West Divide Loop
43.7 mi8,324 ft
6,936 ft
4,711 ft
Hardy loop through the remote northwestern corner of the wilderness, up Pipestem Creek to the Western Divide. The variety and scenery of this loop is extreme, as is the solitude.
Photos
Deer Creek Trailhead dressed in lush green
Plenty of water flowing in the drainages today
A muddy scene at Mud Spring
Trail fork for the connection to Tortilla
Crowded little trail through the junipers
Easy walking
Early water refill with breakfast
Route-finding through the burn scar
This unnamed trail goes through some tough land
A once-fantastic tread
At least there isn't a lot of brush to push through
Ranching remains at the saddle
Cairns marching down to the creek below
Tough rock formations tight around Horse Canyon
A happy little creek
Peering out over the waterfall's lip
Hints of trail
A surprisingly tall drop along the rock-strewn creek
Deadfall purposefully piled up at the trail junction
Plentiful water running along the creek
Powers Garden Trail is a delightfully easy stroll
Definitely a trail here, at some point
Cluttered little creek
Deep water
I need to be over there
Old ranching remains
The pink-rock waterfall near camp
Camp hung in the cold little hollow
Water splitting around the rock
Just another easy creek crossing
Cholla and oak sharing the same trail
The trail thins out under the leaf litter
Vibrant colors along the spur
The creek gets down to a trickle here
Juniper Spring, looking very dependable
Somebody likes to camp here
Deep pools below the spring
Definitely a trail here
Climbing away from the creek again
Early settlers tried to squeeze as much water from this land as they could
A solid, if shy, trail
The trail splits before reaching West Divide
The cairn marking the upper junction
Last refill before the divide
An impressive northern end of the West Divide
Gazing out west towards a snow-covered Mount Lemmon
A steep hillside
Trusty cairn
Thick brush around the trail
Impressive trail construction
Fantastic trail conditions
One of the tougher sections to get through
Ridge after ridge, and nothing but sky above
Agave keeping watch where the track climbs
Along the side of Rhodes Peak
Looking down over the rolling grass mounds
A few climbs along the way
The high rocky mound above my planned camp
Almost to the end
Early morning sunrise
Steadily climbing to the canyon head
Distant view of the Rincons
Huge views at Tent Lookout
Time to descend
Loose rock all the way down to the garden
Gazing over to Horse Saddle, the next big climb
The sign still points, roughly
Cabins and sheds at Powers Garden
A long delayed breakfast
Last look at the West Divide
More climbing
Mt Graham, and my trailhead below
Yellow coming in along the low ground
Along the way
Spring 5
- Juniper Spring
- Lower Ringtail Spring
- Mud Spring
- Horse Canyon Tank
- Upper Sycamore Tank
Creek 1
- Horse Creek
Mountain 4
- Rhodes Peak
- Rockhouse Peak
- Topout Peak
- Maverick Mountain
Saddle 2
- Topout Divide
- Horse Saddle
Overlook 1
- Tent Lookout
Ruin 1
- Stone check dam across the drainage
Camping 3
- Campsite at Juniper Spring
- Pipestem Campsite
- Powers Garden
Trailhead 1
- Deer Creek Trailhead
Junction 13
- Trail fork below the West Divide
- Mailbox / Powers Garden Trail Junction
- Pipestem / Powers Garden Trail Junction
- FS Administration Spur
- Sycamore / Tortilla Trail Junction
- Connector / Sycamore Trail Junction
- South Field Canyon / West Divide Trail Junction
- Field Canyon / West Divide Trail Junction
- South Field Canyon / Field Canyon Trail Junction
- Field Canyon / Powers Garden Trail Junction
- Tortilla / Powers Garden Trail Junction
- Connector / Tortilla Trail Junction
- Sycamore / East Divide Trail Junction