- Open all zippers and take everything out of the pack.
- Double check all is out of the pack. (You can leave any carabiners that are attached in place)
- Fill a bathtub up with warm water.
- Put no more than 1/8 cup of powder detergent or a little bit of liquid detergent that you would use to wash your clothes in the tub and run your hands in the tub water to dissolve all the detergent.
- Put the packs in the tub and completely submerge them. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Go back and vigorously agitate both packs and use your hands to scrub the padded areas.
- Resubmerge packs for another 5 minutes.
- Again vigorougsly reagitate both packs and pull the packs out of the tub.
- Drain the tub.
- Refill the tub with fresh warm water.
- Put both backs back into the tub. Reagitate both packs to remove all detergent.
- Empty bathtub water and repeat steps 10-11 again.
- Take packs outside and hang them up to dry.
"How to Clean a Backpack" by Richard Anderson
Since I'm the one home today I get to complete the task of cleaning our backpacks (Osprey Aura 65 and REI XT 85) after our 5-day excursion into the Grand Canyon. Richard (my boyfriend) is keen on cleaning all the gear as soon as we get back in order to remove the dirt, critters, and salty sweat remnants so that our stuff can last as long as possible. Neither of us really knows if there is a "proper technique" for cleaning the gear but here are the instructions he gave me for the ritualistic cleaning of the backpack.
Today's Hike: Camelback via Cholla Trail
Since I'm still prepping for our 5 night backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon I figured today was another great day to take advantage of the beautiful weather (can't beat 80s in May in Arizona!) and hike up Camelback.
I first stopped at the trailhead at Echo Canyon but realized I wasn't the only one trying to hike. The parking lot was full. The rangers were out again just like they were last week, several service vehicles were up there, making me think they're taking extra precautions to monitor the area since a fatality occured a few weeks ago.
Instead of wrangling with the parking situation at Echo Canyon I buzzed over to Invergordon to see what the other side of the mountain had going on. I was in luck, I parked just a couple blocks from the Cholla trailhead and got my hiking groove on.
I find it interesting that there are no rangers or service people on this side of the mountain. Does that mean it's safer? Less popular? Harder to access?
Anyway, up and up I climbed, passing a few people and getting passed by others. For some reason I think this trail is easier than Echo Canyon because I didn't stop at all on my way to the top today. Last week, I rested several times on the other side. I think Cholla provides some breaks in the intense steepness of the trail that Echo Canyon does not, because in actuality my heart rate monitor told me that it took me just as long to hike the Cholla trail, my average heart rate was equal to that of the other trail, and my max heart rate of 188 was actually higher (by two points) than it was on Echo Canyon. So I think, in reality, they're about equal in difficulty. I do think you're more exposed on the Cholla Trail for longer periods of time than on Echo Canyon. Echo Canyon is pretty much a boulder scramble but for the most part you are secure within the canyon walls and not exposed on both sides at any given time.
On the way up Cholla trail today, when the trail gives way to its own boulder scramble, navigating your way can be a little difficult, especially if you're new to the trail. A couple with British accents (I think) were ahead of me for some time and had several doubtful moments where they doubled back and lost the trail. Once I helped them realize the blue dots were there to help them find their way they were back on track and made it to the top after negotiating away from a rock wall in favor of a hidden dirt path to the south. Good for them!
At the top I was greeted by more than a dozen others. Someday I hope to get the Cheers! treatment when I get to the top of a mountain, where everybody up there knows my name and recognizes that it's my bar stool on top of the mountain!
I barely rested before heading back down, because I was hoping to get back down quickly since I had had to pee since I got to the trailhead. FYI- there are no bathrooms on the Cholla side and I was unable to find a secluded place where I felt comfortable dropping my drawers, so I sucked it up and hoped the pee would evaporate in my bladder. That didn't happen.
On the way down, I nearly stepped on Rico the chuckwalla when I side-stepped on a rock to give the right of way to the uphill hikers. They stopped with me to take some photos (and name him) before heading off to the top.
Farther down, below the saddle, I ran into a pair of hikers in distress. Two girls in their 20s, who had probably hiked the trail many times before, were stopped because one of them tripped. Her knee was torn open and bleeding quite a bit. I didn't see the fall and she had just poured water over the wound but the blood flow was pretty strong. It was a perfect time for my first aid kit to make an appearance. I have never had to use my first aid kid outside of blister therapy on backpacking trips, but today, it had its first shining moment. Neosporin, Gauze, tape, and whatever else they dug out of there to stop the bleeding. The girls were just below the saddle and the bleeding one hoped she could make it there before heading back down. I didn't wait around but I certainly hope they made it back okay.
