Stanley B Loop - 6/4/22

Five Hikers on the Stanley B Saddle

Stanley B Mine (Lead) Area

West Canyon Springs

Climbing the Stanley B Wash

Looking for a short moderately strenuous type hike, five hikers arrived at the Stanley B Trailhead. It was early and a little cool. There is a new trail we had discovered late last summer and we wanted to see if it had stood the test of time. This trail is located on a scree slope with a lot of protruding rock outcrops. It is vulnerable to trail cutting. If hikers would stay the course and stick to the trail as it is laid out, I think the trail will live. Otherwise, the good work that someone did to build the trail in such a fragile environment, will be demolished without constant upkeep. We started up the Stanley B wash directly from the parking lot. This is a beautiful old wash trail leading up to cross the old mine road.

Trail in Stanley B Wash

Trail up to Campsite Area

Trail up to the Mine

Climbing the East Canyon

Normally, we turn onto the road but for this hike, we continued straight up the wash trail to an area used for camping. On the way, we scrambled just a little. At the camp, we ran into brush and crossed up to the right to join the mine road. A left turn and we were soon at the canyon fork. The fork to the right is the east canyon. It passes up by the mine entrances and climbs around 900' up to the ridge saddle. It is a good climb with a trail leading up a couple of scrambles, the pinwheel tree, the pine glade, the rock outcrop fork and other points of interest. This climb never ceases to challenge. The last bit climbs steeply up the top of the gulley onto the saddle where we stopped for a break in the shade of a large ponderosa pine.

East Canyon

A Scramble

Stanley B Saddle with Mummy's Toe

The Blue Hiker Group (I did not get the memo.)

On the other side of the ridge, we looked down to see the upper portions of Fletcher Canyon. Across from our ridge, we located the North Loop Trail stretching between Raintree and the Trail Canyon Saddle. Looking up, we saw the lower extremities of Mummy Mountain. Mummy's Toe was prominently watching over us. Our ridge extended out to the right and left. However, the left side climbed steeply up toward Cockscomb Peak. Some club members have taken to climbing this peak from the Stanley B Saddle. They say it is much easier.... That is really rough terrain up that way. Really rough. We took our break and photos then proceeded to descend. This is where our hike gets interesting!

Cockscomb Peak (L)

Traverse from Saddle to Trail

Arriving at Trail Junction

Ridge Descent on Trail

We started toward the gulley we had come up and, almost immediately, began a traverse to the west. A lot of the route is scree on the side of a steep hill. It is interesting that there is still some semblance of tracks to follow. Are they ours? Or, is there someone else following this route? In the future, I would really like to improve this section of the hike. Perhaps the "trail" will eventually improve from use. Or, we will find another way to go around this. The traverse dips past the next arroyo and follows along a rotting large fallen tree. The trajectory diagonally up from the tree takes you to a well-made trail that comes down from further up the ridge. We must learn from where! Once on the trail, we saw that there were footprints. Fantastic! The trail is in good shape!

Trail down to top of West Canyon

Starting down West Canyon Wash

A Double Ducker Tree

A Slippery Transition

The trail leads down the spine of the ridge then curves to the right to zigzag down through that lightweight scree I mentioned in the beginning. Once in the west canyon wash, the trail continues down past three spring pipes with running water. Although the trail was better maintained last year, it is still in good condition. We enjoyed the zigging and zagging in the trail and the moist west canyon. Down at the main fork again, Ralyn and I took a side trip up to an overlook rock then returned for our trip down the mine road. We stayed on the mine road until we junctioned with the Stanley B wash. A left turn here took us down the beautiful wash and back to the cars. This is a fun little hike with a great climbing workout. Just make sure you are ready for the uneven footing of the scree-filled traverse starting down from the ridge. A little more research is needed here. Stay tuned!

Stats: 3.8 miles; 1550' gain; 3.25 hours

Steeply Down for 20 Feet

Old Mine Road

Stanley B Wash Descent