Trailblazers in the Superstitions. [photo by Lin]

Bruce, Anna, Gerry, Tom, Mona, Robert, Li, Terry, Peggy, Dan, Felix, Ellen, Richard .

Fourteen of us started this hike with the expectation that we would get wet feet.

Over the first mile and a half we found several small pools which were easily avoided. [photo by Lin]

After that, our luck ran out when we found our way blocked by a large pool, maybe six feet deep. As the water was cold, none of us wanted a full body immersion.

Deep, cold pool. [photo by Lin]

After some discussion, we exited the canyon by a steep chute near the old highway overlook. I had read reports on the web indicating that this was an alternate way into the canyon, described as rocky and brushy. It was indeed rocky and brushy, but we all made it out with nothing more than a few scratches.

Climbing up the chute. [photo by Lin]

At the top of the chute. [photo by Lin]

We regrouped at our cars and decided to go with a plan B. We descended a ridge line just west of the highway, a route I had hiked a few years earlier. We spotted a single cairn.

On the road again. [photo by Lin]

Found an old steel ladder that took us to the bottom of the canyon. [photo by Peggy]

We followed this canyon down wash for a half mile and stopped for a lunch break. We continued down canyon until it became too brushy.

Dan, Richard, Anna, Robert, Bruce. [photo by Lin]

We followed this canyon up until it split, then took the right hand branch. Felix, Richard, and I had hiked most of the small canyons in this area, but this one was new to all of us. The scenery was quite nice, with sheer cliffs on both sides, numerous rock pillars, and an arch.

New canyon. [photo by Peggy]

Gerry in the arch. [photo by Richard]

All of it exceeded our expectations. We also found three wrecked automobiles. The cars appeared to have been stripped, with no engines or seats. Apparently they had been pushed off from the highway above the canyon. I have seen this sort of thing before and still don't understand why. After checking out the wrecks, we climbed out of the canyon. We reached the highway about a half mile above our cars. Unless we have an unusually dry winter, I do not believe we will be able to hike Apache Trail Canyon until autumn of next year.

Ellen, Robert, Lin. [photo by Peggy]