Reavis Ranch hike 2012

Each year Bishop Dan Rogers leads a group on an overnight hike to Reavis Ranch in the Superstition mountains.  It's an old ranch and apple orchard that is not longer inhabited, but quite the interesting place to visit.

This is the whole gang getting ready to start.

 Dallin and I braved it together.  We spent a couple of weeks getting our packs together and getting all the gear for this trip.  We had to pack everything in on our backs.  My pack ended up being about 28 lbs. and Dallin's pack weighed about 18 lbs.

 There were some pretty steep trails, and Dallin did a great job!  On the really long hard switch-backs I took a couple of his things to lighten his load and he made it up to the top.  He finally came up with the strategy "When you are too tired to walk, run!".  He would run a while until he was a head of us, then stop and catch his breath until we caught up to him then he would take off running again!

 We crossed several fields full of these tall grasses!  Some of the boys hid next to the trail and then jumped out to scare other hikers-very Jurassic park of them!  It was a little hard to stay on the trail.  We had to shuffle our feet to keep track of the flat trail-one wrong step and it was easy to get lost and wander aimlessly in the meadow!

A pause on the trail to drink some water and eat a snack.  Dallin was the youngest, but there were several other kids that went along as well.  Kimber and Peter with Dallin

 The foundation is all that is left of the old farm house.

 That and a bunch of apple trees!

 We were a little nervous about running into some bears, but all we saw was a bunch of bear sign.

 We picked a shirt full of apples to eat and cook on the fire.

 Dallin helped his friend Nate set up his tent.

It's been a dry year and we had to walk about 1/2 mile to find running water.  Several people brought filters and they were kind enough to share. 

 Bishop Rogers wins the prize for the best camping chair.

 Once the sun went down it got chilly and the boys did what they do best-played with the fire!

Backpacking food is delicious!  I love the Jetboil-a tiny backpacking stove that boils water in less than a minute.  I think that will have to be my next camping purchase...either that or the chair.

 

 I packed aluminum foil and cinnamon and sugar for us to make baked apples with.  It was a delicious treat after a long hiking day!

 The next morning we filled up our water bottles and packed up camp.

Packing up all our stuff for the trek down the mountain.

 Then down the trail we went.

 We made it-barely!

Dallin and I took a little detour (we got lost) and it added an extra mile or so to our hike.  We were one of the last ones to the cars, but we did it!

 Then we all had a little rest and ate...Marshmallow mateys!

  I guess it's a tradition-it sure seemed to hit the spot!

It was a really great trip! So glad we did it.  Dallin says it's the hardest trip he's ever taken and he did great! can't wait until next year!