many poems he’s memorized. 

I think we hiked about 15 miles today.  We got water at Boulder Creek, Little Pine Flat and our camp at Shake Springs.  All good water sources. 

March 16

In the wee hours of morning I awake to high winds.  I imagine a dome of protection over us keeping the winds away from our little tent and Mayor under his tarp. It might have worked a bit for us, but I think Mayor got wet.   The wind seems to come from all directions. This was not the best camping spot for a storm.  Later, our tent sags a bit with the snow and we smack the roof to make the snow slide to the ground.  It’s not a very cold storm though and we are grateful to be warm, cozy and dry. 

Morning comes and we stay in bed until the storm subsides

This is the first time we’ve camped in a bit of a snow storm and we are pretty excited.  We aren’t quite sure, if we should continue on over the pass or hike back north to our vehicle.  In the end, the unknown wins and we bid good bye to Mayor, who is traveling north bound. 

 In most places, there is only about four inches of new snow, and it’s easy to see the where the trail goes.  

Then we meet a man coming towards us (who looks very familiar)  and have his tracks to follow.  Snow flurries begin and it seems like we are walking in a snow globe. 

 

We realize we are  two nice, but dorky, older hikers.  Today though, we feel pretty badass.  Lol!

It’s a winter wonderland.

And then we descend, and it’s not. 

Back to the lake we go.  Like I said, this lake keeps pulling us in.

About a 15 mile day.  We passed flowing water at the junction for Alder Summit and we had  cached some bottles at Mills Ridge Trailhead.  This is a very dry section of trail. 

March 17:

We are camped about 4.5 miles from the lake, so we laze around in our tent.  Enjoying the spacious views and each other’s company. 

The mountains we crossed.  

Then back to the lake we go. 

Only water was a trough, about .9 from our destination.