Soldier Heights Loop Mar16
From the Soldier Pass trailhead up onto the mesa, then a loop linking several interesting features and ending with a descent through Norm's Notch.
1
This unusual start, from the Soldier Pass trailhead, addds three miles but FR 152 is now impassable
2
A look at Devil's Kitchen. The suspended block crack is still widening
3
4
And her is a secondary crack starting farther up the slope
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
After a short distance on the Soldier heights public trail...
12
13
We take a shortcut through the woods
14
15
16
17
And then up to a classic ruin
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
A deer skull
25
There is much rock art at this site
26
27
28
29
A chewed agave quid
30
This hole might have been used for storage, or as a cooking pit
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
On the heights, a good rest spot
41
42
43
44
45
46
Looking toward Mormon Overlook
47
48
On the western side of the Heights, we traverse a seies o small coves. Loolking at Balanced Rock in the distance
49
A closer look
50
51
Indian paintbrush
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
Lost Ruin. There are moki steps from it up to this level.
59
60
61
62
63
64
A twisted Arizona cedar
65
Looking down on FR 152, our intended route to the trailhead
66
67
68
69
70
Devil's Bridge on the back of Thunder Mountain
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
A closer view of the Bridge
78
79
This tree stopped a falling boulder
80
81
Pausing to remove cactus spines
82
83
84
85
A look back
86
87
88
89
Climbing to Norm's Notch
90
Lunch on top of the Notch
91
92
93
A view across the west side, and as far as Bell Rock
94
95
Again, the Fort Apache Layer
96
97
98
Down through the Notch
99
100
This cactus poses a special challenge this season
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
The Notch from below
109
110
Even more cactus on the trail below. Almost everyone got some thsi time.
111
112
Crossing the crack at the end of the cove on the next levl down
113
114
115
This dormant moss is waiting for rain, which will turn it brilliant green
116
A view toward Cibola
117
118
Back on the public trail to complete the loop
119
