Friday was a beautiful day for a hike in the Superstition Mts. The group was scheduled for a moderate-difficult 5.6 mile hike with an elevation gain of 1370'.
This is the trailhead for a couple of hikes in the Superstition Mts.
Fremont Saddle was one of my first hikes in 2006. I thought I was going to die. 1370' in less than 2 miles???? I don't do well in extreme elevation gain.
I don't remember the interesting rock formations. My memory is of sitting on a large rock waiting for the hikers to come back down the trail as I listened to gunshots below me.
Some folks were having target practice in the desert below me. The gun shots echoed among the hills and canyons. I had no idea who, what or where as I sat wearing my tan hiking club T-shirt, blending in with the rocks. I was very relived when some of the hikers came back and as a group we went back down. Safety in numbers, you know. I have not hiked it since. I may have missed an awesome opportunity based on the above photo.
The Lone Pine Tree is .5 miles from the saddle of Fremont Saddle. A trip out to the tree adds a mile with very little elevation gain. The tree was the destination of most of the 30+ hikers this morning because of the awesome views from that point.
More interesting rocks...
and a spectacular view of Weaver's Needle.
The Lone Pine Tree was really important Friday because it was the landmark the helicopter pilot recognized when he needed to land the Search and Rescue chopper to rescue one of our hikers.
One of the gentlemen (an experienced AZ hiker) fell and was unable to get up. He was placed on a stretcher and carried to the chopper...
for transport to the hospital. He has a broken rib and a small lung puncture. He is a lucky man.
As the chopper lifted off the hikers headed back down the mountain.
Looking at the rock formations from another angle.
Before they reached the parking lot, some of the hikers saw a rattlesnake on the trail. Hubby wasn't in that group, so I don't have a photo. Some of the group also watched some folks hang gliding off the mountain. But I don't have a photo of that either.
This hike was NOT typical of the CVHC!
Good job Coleen. Another view of the day.
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