March 3, 2010

The other side of the backyard (Slavin Gulch)


When we hiked the Stronghold last week, we met a couple of women who had recently been in Slavin Gulch, and enthusiastically told us that it was "waterfall upon waterfall". We got more rain over the weekend, and I could not wait to go and see the place.

Slavin Gulch is on the west side of the Stronghold (the WD is on the east side), and it is about an hour's drive from us over almost all dirt road. Very well worth the trip however. I knew that we were in for a splendid day when 3 javelina's levitated across our road on the way out.


We left the car about 9:30 and headed up the gulch, with water already gurgling along the trail. It is reminiscent of our Stronghold hike, just a bit longer and with a little more elevation gain. We crossed the stream a number of times and it was spectacular. Emma went in belly deep several times, and we had to jump from rock to rock.


The trail ends at a dilapidated mine chute where in the past they mined for copper, silver and lead, and we had our lunch there. It is an up-and-back trail but, this being our first time, the return trip was just as interesting.


It is a hike we will certainly do again, but only in the winter or spring. It is too sun-exposed for the summer, with a good potential for flash flooding. We walked 6.9 miles and gained, and lost, 1299 feet of elevation. It was a splendid day. We are all tired.

3 comments:

Gail said...

What beauty surrounds you, you are very lucky.

DJ said...

It seems like one who has been thrown from a horse and has a splint on her arm should not be leaping from "rock to rock". Please be careful.:)

Anneke said...

I am careful, believe me. I have a brace on my wrist now, and it is improving a lot every day. Thing is, I cannot just sit around. And I was not thrown off, I just went a different direction than Buggs :-); it wasn't a rodeo or anything like that.