Troop 95 has been working on the Hiking Merit Badge, and for the culminating event we needed a 20 mile hike. Back in December we had headed down to the Superstition Mountains and approached Weaver's Needle from the south side, but we wanted to see what it looked like from the north side. What a great opportunity for a 20 mile hike!
It's a long drive from Prescott Valley to the Superstition Mountains, so by the time we got to the trailhead and got going it was almost 8pm. There was no moon so the only light we had was from our headlamps. The trails are pretty well maintained and clearly marked, and we were able to keep our feet heading in the right direction, even when we had to climb Bull Pass - which makes for a pretty good hike at midnight! As soon as we got back to level ground we called it good for the night, even though we were only at the 6 mile mark. The Scouts sacked out right away, but 6:30 came quickly and it was rise and shine and back on the trail.
We left our packs and took a small 2 mile detour into La Barge Canyon, where the wildflowers covered the hillsides and the water flowed clear and plentiful. Once we got back to the campsite we rucked up and got back into the hiking groove - we still had another 12 miles to go! As we headed for the very tough climb to the Weaver's Needle north base and then an even tougher climb that would be cross country through canyons and thick brush to another trail, one of our newer Scouts and his father decided it would be best if they headed back to the vehicles due to some fatigue and comfort issues. It was a 6 mile walk back for them, and we gave them a map and bid them farewell for now.
The next 6 miles were a real treat! We got to the northern side of Weaver's Needle and had lunch, but then rocky terrain, steep canyons, thick brush, and thorny bushes of every description awaited us as we cut cross country in order to reach a trail on the other side. Once we finally got there, we discovered that the trail was rarely used and almost unrecognizable as a trail, so we hiked out through a dry river bed. The temperature all day had been warm but comfortable, but nonetheless we were starting to run low on water and were eager to get back on the trail, which was comparably easier than cross country hiking in this terrain! Once we got back to the main trailhead we still had 6 miles to go in order to reach the cars, so we buckled down, sucked it up, and pushed on. At times it seemed as if someone was taking the trail from behind us and putting it in front of us, but we finally made it back to the vehicles. Much to our dismay the father and son that had left us earlier were nowhere to be found, and after a couple hours of waiting and sending Scouts back to the main trailheads to search around, we had some dayhikers come out and tell us that they had seen the father and son, but they were on the wrong trail. Once again the Scouts headed out to look for them, but to no avail. Finally a county Deputy came by and informed us that the father had been able to get out on his phone and make a call to the 911 dispatcher. A helicopter was on its way and would have to locate them and then extract them. It took a couple more hours for this to happen, but in the end everyone came out okay. A wrong turn at a trail signpost and then misunderstood directions from the dayhikers had sent the father and son headed in the opposite direction from the vehicles, and finally with fading sunlight and limited resources they decided to call 911. As we climbed in our vehicles we were relieved to be heading back home together, despite a minor setback. This just goes to show that even a small error in navigation can be compounded if you are unfamiliar with the area, and helped to remind us that we always need to be prepared and trained for the possibility of getting lost.
The four Scouts that made the whole 20+ mile loop will be getting the Hiking merit badge, as well as another Scout that wasn't able to make it but had already completed a 25 mile hike in the Grand Canyon earlier this year. Good job boys - we're proud of you!
