Harris Base Exploratory - 8/1/24

Ralyn bushwhacks down the foothills of Harris Peak

Charleston Peak from base of Harris Peak

One of many Harris Peak Drainages

Telephone Line Trail

People staying in the campgrounds of Kyle Canyon probably know these trails better than we do but I have been wondering for years if these trails are interesting and if they go anywhere. So, Ralyn, Mike and I set out to explore. We started with the trail that heads straight up toward the base of Harris Peak across the Kyle Canyon wash from the Fletcher Canyon Trailhead. There is a fence next to the property of the Rangers' residence and just to the left of the fence, there is a trail that I'll call the Carpenter One Trail since that is my best guess as to when the trail appeared. Taking a slow pace, we began our climb. The trail jogged a little to the left when we crossed the Telephone Line Trail. As we climbed, we joked about the steep trail being a Trail Canyon Trail #2! It was surprising how good the trail was and we watched a large deer cross into the brush ahead. The view up was never changing! But, when we turned around to view Mummy Mountain and Fletcher Peak, it made you feel like you were standing in a huge amphitheater.

Climbing the Carpenter One Trail

The Carpenter One Trail

The end of Carpenter One Trail

Finding vague game Trails

At only about 0.6 miles up, the good trail peters out and you are left with game trail sized paths. Pretty soon, the paths disappear as well. Knee-high growth brush covers the area which appears to be a very large alluvial fan with several arroyos spreading out from one end of Harris Peak above to the other. There are trees up until the trail ended but most of the trees after that have been destroyed by fire. They are now laying on the ground or standing defiantly as they proudly sport their burn scars. The Carpenter One Fire burned in the summer of 2013. We made our way up the slope trying to avoid the worst of the brush and fallen trees. About half way up, we decided to try and cross the fan to the right. We found that the drainages were all fairly deep and difficult to cross. Nevertheless, we made our way over using old paths and even followed one of the drainages down a short distance. The brush on the ridges remained thick with very few clear patches. We continued our bushwhack down the hill ending up back at the Carpenter One Trail. We came. We saw.

Mike fighting the Brush

Drainage with Deer Creek Road in Background

Fletcher Canyon and Mummy Mountain from bushwhack Loop

Huge tree to "play" On

We descended the trail to the Telephone Line Trail crossing and turned to the right. This trail seems to be well used and it crosses several deep gulleys. These gulleys are the bottom portions of the gulleys we were encountering on the alluvial fan above. After about 0.2 mile, we came to a gulley with an orange survey tape beckoning. Deciding to go just a little further, we found an interesting small wooded trail on the left that eventually led us to a campsite where a gentleman was sitting looking very relaxed. He was very hospitable and we apologized for hiking through his site. He said we weren't the first and we wouldn't be the last. I guess that little wooded trail traps hikers often. From there, we walked down to the main camp road, turned left onto the Acastus Trail and walked another half mile to our car. It was a fun adventurous morning. Just be sure to wear long pants for the brush!

Stats: 2.6 miles; 925' gain; 2.5 hours

Telephone Line Trail to East

Small trail through forest above Campground

Returning to Fletcher Canyon Trailhead