6 days in the San Francisco Peaks/Mt Elden near Flagstaff

Trip was reduced to an overnite hike as my friend from Phoenix had a hard time breathing in Flagstaff at 6500 feet so the hike we did to 9000 feet was more harder than he imagined.

On Tuesday last we started on the left at the hwy 180 entrance to Shultz Pass Road/trail and hiked 4.4 miles to Shultz Pass Tank, a pond-like area for wildlife and humans in the wilds.. We stayed one night. Campfires have been dissallowed since a large forest fire in the region in the mid-summer of 2010. Darkness fell about 8 pm.  The views from the lake were of the San Francisco Peaks.

On Wednesday we decided not to attempt the hike up to Doyle Saddle at above 11,000 feet. Instead we turned southeast and hiked up to the top of Mt Elden which would have been where we were going to hike back on Friday. It was a 700 foot climb over 1 1/2 miles to Elden Ridge. My friend and I at his pace took 2 hours to do this. He took a 2 hour nap at the ridge. Then we hiked up to Elden Peak. The views down below into east Flagstaff were nice. (I will put up some pictures later after I catalog them)

We were going to stay another night near Elden peak but my tired friend wanted to hike back down to Flagstaff instead, so we did dropping down the Elden Lookout Trail 1.4 miles back to east Flagstaff, on the right above on the map.

Shultz Tank and the San Francisco Peaks, Tues 9th afternoon

Campfire at Shultz Tank and the peaks.

Rainbow after sunset and Ponderosa Pines

Sunset at Shultz Tank

Sunset colors at Shultz Tank

Camp at Shultz Tank, my tent in the background is just my rainfly on the poles and a tarp on the ground, saved 2 lbs not carrying the inner tent.

Sunrise the next morning (Weds 10th) Fremont Peak in center top 11,696', Agassiz Peak on left 12,356'

Sunset trailhead to Elden Ridge, my new hiking friend Arthur

Part of the Arizona Trail on Mt Elden trail jct, were heading to Elden Lookout

Arthur brings up the rear, being from Phoenix AZ (1150' above sea level) he has breathing difficulty with the elevation being near 8500 here.

A double fungi along the trail, being the monsoon season lots or mushrooms and other fungi were everywhere

A young Balsam Fir grows out of a volcanic rock

Agassiz Peak from the Sunset Trail to Elden Lookout

Trail Jct along the Elden Lookout trail

Fire damage from a big forest fire 20 years ago along the Sunset Trail

For some reason maybe the light rain my digital camera malfunctioned after this and when I downloaded the images to my PC they came out in multiple images on the same frame.

This multi image is an example of how they downloaded.

This is a volcanic rock outcropping and eastern Arizona in the distance.

Anyone know what I might try to change the setting to get the images back to single frames? I have not erased the images from the camera. I don't have the camera's manual.

Great trip, Gary. I am really raring at the bit to get out to Wyoming next month! Invitation is still open if you want to come join me on my hike :)

What's the camera make and model?

Good stuff Gary. This is just making me want to take my pursuits to places other than the east all that much more. 

Nice TR Gary. Sorry trip got cut short but glad ya got to go. Hope your friend has recovered okay.

Is that part of Passage #31 of the AZT?

Gonzan,

My camera is the Sony Cybershot DSC-W1

Azrhino,

The section we hiked is section #33 Mt Elden, www.aztrail.org

All the signs said Arizona Trail beneath them, like below.

I am think next week about going back and trying to do the Peaks section by myself. I just need to go lighter and carry as much water as I can. Maybe a 3 day hike
.

I would go the same way we went off 180N (Bottom) and come down the trail back to the Arizona Snow Bowl (Upper middle)

 more scale

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