Six energetic hikers set out from Peralta Trailhead on the Bluff Spring Trail: Cliff Haskins, Anatoli Korkin, Chuck and Peggy Giovanniello, Stephen Trombitas, and hike leader Ted Tenny. It was a clear, bright day; slightly warm but still pleasant.

A major improvement effort is under way on the Bluff Spring Trail. They’ve put in logs to catch the drainage, re-routed the trail at the top of the first hill so that it connects with the Don’s Trail more easily, and put up new wooden signs at the trail junctions.

From the east side of Peralta Canyon we enjoyed looking down at the Peralta Trail hikers far below, and sideways at Geronimo Cave and Miner’s Needle.

Soon we were crossing upper Barks Canyon, pleasantly shaded where the trail goes over some slickrock.

Ted pointed out Weaver’s Needle, the Emperor’s Dog (who looks more like a baboon from the Bluff Spring Trail), balanced rocks, window rocks, hoodoos, and the site of Williams Camp. Somebody had planted a flag on the top of Weaver’s Needle.

We joined the Dutchman’s Trail and turned southeast over a low hill. Here the party divided, with Chuck, Peggy and Cliff continuing on the Dutchman’s Trail to Miner’s Summit while Anatoli and Stephen went off trail with Ted to bushwhack their way up to the Coffee Flat-Bluff Spring ridge. A little cloud hovered over the ridge we were climbing. We could see the cloud even when we couldn’t see the ridgeline, so it was easy finding our way up (Exodus 13:21-22).