Lower Bristlecone Overlook v Old Mill Trail Loop - 7/25/24

Lee Peak from Lower Bristlecone Overlook

Old Mill Trail / Lower Bristlecone Trail Junction

Another shortie. With half of the trails in the Spring Mountains closed and needing to keep our outings short due to the heat, we often end up with trying to find new combinations of old hikes in the low elevations of the upper canyons. Today, we started at the Pay Phone Trailhead and headed up the Old Mill Road to the Old Mill Trail to junction with Lower Bristlecone. Since none of us have hiked up past Pine Cone Canyon on Lower Bristlecone this year, we circled around the switchback curve in the road and hiked up to the Lower Bristlecone Overlook. In fact, Mike and I had not ever gone out the little trail to the left at the top of the long climb. Ralyn took Mike all the way out to the overlook then we all started the descent. To change things up, we continued down Lower Bristlecone past the Old Mill junction and found the manhole cover junction to turn left. After dropping down the steep hill on an old road, we hiked through the Old Mill Picnic Area in two different directions. Returning to the cars, the three of us plus two dogs felt decent about our excursion as we racked up almost 5 miles. Woohoo!

Stats: 4.7 miles; 700' gain; 2.25 hours

Sitting at the Lower Bristlecone Overlook

Macks Canyon Road /Sawmill Trails Loop - 7/22/24

Dogs hiking with their humans on the Sawmill Trail Approach

Hiking an incline on Macks Canyon Road

Morning's Mummy sunrise and Moonset

Ralyn and I started at the Sawmill Trailhead to head over to Macks Canyon Road the usual bushwhack way. The Macks Canyon Road has a sign preventing any hiking past the three mile point. The Sisters Spur Road junction is at the two mile point so we hiked the road out to that large wash, road, campsite junction on the left side of Macks Canyon Road. It is a road high point. We both had our dogs so we stopped here for some water. On the way back, we checked out a new bushwhack that led us over to the Sawmill Trail just above a trail junction. Knowing the shorter route, we turned here and made our way back down to the cars. It was still cool and dry when we reached the trailhead. Good dog hike!

Stats: 4 miles; 700' gain; 2.25 hours

Campsites at Sisters Spur Road Junction

Back on Sawmill Trails

Hike-a-Bike / Pixie Loop - 7/11/24

View from a road Crossing

Hike-a-Bike Trail

Pixie Trail

New sign below Robbers Roost TH

A group of five club hikers parked at the Robbers Roost Trailhead for a cool <4 mile loop on the bike trails in the North Loop / Telephone Canyon area. It was early Thursday morning so we did not expect to be in the path of any zooming bikers. We started down the little trail behind the informational sign and reached the perpendicular trail junction with a new sign as seen to the left. Our left turn put us on the Hike-a-Bike Trail. It has been a couple of years since I did this route and the trail has changed in appearance since then. After coming to another new sign, we followed the directions to stay on the Hike-a-Bike Trail. There are a few trails coming down from the left. One of these is the bottom of the Pixie Trail.

Hiking the Hike-a-Bike Trail

Circling around to the right, we hiked below the Deer Creek Road and climbed up to another trail junction. This junction is not signed, however, we know that the trail to the right is the Trough Trail and the trail to the left climbs up to the Camp Loop. Continuing straight along the Hike-a-Bike, we finally came to the signed Showgirl junction. Here, if you turn to the right, you will continue along the Original Showgirl Trail that eventually leads all the way down to the curvy section of Kyle Canyon Road, or the Lower Showgirl Trailhead. We continued our straight trajectory where we were now hiking the Upper Showgirl Trail. We passed two other trail junctions to the left (very vague) which were each end of the Camp Loop. Around to the left, we came to a spur trail leading up to the road (left); a connector trail for our route.

Hummingbird Gulch across Telephone Canyon

Nearing the end of Hike-a-Bike Trail

New sign at Showgirl Junction

Uphill after road Crossing

At the top of the hill, we crossed the Deer Creek Road and climbed up the embankment trail to an abandoned road that continued up to the Gypsy Trail. A right turn on the Gypsy Trail continued our climb up and around to the left paralleling the Deer Creek Road. Somewhere near the high point of the hike, we stopped for a short break. Afterwards, we soon came to the Pixie Trail junction. A left turn put us on that trail and we finally began our short journey down. The Pixie Trail zigzags down the steep terrain with views of the surrounding escarpments. There is one large wash that we crossed two or three times. It was very much gully-ized from last year's "gully washers," but the trail is well maintained through them for the bikers.

