After summiting Mount Wrightson, we made the mistake of continuing on to its neighbor

[@wildpathsaz]

Visit wildpathsaz.com/mount-wrightson/ for more details and a map.

[@kristiison5228]

April + 🐞 = Heaven, but not my kind of heaven! That was an intense hike! It was also beautiful. Great video!

[@wildpathsaz]

She’s kind of in a league of her own. She can have ALL the ladybugs!

[@rvtech101]

Haven’t thought about that mountain in 30 years! If I remember correctly we intend on a 3 day trip, but got the heck out of there on the 2nd day instead. Literally hundreds of trips and that’s one of the few I don’t look back on fondly. Can’t specifically remember why, but I do know nobody from our group has returned to that spot. Love watching your videos, reminds me of the old gang that was at the core of our hikes. Keep it up , a lot of us look forward to your shenanigans, especially April. lol, I think I have a lil crush! Happy Hiking!

[@wildpathsaz]

You should give it another chance! It’s such a nice hike in the forest if you take Old Baldy Trail, and there’s a nice spring along the way if you go during the right season. It was dry this time. Plus, we always see deer and lots of butterflies. Don’t care for the bugs at the top though! I don’t think it would necessarily make a great backpacking trip because we didn’t see much in the way of campsites, but I’m sure the other trails probably have options. I guess we’ll have to go and find out!

[@darrenfreestone403]

Another great video I loved the coues buck cameo and April is just a little crazy!

[@wildpathsaz]

She is! She definitely keeps it interesting.

[@wnklee6878]

Once I drove up to Mt. Wrightson on the back road, starting at Ocotillo. It was a wild drive, I was so glad it was with a rental car.

[@wildpathsaz]

We did not see any roads, but I know there is a road to the top of neighboring Mount Hopkins. Could that be it? There was also a structure that looked like it could be an observatory up there. On top of Mount Wrightson, there was the foundation of some kind of structure that looks like it has been gone a long time.

[@matthewjsloan]

Glad y’all manage to have a good time while having a bad time lol.

[@wildpathsaz]

LOL that is a perfect way to describe it. Sometimes the worst of times make the best memories.

[@semiferalhiker9560]

They’re convergent lady beetles not the same species of lady bug we know and love. They totally bite and I avoid the peak of wrightson in late spring because of them.

[@wildpathsaz]

Yes, they are convergent lady beetles and the only type of "ladybug" I've ever known. I have been around these bugs all my life and have never found any evidence that they will bite or hurt me in any way, but letting them crawl on you is definitely a personal preference. There seems to be a common misconception that they are asian lady beetles, but I did enough research to satisfy myself that these ones were not. I would worry more about mosquitos, bees, and flies than these little guys. Thanks for watching!

[@JerryArizona]

I only have two questions; who's idea was this and does anyone in the group still talk to her?

[@wildpathsaz]

😂😂😂 it’s really a constant dilemma- remain friends and keep subjecting yourself to type II adventures or stay home and be bored.

[@wnklee6878]

There is the Vatican Observatory on top of Mt. Wrightson, but that access was closed due to some kind of endangered squirrels living there. We went there anyway, it was not worth the walk.

[@wildpathsaz]

Are we talking about the same Mount Wrightson? This is the high point of the Santa Ritas in southern Arizona, and it used to be called Baldy. There was nothing but a small foundation at the top from a structure that used to be there. Great views from up there, and it looked like there may be an observatory on one of the neighboring peaks.

[@wnklee6878]

@@wildpathsaz Sorry, my mistake. It was Mt. Graham, close to Safford.