The Superstitions

Driving through Florence, the Superstition Wilderness begin to fill the horizon.  There, right of center, is the high point of the Supes, Superstition Peak, today's destination.

The parking lot is ample but the Hieroglyphic trailhead is one of the more popular ones so we had to loiter briefly for a parking spot to open. The trail is crowded but 99% of the people are going to and stopping at....

....the petroglyphs of which there are many, fine examples.

Looking to the southwest, we've gained a few hundred feet, following a wide trail but everything changes as we now duck beneath an over hang and head up canyon.

A balancing rock in the distance.  How do those things stay that way?

The trail mostly stays above the canyon, on the right side but sometimes dips.....

....into the bottom where there are multiple fun obstacles to navigate.

Climbing a few walls requires the use of hands and knees.

It's a dramatic scene, enhanced by building clouds.  It rained, lightly and briefly.

Especially fun was hiking along a slope with a lot of loose shale.  Had to be very careful in here.

At last!  We close on a ridge and beyond is.....

....a fabulous scene with Weaver's Needle on the right.  Note the hill on the right that burned this summer during a major fire.

From this point, we would follow the Ridgeline Trail to the Peak.  Note the woman standing on an outcropping, to the right.

Alas, we started too late to actually reach the peak so we explored a bit and then....

...retraced our route.  I've visited the peak a few times so it didn't bother me to have to pull the plug but regretted that Amy did not experience the exciting hike to the peak.

Carefully we descend, watching for obstacles both below and at head high.  Finished with 6.3 miles and 2300' of climbing.