Backpacking Chiricahua Wilderness - Greenhouse / Crest / Snowshed / Herb Martyr Loop

[@thomasB8576]

First time finding your videos even though I've been searching for AZ related hiking/backpacking content for years (I live here). Glad the algorithm finally got the message

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thanks! I prefer not to cater to the algorithm. If I did I'd be making 8 minute videos about missing hikers or reporting on drama between other outdoors youtubers, lol.

[@harrytraction1380]

Just want to say, I only follow a couple of backpacking channels since a lot of them are kind of put together poorly and mostly boring. I really appreciate your videos with the beautiful scenery footage, your thoroughness to detail without a lot of fluff and dumb music! Thank you and keep up the good work. New subscriber. 🤙🏼

[@Vito_Tuxedo]

This is part of Arizona I've never traveled, so I had no idea that there was any area so verdant. I guess the summer monsoons contribute a lot of moisture, and the elevation helps too. But it's still amazing that such a lush, green environment exists in an area that's surrounded by deadly-dry desert. What was the range of daytime and nighttime temperatures during your hike?

[@WildlandExplorer]

Yeah really quite nice up top in Aug. I can't imagine it went below 50 at night up there but it was a while back and my memory is fuzzy. Maybe high 70s. Perfect weather. Discussed with another hiker and we agreed it had to be spring sources that long after snowmelt. Monsoons don't tend to drive that kind of creek flow.

[@roberthord4596]

Just discovered your videos and working my way through them. Love the long-form content and thanks for uploading!

[@WildlandExplorer]

Absolutely, my next video release will be from the same area, but the west side of the wilderness.

[@dr.maturin4648]

I love the Chiricahuas; they do remind me of the Gila. There is a cave along Cave Creek near the Sunny Flats campground, quite high up the mountainside with a panel of red Apache pictographs at the rear. The next range to the west, the Dragoons, has a great trail from the East Cochise Stronghold to the West Stronghold. It's about a 5-mile hike one way. I am eagerly looking forward to your Sycamore Canyon trip. The preview was nicely done, and the music editing was great!

[@bluwtrgypsy]

Such a beautiful area. Superb filming and wonderful adventure. Thank you for sharing. Safe travels, Blessings

[@martinforrester8249]

During my trip in 1997, I travelled thru Jerome via Dragoon mountains, where I hiked/ camped for three days. This was Cochise's stronghold, to Douglas, and briefly into Mexico via Agra Prieta. On my return, north back into Arizona, via Portal into the Chiricahua magnificent sky island. I hiked and camped ( tent) there for three days. A really special place because it was the stronghold of Geromino and his band. I love the history of the first nations that called these locations home. Never forgotten. Oldtimer Englishman reliving past adventures. Ps, you missed a whole mountainside of tall hoodoo standing rocks. Its in an area called Heart of the Rocks, next time eh ?

[@WildlandExplorer]

Been to the heart of rocks - it's really cool. But currently it's outside the wilderness area and you can't legally camp there except in the nat. monument campground.

[@edinkale619]

Impressed that you can follow some of those trails. They're so overgrown I would not know which way to go.

[@alanwatts5445]

Thank you so much for including map, trail, camp, and trailhead information. It really helps to follow your adventure. And maybe try to follow in your footsteps.

[@delaneykuric4092]

Look at all those beautiful colors! It’s a shame that the smuggling problem and the forest service not having the manpower to maintain many of trail makes it so tricky, but I’m glad you made it through safe and sound! So grateful to be along for the ride, and that the video is so well shot. 😊

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thank you, how incredibly kind, it means a lot!

[@kevinh6622]

If you haven't noticed, there's no smuggling problem.

[@viracocha4261]

Great video. I was shocked this was Arizona. I imagined it was a dry place with lots of deserts.

[@alanwatts5445]

I spent a couple of summers in the Chiricahuas when I was in high school. Pretty much the same as I remembered. Thanks for bringing back the memories.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Some of the trails on the west slopes are totally gone, obliterate (don't attempt Turkey Creek to rattlesnake ridge!). But the east side trails from this video are fantastic.

[@toddgrant7190]

A nice video about a mountain range I did not know about. Thank you for posting this.

[@milwaukeemotor5995]

wow, arizona is spectacular

[@chriswallace4364]

Your video brings back good memories of hiking and camping in the Chiricahua Mts. It’s been several years now and I need to go back.

