Arizona Trailblazers Hiking Club
Dacite Mesa Loop Day Hike
| when? |
Trip Report :
March 27, 2010
|
| where? |
Superstition Wilderness
|
| the hike |
We’ll start westward on the Lost Goldmine Trail and then climb
the steep West Boulder Trail up to the saddle, where we’ll have a
magnificent overview of West Boulder Canyon and the Superstition Ridgeline.
Explore around the saddle, then bushwhack over to Fremont Saddle
and down the Peralta trail where the hike ends.
This hike is described by Jack Carlson and Elizabeth Stewart in
Hiker’s Guide to the Superstition Wilderness,
Clear Creek Publishing, Tempe, AZ, 1995, pages 117-119.
|
| distance |
6½ miles |
| EC |
+1800-1680' elevation change |
| elevations |
2280' (Lost Goldmine Trail) to 4000' (Dacite Mesa) |
| hike rating |
"B" [moderate] |
| time |
5-6 hours |
| type |
almost a loop |
| starting at |
| Lost Goldmine Trailhead |
33° 23.544' N, 111° 21.194' W [NAD27]
|
|
| ending at |
| Peralta Trailhead |
33° 23.836' N, 111° 20.841' W [NAD27]
|
|
| on trail |
75% —
Lost Goldmine, West Boulder Saddle, and Peralta Trails |
| dogs? |
no |
| cost |
When car-pooling, pay your share the cost of gas. The
club also allows voluntary contributions of $1/member or $3/non-member. |
| weather |
Apache Junction |
| meet |
7:00 AM in east Mesa at the Home Depot on the southeast corner
of Power and US 60. Go east on the Superstition Freeway (US 60)
to Superstition Springs Blvd., exit 187. Take that exit, turn
right and go 1/2 mile east, across Power Road. Then turn left,
toward Home Depot, at the second driveway. Park in the
southwest corner of the lot, behind Burger King.
|
| drive |
Take US 60 east to milepost 204, turn left following the
signs for Peralta Trailhead.
Continue 7 miles to the end of Peralta Road.
The dirt road is O.K. for cars.
25 miles from Home Depot to Peralta Trailhead (50 round trip).
|