Arizona Trailblazers Hiking Club
Aravaipa Backpacking Trip
Galiuro Mountains
July 4-7, 2019
clipbord   Trip Report : April 29-May 2, 2018
•  The hike:
    This is a four day adventure in the Galiuro Mountains. You ask “Where is that?” Draw a line between Globe and Tucson. At the middle of the line, in the middle of nowhere, is Araviapa.
    This is a splendid backpack of 3 miles in a streambed. Your feet will get wet. The stream is likely to only be ankle deep. This hike is during the new moon, so the skies will be dark with many stars at night. The days will be warm, but with a cool stream to walk in, it will not be bad.
    We will need 1 more high clearance 4 wheel drive and 1 high clearance vehicle. I will have my 4 wheel high clearance truck.
Required:
•  Hiking gear and backpacking gear
Recommended:
•  Camera
•  Long pants
• Distance: 12 miles over 3 days
• Elevation change: +-100'
• On trail: 100%
• Cost: There is a charge of $20.00 to hike Araviapa for three days. The club also allows voluntary contributions of $5/non-member. Riders, please share gas expenses with the drivers. Your place is not reserved until I get the $20.
• Weather conditions: Mammoth. Not a good match, but the nearest place with weather.
• Dogs allowed: no
• Meet:
10:00 AM in the parking lot south of Home Depot on the NW corner of Superstitions Springs & Power Road, just south of the Superstition Freeway. No cars may be left there.
• Drive:
•  From Phoenix, take US Highway 60 to Globe.
• At Globe, continue southeast on US Highway 70 toward New Mexico.
• In Pima we will have lunch.
• We then backtrack a little to get on Klondyke Road (one mile north of Pima).
• Follow this long dirt road to our camp site at 4-Mile Campground.

Day 1 (4th of July, Thursday) is the drive from Phoenix to Araviapa. We will have a late lunch in Pima and then on to Araviapa. If needed, we will pick up gas or any other thing we forgot. Then set up camp at 4-Mile Campground. This campground has water and flush toilets. After camp is set up, go to Turkey Creek and see some Cliff Dwellings. Do some small hikes. This also lets us see what the road conditions are. Return to the campground and have our pot luck dinner.

Day 2 (5th of July, Friday): Backpack into our base camp at Hells Hole. Set up camp and have lunch. After lunch we will do a short hike down the creek for sightseeing. All tents will be in the shade of the trees, so not bad temperatures.

Day 3 (6th of July, Saturday): In the morning do a hike up the slot canyon Hells Hole. This is one of the few canyons that go more than 100 yards before becoming impassable. Return to camp for lunch. After lunch, do a longer hike down the creek.

Day 4 (7th of July, Sunday): This is our last day here, so we will take our time. We must exit by midnight. We will have dinner in Globe.

updated August 6, 2019