Pixie Trail View

At the bottom of the hill, we junctioned again with the Gypsy Trail as the Pixie Trail continued its downward run. A right turn onto the Gypsy Trail put us on the Old Deer Creek Road where we passed the gully mess, the Jumpline Trail and and hiked through the Mountain Laurel "tunnel." One last left turn down to one more road crossing, and we were back at the Robbers Roost Trailhead. Fun cool morning with even a little cloud cover. (The new signs are great! ... but, they aren't at every junction. Be aware!)

Stats: 3.8 miles; 600' gain; 2 hours

Gully crossing on Pixie Trail

Nearing Pixie / Gypsy Junction

Old Deer Creek Road

Pine Cone Canyon / South Sister Saddle Loop - 7/8/24

Bristlecone tree on ridge trail with Mummy Mountain in Background

McFarland Peak from Bonanza Trail

Sue climbing Pine Cone Canyon

Hiking up the Old Mill Trail

Pine Cone Canyon is a dauntingly steep wash that is sometimes filled with pine cones. The small canyon wash runs from the Bonanza Trail down to the Lower Bristlecone Trail. To make a nice 5.7 mile loop hike using Pine Cone Canyon and the South Sister Saddle, we began at the Pay Phone Trailhead near the traffic circle of Lee Canyon Road. Eight hikers crossed the road and headed up the paved road next to the Old Mill Picnic Area. Just past a set of restrooms, (that are closed to the public), the route veers up a hill to the right as it joins the Old Mill Trail. We passed the turnoff for the South Sister Trail and continued around to the left. After Hilary's rains, there is a deep gulch crossing the trail where we circumvented around it to the right. On up the hill, we came to the Old Mill site where we took a group photo and noticed the engraved aspen trees. The mill was operational back in the 40's or 50's and the aspen trees' engraving show the age.

Old names carved into Aspens

The group at the Old Mill

Turning from Lower Bristlecone Trail into Pine Cone Canyon 

Weather station in Pine Cone Canyon

On up the trail, we junctioned with the Lower Bristlecone Trail (aka Scout Canyon Road). A right turn took us quickly up to the apex of the next curve where the Pine Cone Canyon Trail begins to the right. We passed a large weather station setup and veered right into the canyon wash. The steepness was upon us soon as we followed the trail around a handful more trees that had fallen since the last time we were there. Make no mistake! The canyon becomes steeper and steeper as you climb up the 0.8 mile distance between the weather station and the Bonanza Trail. The group of hikers separated with their different paces. There were a few newbies but they hung close to the oldies and everyone finally reached the top with little energy to spare.

Large downed tree next to Pine Cone Canyon Trail

Another downed tree across Pine Cone Canyon Trail

John makes his way through another downed Tree

Everybody at the top of Pine Cone Canyon

We took a short break to breathe and turned to the right. Following the beautiful and familiar Bonanza Trail for approximately 0.9 mile we next came to the ridge descent trail junction. There is a 3 foot tall tree stump on the left with a rock or two in its crotch. The ridge trail, itself, turns to the right to jump over the Bonanza ridge hump and start downward on small switchbacks. The trail is in good condition most of the way and our regular break spot was wide open seating. After our enjoyable break, we continued along the ridge trail and came to the South Sister Saddle. Again with a right turn, we began our ~1.5 mile descent to the cars. 

Shadowplay on the Bonanza Trail

Heading into the small switchbacks to the first High Point

Nearing the junction on the Bonanza Trail

Break time on the Ridge Trail

The South Sister Trail descent is steep to begin but after you get that part out of the way, it becomes a pleasant hike through the forest ending with the pavement down beside the picnic area. This is a great hike that challenges us every time. Fun group of hikers.

Stats: 5.7 miles; 1620' gain; 4 hours

Hiking out the Ridge Trail

Hiking past the spring on the South Sister Trail

Descending the South Sister Trail