Not the Usual Way

The destination of dozens of hikers from Phoenix each day and a hike I have completed 7-8times, to the Flat Iron in the Superstition Wilderness.  BUT.... recently I heard there was a back way from the north side, off trail and rugged so my kind of hike. 

I followed a dirt road, reached the 1st Water trail head and following a gpx route, struck out among a beautiful Sonoran landscape.  Still so green but that will change soon.  The red line above shows the route I was to take.

To the north is 4 Peaks Mountain as I ascend and head toward the Canyon of the Waterfalls, the jumping off point to the off trail portion of the route.     

I really like these steep slick rock sections.  The route goes to the left of that rock formation but I knew an alternative was.... 

....a fun alternative through the middle.  Enough toe and hand holds to climb through it and fun as usual. 

Having climbed through the notch, I continue up and enter the awesome.... 

....Canyon of Waterfalls.  Doesn't it appear the mountain is giving me a big "F**k You" with that hoodoo in the middle? Hah I climbed through this obstruction and .... 

...through others, very fun stuff. 

I looked back and admired what I had come through.  The gpx route took me into this jumble of huge rock slabs and I probed, reversed course, probed again but finally..... 

....emerged onto this ridge, which I would mostly follow higher....

....and how bout that!!!!  I ran into some cairns, confirming others had been this way before.  I decided that.... 

....going through that jumble of rock (shown by the red line above) had just been a mistake.  I doubt anyone had ever been through that mess and I just had not zoomed onto the route enough to see I had gotten off the route. 

But hey!  At last I reached the top!!!  I was so relieved.  I headed along.... 

....a rim, located the Flat Iron, descended that trail (cause I was not going to go back the way I had come), reached....   

....the Jacob's Crosscut Trail, reacquired cell phone reception so I could catch a call from a woman about a horse (it's comforting to see that cell signal light up), hiked for a while and with great relief, reached the parking area and jumped into my car.  Nine miles, most very rugged and fun.