A Climb up Mt. Humphreys

Sunday, September 4, 2005

 

     Stepson Eric Dhooge and I headed up Mt. Humphreys with some high cloudiness overhead through a damp forest.  We began at the 9,500 foot elevation, near the Arizona Snowbowl Skyride, and burst through the treeline at about 11,500 feet.  Crossing a saddle that affords spectacular views to the east, into the Inner Basin, the trail takes a sharp decline in quality as we become more like mountain goats hopping rocks to the summit.
     We left the lodge at 8:22 a.m. and reached the Inner Basin Saddle (or, the Agassiz-Humphreys Saddle) at 10:05 a.m.  We rested there for about fifteen minutes before beginning our climb to the summit, which took another 45 minutes.  We were at the top from 11:05 a.m. until 11:25 a.m.  On our return, we passed by the saddle at noon and reached the lodge at 1:23 p.m.  We were in the mood for some hot chocolate, but, on entering the lodge, the aroma of hot wings changed our minds!


Click on any picture to see a larger image.


Starting out on the Humphreys Trail.

Lava Rock field at a switchback
in the trail.  In June, worsening
snow precluded further efforts
towards the peak.

Typical trail scene.  The ground
was damp but not really muddy.
Tree roots also stretch across the
trail, ready to trip hikers.

Plaque memorializing loss of B24
Bomber over the peaks in Sept. 1944.

Mt. Humphreys summit (left side)
and snow in Inner Basin.

View to the lodge area of the
Arizona Snowbowl.


View of the Inner Basin from Saddle.


Dennis & Eric on the Saddle.

Eric heads up past our second false
summit.  True summit is not far away.


From the summit, Eric looks west. 


Partial view of town from summit.


Dennis & Eric at the summit.


Eric on descent as clouds move in.

dfoster@kaibabjournal.com