Stanley B Loop v Cockscomb Trail - 6/4/26

Mummy's Toe behind ridge below Cockscomb Peak

Ridge descent from Cockscomb Peak

Large pillar with a tiny Head (Griffith Peak beyond L)

Initial scramble up Stanley B Canyon

Tough hike. Essentially, a hiker begins at the Stanley B Trailhead, climb up to the Stanley B canyon fork where a claim sign is attached to a tree up high. Then, the hiker takes the right fork and climbs up past the old closed mine and continues up the canyon until they reach the ridge, or the Stanley B Saddle. Next, the hiker turns to the left and climbs a steep ridge up toward Cockscomb Peak under the nose of Mummy's Toe. This climb stops at a cairn made of a stump and rocks in the middle of the ridge. A trail passes perpendicular to this cairn on the upper side of the ridge and heads down steeply to the left. This trail balances the narrow ridge in a zigzaggy fashion on slippery terrain.

Stanley B Spring flowing along old mine Road

Claim sign on tree at trail Fork

Susan and Sue climb up through the spring water on the right Fork

Stanley B Mine Area

The ridge slowly becomes wider and finally, the trail becomes more manageable. (That was fun, wasn't it?) After passing a switchback that connects to an easier loop route, the trail makes little switchbacks down to the right side of the ridge. Please try to keep the tiny switchbacks alive by not cutting them! The trail was meticulously made down the side of the scree-filled ridge side. It is important to try to follow the trail because it is clear that some hikers have cut straight down the scree without using the trail. Therefore, the trail is very difficult to see. Folks! Having a trail is much easier for negotiations! (Example: Mary Jane Falls ... need I say more?) So, after reaching the bottom of the hill, hikers start down this canyon, or the left fork of Stanley B. A nice trail leads down this side passing a piped spring, an old broken shelter, a flat abandoned campsite, and through the spring water again. The canyon trail ends at a mine airhole opposite to the mine on the other fork side as you walk into the original fork area.

"You first", "No, you first", "No, you first."

Dead fall in Stanley B Canyon Wash

Climbing up Stanley B Canyon Wash

Climbing along rock wall on Left

If you understood all that, you have a great imagination! Now, for a slower version of the hike! Three Lady Hikers parked at the Stanley B Trailhead on Kyle Canyon Road. It is the next turnout to the right after a green sign that reads "Rainbow Subdivision" traveling up Kyle Canyon Road. The wash that flows into the trailhead has a beautiful trail that half climbs and half scrambles up through the conglomerate rock and trees. When the trail comes to a cross trail, we turned right onto the old small mine road. It is also possible to continue up the wash for some more fun scrambling. Our right turn soon came to a small rise where a trail turns to the left.

Stepping up past the next cliff Band

The climb continues to the blue sky.

Scrambling

Moving past a fallen Tree

Here, our route turned to the left and hiked up through the trees on a trail that is now very clear. It finishes at the old mine road again and we turned to the left. Hiking up the old small road, we passed a large sawed stump. Here, the terrain on the left side of the trail dropped down to the spring water that flowed from the mine above. We continued past the small stream until we reached the fork area. There is an old metal sign placed high up on a tree that reads "Leroy Mining Claim D.E. Nelson Owner." The left fork passes a piped spring inside a lot of bushes but the right fork has a trail that leads up beside the spring water flow taking hikers up a short wet hillside to the Stanley B Mine. The mine has a grate covering the entrance. After photos, the Lady Hikers continued their climb up the trail within some bushes and past some old mining equipment. We also passed another entrance to the old mine. Soon, the trail passed the bushes and began its hike / scramble up through the canyon.

Sue makes the last climb to the Saddle

Arriving at the Stanley B Saddle

Sitting log and Mummy's Toe at the Saddle

Shade under the blazed tree on the Saddle

Every year, this canyon has at least one added obstacle. Sometimes the obstacle is minimal and sometimes it is substantial. Nevertheless, hikers always find a way over, around or under. One or two of the small cliff bands that have to be climbed in the wash have become slippery with wear but, we made it up the wash slowly and methodically without any serious issues. This is kind of like one of those "How do you eat an elephant?" things. (Taking one step at a time.) Finally, we reached the saddle at the ridge that lies between Stanley B Canyon and Fletcher Canyon. The views are spectacular and we sat to take a break. We love our laid back pace! After a few minutes, we turned toward Cockscomb Peak and began a tough climb up the ridge.

View back from the start up the ridge toward Cockscomb Peak

One third of the way up to trail Junction (Cockscomb Peak above)

Kay admires boulder pinnacle and Harris Peak Beyond

Climbing steeply to junction Cairn

This is the toughest climb of the day! The things that make it worth it are the panoramic mountain views. There is a trail to follow. It is clear that someone has cut the climb short at one point. There is an advantage to taking the shorter route to the descent ridge, however, to get the full effect of the whole descent, I would suggest that you NOT take the shortcut. (Ignore the pink ribbon!) Instead, do your due diligence and climb all the way up to the cairn that lies in the middle of the ridge further up. Only then will you find the Cockscomb Peak Trail crossing the ridge. We turned left onto the trail and began a steep but very scenic descent. The ridge is narrow to begin so be careful as you pass the rock formations right and left.

Sue, Kay and Susan stand at the hike's High Point

Another view back as three Lady Hikers make the steep ridge Descent

The ridge becomes less Narrow

Heading into the scree on a vague Trail

Slowly and carefully, we took our time down some of the most slippery parts. When the ridge became wider, we passed where the shorter loop route comes in to join. We switchbacked small and large down until the trail began its journey down the right side of the ridge. Through the scree, there is a trail that is losing its purchase on the hillside. Knowing the trail, we stayed the course and easily descended to the bottom ... which is the top of the Stanley B left fork canyon. Someone has laid a nice rock-lined path there at the junction. The trail that follows as you hike down through the canyon has seen better days but it is still easy enough to follow and soon, we were passing the upper piped spring.

Trail leads through spring Water

Upper pipe Spring

Reaching the calm parts of the descent Trail

I couldn't resist!

At this piped spring, there is an old campsite that has since been ripped apart. The trail continues sidling up next to the spring flow then moves away for a while. Nearing the bottom of the left fork, the trail gives hikers a choice as to whether you hike up on a trail to the left of the water or you can hike in the water. We hiked in the water and took the offered trail that exits to the right. Another piped water spout comes out here and we hiked down to the mine's airhole. One last piped spring comes out in this vicinity among the bushes. This one used to be clearly seen but is now obscured. We hiked into the fork area, spoke to two hikers there, and continued down the trail. For variety, we used the old small mine road to finish out the hike down to the scramble wash exit. We saw one more hiker with his dog and finished the day! And, what a day it was! This is one of my favorite Spring Mountain hikes because of the challenges it presents. 

Stats: 4.5 miles; 1800' gain; 5.25 hours

The trail takes to the small stream as we near the lower Stanley B Fork.

Old Stanley B mining Road

Down through the scramble Wash