60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Phoenix 2ed

37 SUPERSTITION RIDGELINE^*

KEY AT-A-GLANCE INFORMATION

LENGTH: 11.7 miles

ELEVATION GAIN: 2,790 feet (4,850 feet accumulated gain)

CONFIGURATION: One-way

DIFFICULTY: Very difficult

SCENERY: Superstition Mountains, Flatiron, Weaver’s Needle, mountain panoramas, canyons, seasonal waterfalls

EXPOSURE: Mostly exposed; some shade in canyons

TRAFFIC: Light

TRAIL SURFACE: Rock, gravel, boulders, scrambling, climbing

HIKING TIME: 8–12 hours

WATER REQUIREMENT: 4 quarts

SEASON: November–April; not recommended in summer

ACCESS: Sunrise to sunset; $6 entrance at Lost Dutchman State Park, free at Carney Springs

MAPS: USGS Goldfield and Weaver’s Needle, Tonto National Forest map

FACILITIES: Lost Dutchman: restroom, water, picnic area, camping, ranger station; Carney Springs: none

DOGS: Not recommended because of climbing and scrambling

COMMENTS: This is the most difficult hike in the Phoenix area.

GPS Trailhead Coordinates

UTM Zone 12S

Easting 0466290

Northing 3693930

Latitude N33°23.159'

Longitude W111°21.786'

Directions

Lost Dutchman State Park: Drive east on US 60 and exit at Idaho Road. Drive 2.25 miles north on Idaho Road to SR 88, the Apache Trail. Turn northeast onto SR 88 and continue 5 miles to the entrance of Lost Dutchman State Park. Pay the entrance fee and then follow the signs to the Siphon Draw Trailhead in the Day Use Area.

Carney Springs: Continue east on US 60 to Peralta Road at mile marker 204. Turn northeast onto Peralta Road and reset your trip odometer here. Follow Peralta Road which eventually becomes a graded dirt road, to a fork at 5.5 miles. Bear left at the fork and continue to a small pull-out at 6.2 miles. A rugged and rocky dirt road to Carney Springs has been fenced off, so park your car at the pull-out.

IN BRIEF

Crossing the Superstition Ridgeline is one of those feats that you brag about for a long time. This combination hike and scramble challenges even the hardiest of outdoor aficionados and earns its nickname of “Superstitions Death March.”

DESCRIPTION

With a nickname like “Superstitions Death March,” the ridgeline hike has attained legendary status, the mere mention of this grueling endurance test evoking awe and trepidation. Despite the ridgeline’s well-deserved reputation as the toughest hike near Phoenix, most hikers who tackle it love the experience and can’t wait to try it again–—after a period of recovery, of course. With open views of Weaver’s Needle, Superstition Wilderness, and Four Peaks, scenery along the high ridge is nothing short of stunning.

There is no official trail across the ridgeline, but years of use have carved an established route marked by cairns. Route-finding and scrambling skills are required for this rigorous hike. Therefore, only conditioned, experienced hikers should attempt the ridgeline, preferably with someone familiar with the route. Because of its difficulty, crossing the Superstition Ridgeline is not recommended during hot summer months. Always tell someone where you are going, and remember to bring plenty of water. Also, leave your four-legged friends at home because they will have trouble with several spots that require climbing.

OK, after so many dire warnings, how can you resist the challenge? You can hike the ridgeline in either direction, though I find going from east to west somewhat easier. Stash a vehicle at Lost Dutchman State Park, and drive around to the Carney Springs parking area. Walk north toward the mountain along an old jeep trail for 0.6 miles, and find a small equestrian guard in the fence that marks the wilderness boundary. Your epic adventure begins here. Cross the fence and head out on the narrow foot trail.

The trail begins gently but turns steeply uphill at 1 mile. Look for a seasonal waterfall in a mountainside crevice in the distance. Climb up ridiculously steep and rocky slopes beginning at 1.3 miles, using cairns to guide your ascent. Take a quick breather at an open intermediate saddle 1.5 miles from the trailhead. In spring many wildflowers can be seen along the way. One particularly interesting succulent indigenous to this region is the rock echeveria or live-forever. Look for its candy-corn-like red and orange flowers clinging to rocky crags.

Resume the torturous climb and reach the higher West Boulder Saddle at 3,680 feet, 1.85 miles from the trailhead. You now have gained 1,350 feet, most of it in only half a mile. Turn around to survey your ascent of the canyon below. The trapezoidal Picketpost Mountain can be seen in the distance. Step around the large boulder at the saddle and catch your first glimpse of the hoodoos atop Superstition Peak.

