Up the Creek - 8/13/20

Upper Fletcher Canyon Creek

Roots!

Small Spring enters Wash

Climbing Trail Canyon

Did you ever get the urge to do a little scrambling in the middle of the summer when all the good hiking is in the Spring Mountains? Well, a cheerful quartet of AtBF club members found a great wash to quell that urge! Not only is the wash a stair-climbing anomaly but it is absolutely beautiful, has running water in parts of it and is an unusual feature in the Spring Mountains NRA. ... And, it's right under your nose! This is the uppermost section of Fletcher Canyon wash found within the "bowl" just below the North Loop Trail across the Trail Canyon Saddle. The 5.25 mile hike/scramble begins at the Trail Canyon Trailhead with a slow and steady climb up to the saddle where Trail Canyon Trail junctions with the North Loop.

Trail Canyon Switchbacks

Charleston Peak from Trail Canyon

Social Distancing on the Saddle

Diving down the Small Steep Trail

The four of us climbed at our own pace. I ran into Charlie & Peggy who were on their way down. We talked a minute then went on our way. I found the other three hikers relaxing on the saddle log sitting at least 6 feet apart, a la pandemic style! After a moment, we continued across the saddle to head in the direction of Raintree on the North Loop Trail. However, our turnoff arrived only around 50 feet from the saddle to the right. It is a small trail that heads steeply downhill at a slight angle. In the recent past, this trail has become slippery from use. Care must be taken for your safety. The trail flattens out above a ridge and continues for just a few more yards. But, the route turns downhill anywhere in this area.

Big Boulder Landmark Quartet

Starting up the Creek

Running Water

Scramble Wash

There are little trails found here and there steeply downhill but, suffice it to say, your target is a very large boulder (Big Boulder Landmark) found near the bottom of the bowl. We stopped at the rock for a photo then went on to drop into the wash not far below. There is typically a water flow in the wash at this point. This is the uppermost part of Fletcher Canyon and, until today, we had never scrambled up the wash even though we had hiked down it a few times. What a wonderful surprise! The scramble is challenging enough to make you break a sweat! And, the wash is beautiful with the water flow, the limestone boulders big and small and the rising peaks of Mummy Mountain above it.

Upper Fletcher Canyon Wash

Enjoying the Climb

Pinnacles up to the Left

Ralyn takes the Balance Challenge

The wash offers a handful of small climbs that require use of hands. There is only one place we had to exit the wash and go around an obstacle. (But, a few built up rocks would remedy that.) Only one piece of advice: the rocks are slippery and many of them rock 'n' roll. (Just adds to the challenge.) We were picking our way up the middle of the creek bed. We took our break mid-scramble where we had a view down canyon that can't easily be beat. When we reached the top where the North Loop Trail crossed our path, we had to sit and rest a couple of minutes. Everyone agreed that it was a very good scramble and the wash is much better as an ascent than a descent.

Taking a Break with a Beautiful View

Rita and a Hands-On Climb Up

Nearing the North Loop Junction

Cool Mike leads the way up the Creek!

After our rest, we turned left on the North Loop Trail and hiked back to the Trail Canyon Saddle. Along the way, we looked down to our left and could see a lengthy section of the wash we had just come up. We stopped at the saddle to talk to other hikers then started down Trail Canyon very satisfied about today's exploration. Still learning new stuff in the Spring Mountains NRA.

Stats: 5.25 miles; 2000' gain; 3.75 hours

Arriving at the North Loop Junction

View down to Big Boulder area from North Loop Trail

Down Trail Canyon