To find out what's in my first aid kit, check out What's in your first aid kit?
To read more about the Cholla trail check out my info blog at: Cholla Trail
What's in your first aid kit?
In my first aid kit you will find:
- Neosporin: Neo To Go! packets
- Waterproof Adhesive Tape: 10 yards
- Q-tips for applying ointments
- 3x3 inch Sterile Pads
- Pro-Air inhaler (I have a mild case of exercise-induced asthma)
- A syringe for cleaning wounds/blisters with water in a more effective manner
- Antihistamines (Zyrtec and/or Benadryl)
- Advil (use little ziploc bags that buttons come in on dress pants/skirts to hold pills)
- Tums
- Water-Jel Burn Gel packets
- Neosporin Lip Treatment
- Alcohol prep pads
- Band aids of various sizes
- Tweezers
- Tiny circular Velcro pieces (to create a fastener, if needed, on a wrap)
What am I missing that you carry in yours?
Brown's Trail #133 @ Four Peaks Wilderness
BROWN’S TRAIL #133 (FOUR PEAKS WILDERNESS)
Brown’s Trail #133 is within the Four Peaks Wilderness area in the Tonto National Forest. The trail technically ends at Brown’s Saddle just below Brown’s Peak, the tallest and north easternmost of the four peaks, appropriately known as “Four Peaks.”
Links:
Tonto National Forest Website
Todd's Hiking Guide
Hike Arizona website
One-Way Mileage to Saddle: Approximately 2 miles.
Elevation Gain: ~1000 feet gain from the trailhead to the Saddle and another 1000ish feet gain to get to the top of Brown’s Peak. We went above the saddle but below the peak and achieved a top elevation of around 7300 feet.
Top Elevation: Approximately 6760’ at the saddle and 7660’ on Brown’s Peak.
Experience Needed: Hiking on steep trails which are sometimes fairly exposed to wind and drop-offs. If you’re afraid of heights or have trouble with steep hills this may not be for you. If you choose to summit Brown’s Peak you will need to be able to scramble boulders 10-15 feet high several times.
Difficulty: Listed as “more difficult” on the Tonto National Forest website.
Parking: Park at Lone Pine Saddle Trailhead, which is up FR143 via a 19-mile
dirt road. You should not attempt this without having a high clearance vehicle able to withstand an hour’s worth of bumping and grinding. It’s not a difficult 4x4 road but it’s not made for your standard Honda Civic. 4 wheel-drives may not be a necessity but it definitely is a plus. Some people park at the bottom of the junction off SR87 and then use ATVs or other recreational vehicles up the road. Here’s a photo of the cars we found at the trailhead – use this is a guide for what type of car is needed to get there.
Pets: We brought our mascot, Lucy the golden doodle, with us but she was the only pup we saw. And we turned back before finishing the Brown’s Peak hike due to safety factors from both the standpoint of Lucy’s capabilities and the big wind gusts we experienced that day.
People Meter: I found this to be a comfortable level of people. We passed several large groups going up or down and a few other folks but mostly we had the trails to ourselves.
Safety: We took along our walkie-talkies for the first time and were within range of each other the whole trip. We were also able to hear other conversations on our radio frequency. To me this indicates fairly decent safety since we were within range of getting additional help if need be. BUT, the hike is difficult, so be ready for a heart-pumping experience. My heart rate topped out at 186 at some places as we hiked to the saddle. Be sure to watch your footing, and hike with a buddy. Also- just because you’re in range of getting help, remember that you’re an hour into the wilderness, so it will be a fairly long time before you’re able to get medical attention. So be aware and safe! Remember getting up is optional but getting down is mandatory. Do NOT climb up anything you don’t think you can get back down!
My Experience: We intended to hike Brown’s Trail to the summit on May 15, 2011. We headed out with a late start from Cave Creek around 9:45. In our Jeep, the three of us and our mascot headed out to SR87 and then up the dirt road FR143. If you take a dog with you, I recommend a harness or some way to strap your pooch in. Lucy was anxious and had a few brain scrambles as she was knocked around between the seats over the bumpy 19 mile drive to the trailhead. Once at the trailhead we were so focused on hiking we didn’t even stop to verify which trail we took. A trail sign was there but it was blank – just wood, no sign. So we luckily chose the path we wanted to be on, but it’s a big reminder to start off on the right foot and trail! The hike quickly gains in elevation as you twist up and around, through foliage and rock. Richard quickly gained traction and was 15 minutes ahead of us but still reachable by walkie-talkie. He waited for us about 5 minutes below the saddle near a big rock with a great view of Roosevelt Lake.