Turn left at West Boulder Saddle and hike west toward Superstition Peak. The trail mercifully flattens out for a while as you snake around boulders and thick patches of vegetation. Drop into upper West Boulder Canyon, and cross the seasonal Willow Spring at 2.4 miles. Then turn left uphill where the trail flattens out again with a view of Weaver’s Needle jutting out above the opposite ridge.

At 2.8 miles cross a small stream in the upper reaches of the basin and begin another steep climb through thick grasses. Then turn left up a rocky chute with a small cairn on top marking the trail, and hike up a rocky ridge with views toward the south. The trail then begins yet another steep and slippery ascent. At these considerably higher elevations, the plants are noticeably different from those lower in the canyon. Sotols and agaves thrive, and banana yuccas display stalks of delicate white flowers in April and May. The climb culminates at a saddle point with huge views of Gold Canyon and Apache Junction to the south. Weaver’s Needle stands distinct in the northeast.

Continue up the ridge and down to another saddle. Watch out for the aptly named shindagger, a small but sharp plant that resembles an agave. At 3.6 miles from the trailhead, make your way up a slope of loose shale to find the trail bending to the north and heading toward Weaver’s Needle. The trail then bends around the mountain and takes aim at the 5,057-foot Superstition Peak, which upon closer inspection is no more than a pile of hoodoos. The trail can be hard to find here, so look carefully for cairns. When in doubt, head for the tallest peak you see. The correct route skirts Superstition Peak on the right and reaches an obvious saddle just north of the peak, 4.2 miles from the trailhead.

Cross the saddle toward the west, but then go north around the left side of the hoodoos to a large flat area with sheer drop-offs. Look for a cairn near the northern cliff marking your first scary class-3 scramble, which descends a rocky chute. After carefully climbing down, head for the southwestern side of the boulders straight ahead. The trail descends about 50 feet along a steep, loose slope, but then turns north across the base of the boulders. This section requires some scrambling and bushwhacking, but once again, cairns guide your way along a faint path.

Past the scrambling section, a saddle greets you nearly 4.6 miles from the trailhead. Scenic Hieroglyphic Canyon lies to the south. Tackle the uphill to the south of the ridge, and then cross over to the northern side as you bob up and down across several saddles. One of the most challenging aspects of this hike is enduring the undulations along the ridge. Near 5.1 miles, the trail fades once more. You can either veer right and climb up to the top of the ridge, or take a climbing traverse along the southern side of the hill. Look for a lone pine tree on the ridgeline at 5.5 miles. If you lose the trail, head for this pine tree because the trail runs right next to it.

You’ll reach a high point on the ridgeline just past the pine tree. From this vantage point, you look down on Weaver’s Needle to the northeast and Hog Canyon to the southwest, and see Superstition Peak behind you, and the unnamed peak above Siphon Draw, your destination for the day. Descend from this pinnacle toward a confusing forest of boulders. The trail veers slightly left and squeezes through a crevice before dumping you out on the ridgeline again.

Route-finding becomes much easier now as you pick up the pace along the chiseled ridgeline. The trail tackles the ridge head-on and ducks to the north when it seems impassible, only to return to the ridgeline later. The next mile is a classic ridge walk where you literally hike the spine of the Superstitions. Admire grandiose views to either side of the trail, and look for bright purple blossoms on spiny hedgehog cacti in April.

Near 7.1 miles, the trail comes to a flat outcropping, a scenic overlook into Monument Canyon and a great place to take a quick break. A quarter mile farther, another steep descent awaits. This is the second steep scramble down a rocky, loose chute, but thankfully it is less technical than the first. Dropping to 4,200 feet, you’ll reach the final low saddle on the ridge. Climbing up again feels tough, but take comfort in knowing that the worst is behind you.

Regain most of the lost elevation, and draw level with the ridge again. The trail takes a long, flat traverse around the top of Monument Canyon and across the level ledge ahead. At 8.7 miles begin your final ascent, which leads to a high saddle overlooking the famous Flatiron. Those familiar with Siphon Draw breathe a sigh of relief because this is the end of the ridgeline. However, more challenges lurk around the corner. Descending Siphon Draw is no small task.

Refer to the Siphon Draw chapter for descriptions on the return to Lost Dutchman State Park, where you should have a shuttle vehicle or a ride waiting. Conquering the Superstition Ridgeline puts you among the most elite of Phoenix hikers and deservedly earns bragging rights for years to come.

NEARBY ACTIVITIES

The Superstition Mountains are home to many hikes detailed in this book. Peralta, Lost Goldmine, and Siphon Draw trails are just a few examples of excellent hikes in the area. Usery Mountains to the west offer other hiking opportunities.