Bluff Springs Mt. via Ely Anderson Trail

Yes folks.  Another early start as the sun has just crept above the horizon, lighting the mountains to my west. An 8am start is not bad despite the 90 minute drive.  I was introduced to the group as "Mark from Tucson" and for once didn't correct with Oro Valley.

Our hike leader, the legendary Phil Livingston, leads us from the Peralta trailhead via Bluff Springs trail.  We quickly rise above much of our surroundings.  Phil has explored the area like few before him.  After the initial climb, the trail is mostly rolling prior to dropping into....

….a cool canyon with water flowing through it.  Here, we pass the start of the Terrapin trail to our left but remain on the Bluff Springs trail.

We climb out of the canyon and take a break.  The experienced hiker knows to watch Phil carefully whenever there is a pause in the action.  Phil knows where all the gold is hidden and just maybe, I will catch him bending into a crevice a retrieving a bag of gold dust or something similar.

After 3.5 miles, we reach the faint and little known Ely Anderson trail.  Heading into the thicket I jump ahead as I enjoy testing my route finding skills and know Phil could care less if I leave the group for awhile. It was a fun and steep ascent.  I did lose the route and found myself on the opposite side of a canyon but managed to wind my way back on route while also, as always.....

….enjoying the views!

I reach a ridge and continue on up to the above rocky point.  There I can see another and final ridge to the west that would have afforded magnificent views of Weaver's Needle and other features.  The group had not yet reached the first ridge and I began to doubt they would advance farther so I sat, ate an apple and.....

….continued to be awe struck by what I saw. Superstition Peak way in the distance.

More and.....

….more.  I spotted the group, stopped at the ridge and settling in for a break so I.....

….walked back down and we decided, rather than continue to climb the gentle slope to the aforementioned overlook, we would....

….descend back to the BS trail, hang a left and then a quick right onto the Dutchman trail, then pass Miner's Needle and back to the parking lot.  A fine loop.

Reaching the main trail, I looked back and saw the group navigating the descent.  Phil had given me the ok to just keep going since I had that drive so I kept going.

After about a mile, I reached a saddle and whoa, Miner's Needle.  The slope to the right is a fun scramble into the Needle but I did not have time to do that today.

Awesome views to the southeast.  I proceeded on a long and winding descent but looked back and....

...if you look closely at the above image, there is a small hole on the upper right side of the rock formation.  Legend has it that on one day of the year, at a certain time, light cast from the hole shows the exact location of buried treasure.  As implausible as the story is, I have no doubt many have been here when the sun sinks to the west, looking for the spot.

I follow the trail, there on the left canyon side, serpentining it's way down canyon. After 12 miles and 2400 accumulated feet of climbing I.....

…..reach the best view of them all at this point of a hike, the parking lot.