At the saddle we stared up at Brown’s Peak and put away our hiking sticks. The rest of the hike would need our hands and feet to get there. Lucy the dog is like a billy goat but after several minutes of climbing we faced the crevasse of the tall rock wall we’d need to scramble up before summiting. That, coupled with the 40+ mph wind gusts, made us rethink our stopping point for the day. We had already hiked two hours and were happy with our progress, so we decided not to push it and to put the hike on our schedule for June. We watched some hikers get to the top through our binoculars while we sat and rested, refueled and headed back down.
For more photos and information about this trip and other things going on outside in Arizona be sure to "like" OutsideAZ on facebook.
Brown’s Trail #133 is within the Four Peaks Wilderness area in the Tonto National Forest. The trail technically ends at Brown’s Saddle just below Brown’s Peak, the tallest and north easternmost of the four peaks, appropriately known as “Four Peaks.”
Tonto National Forest Website
Todd's Hiking Guide
Hike Arizona website
One-Way Mileage to Saddle: Approximately 2 miles.
Elevation Gain: ~1000 feet gain from the trailhead to the Saddle and another 1000ish feet gain to get to the top of Brown’s Peak. We went above the saddle but below the peak and achieved a top elevation of around 7300 feet.
Top Elevation: Approximately 6760’ at the saddle and 7660’ on Brown’s Peak.
Experience Needed: Hiking on steep trails which are sometimes fairly exposed to wind and drop-offs. If you’re afraid of heights or have trouble with steep hills this may not be for you. If you choose to summit Brown’s Peak you will need to be able to scramble boulders 10-15 feet high several times.
Difficulty: Listed as “more difficult” on the Tonto National Forest website.
Parking: Park at Lone Pine Saddle Trailhead, which is up FR143 via a 19-mile
People Meter: I found this to be a comfortable level of people. We passed several large groups going up or down and a few other folks but mostly we had the trails to ourselves.
Safety: We took along our walkie-talkies for the first time and were within range of each other the whole trip. We were also able to hear other conversations on our radio frequency. To me this indicates fairly decent safety since we were within range of getting additional help if need be. BUT, the hike is difficult, so be ready for a heart-pumping experience. My heart rate topped out at 186 at some places as we hiked to the saddle. Be sure to watch your footing, and hike with a buddy. Also- just because you’re in range of getting help, remember that you’re an hour into the wilderness, so it will be a fairly long time before you’re able to get medical attention. So be aware and safe! Remember getting up is optional but getting down is mandatory. Do NOT climb up anything you don’t think you can get back down!
My Experience: We intended to hike Brown’s Trail to the summit on May 15, 2011. We headed out with a late start from Cave Creek around 9:45. In our Jeep, the three of us and our mascot headed out to SR87 and then up the dirt road FR143. If you take a dog with you, I recommend a harness or some way to strap your pooch in. Lucy was anxious and had a few brain scrambles as she was knocked around between the seats over the bumpy 19 mile drive to the trailhead. Once at the trailhead we were so focused on hiking we didn’t even stop to verify which trail we took. A trail sign was there but it was blank – just wood, no sign. So we luckily chose the path we wanted to be on, but it’s a big reminder to start off on the right foot and trail! The hike quickly gains in elevation as you twist up and around, through foliage and rock. Richard quickly gained traction and was 15 minutes ahead of us but still reachable by walkie-talkie. He waited for us about 5 minutes below the saddle near a big rock with a great view of Roosevelt Lake.
At the saddle we stared up at Brown’s Peak and put away our hiking sticks. The rest of the hike would need our hands and feet to get there. Lucy the dog is like a billy goat but after several minutes of climbing we faced the crevasse of the tall rock wall we’d need to scramble up before summiting. That, coupled with the 40+ mph wind gusts, made us rethink our stopping point for the day. We had already hiked two hours and were happy with our progress, so we decided not to push it and to put the hike on our schedule for June. We watched some hikers get to the top through our binoculars while we sat and rested, refueled and headed back down.
On the way down we noticed what we thought was a camp fire in the distance had turned into something a bit more ominous. Richard called and reported it, we were not the first to call but they were appreciative of the call. As we drove back out FR143 we drove right by the area and the fire service was already on scene hiking out to contain the damage. We saw several planes fly by and one dropped a powdery red-orange substance out on to the area.
It was a fairly small fire as forest fires go, but the winds were high so hopefully they’re able to stop its expansion fast!
It was a fairly small fire as forest fires go, but the winds were high so hopefully they’re able to stop its expansion fast!
For more photos and information about this trip and other things going on outside in Arizona be sure to "like" OutsideAZ on facebook.
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