Tuesday, February 19. A long, beautiful hike along the Reavis Ranch Trail

After a good fried egg, ham, and cheese sandwich for breakfast, we started out on our day’s adventures, with bright sunshine and blue skies.  The temperatures have been in the 70’s each day making for beautiful hiking weather, but also warm enough that many of us needed the full two liters of water that we were told to carry.  We drove back a few miles along the Apache Trail and then drove 3 miles up a narrower dirt road to the trailhead.  This hike, through the Superstition Wilderness Area and the Tonto National Forest, included a gradual but steady climb through grassy rolling hills on a sandy and in places rocky trail.  Along the way Mike pointed out more facts about the local plants and showed us a grinding stone used by the Native Americans that had lived in this area.  After 4.5 miles and 1000 feet of vertical gain, we reached our lunch stop on the saddle below Castle Dome.  Two of our hikers continued for about 20 minutes on the trail towards Windy Pass, hiking through some of the remaining snow on the north side of Castle Dome.  We all enjoyed hiking at our own speed back to our waiting vans.  At times I was completely alone in the quiet of the wilderness, a welcomed time that contrasts so with our busy and often noisy lives at home. 

Climbing above Apache Lake

Castle Dome, the day's destination. 

Enjoying lunch at the saddle.

A Native American grinding stone.

            Following a delicious dinner that included a half of a baked chicken, we met with Mike for about 90 minutes of human and natural history of the area, including stories about Reavis, the hermit-like rancher for whom today’s trail was named.