[@PABackpacker]

Same here. I went to a summer camp in the Chiricahuas each summer for 8 years. I miss this wilderness.

[@exploringsoutheastarizona2169]

Enjoy watching your videos, I live in SE AZ, the Chiricahua mountains are one of my favorites to photograph & hike through. Have you been to the Dragoon Mountains? They're beautiful as well. A lot of history in those mountains also.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Funny coincidence I was just out at the Chiricahuas this weekend via Turkey Creek and passed by the Dragoons on the way; they are on the list to hike especially now I'm only an hour away. I'll tell you this: Rattlesnake Tr. #275 from the Rock Creek side is gone, probably for good. I climbed up the drainage the trail used to parallel via some light canyoneering. But as soon as it switchbacks and departs the drainage up the hill - walls of brambles make it impassable. Rock creek is beautiful though. Trail beta is hard to come by in the Chiricahuas, so I'm slowly probing routes on short trips to prevent becoming stranded halfway down the crest, lol.

[@tangenttrails]

Wow! Not what I was expecting. This place is absolutely beautiful. Thanks for another great video.✌️

[@WildlandExplorer]

Ditto! I did not expect all that water. Some of the north facing slopes just *barely* eke out an alpine zone.

[@colepuett3578]

Just recently discovered your channel and it is amazing. You've got some great shots and info about each area! I'm moving to Summerhaven in a month to work at the Mt Lemmon Lodge and cant wait to explore Southern Arizona. The Chriricahuas are definitely first on my list when I get down there!

[@kevinh6622]

I've been on this trail many times in August. It seems like every time a thunderstorm rolls in and I head down to lower elevation. At any rate it's always cool to find a few A-10's flying by. Peace ;)

[@WildlandExplorer]

Hell yeah. I've since been to the Chiricahuas a bunch of times and it's prob my favorite wilderness spot in southern AZ. A place hardly anyone goes to that you can get lost in. I am constantly watching the A-10s fly around Tucson.

[@subjectiveone1937]

I love your hiking videos and although I have lived in Arizona my entire life, I haven't explored our beautiful wilderness areas like I would like to have. I will be doing my first overnight solo backpacking adventure in the next month in the Superstition Mountains. Watching your videos from that area has encouraged me to explore the rugged and beautiful Superstitions.

[@FishsticksinAZ]

Another fantastic trip, thanks for sharing the amazing views

[@Juergen732]

I thoroughly enjoyed that. Thanks for sharing and taking us along!

[@shredhiker6209]

Really enjoyed this!

[@bw8972]

pretty impressive area ... thank you for sharing this experience with us!

[@tiffanym4202]

Absolutely gorgeous. Looks like I'll need to take the Chiricahuas off my list until I find a group to backpack with. Smugglers, poorly marked, overgrown trails and realistically requires a Garmin? Nope, a bit too much for this female, solo hiker. I'll stick to the relatively tame Huachucas. :)

[@WildlandExplorer]

I don't know how much of that story by the hunter was embellishment, I was just relaying what he told me. I take those kinds of stories with a grain of salt as they tend to take a single exceptional experience and generalize to what one would expect to see regularly. I hear the cartel guys actively avoid gringo hikers. I'd say the biggest risk out there is still lightning and widow makers, like the rest of backcountry wherever you go.

[@raisingarizona13]

Sick. I've been wanting to get down there for many years now. It's on top of my list now for sure, thanks for the motivation, cool video and I really dig your style. These are very cool edits. Let me know if you ever want to go for an off the radar hike up on the Peaks here in Flagstaff, like one not for filming for KZbin and meant to be kept secret, special stuff.

[@WildlandExplorer]

It's a really cool area, highly recommend - you'll feel at home if you're local to Flag. I might take you up on that offer, though it might be a while as I already have most of my summer trip plans and time off booked up. Stay tuned.

[@jonhenke1504]

I was thinking too bad you don't have a parasail with you! You could be within a half a mile of your car in 20 minutes that way!!

[@samgoeshiking]

Omg this is amazing

[@samgoeshiking]

I mean... damn. I have to go now. I can see why you wanted to keep it secret 😏

[@bretthellstrom9745]

Awesome video! Beautiful videography! Sold on this area. That said, how many miles was the trip?

[@WildlandExplorer]

If I had to guess it was around 26-28 miles total not including back and forth with camera. Thanks for watching! Loved the Chiricahuas; perfect balance of trails, route finding and wild wilderness in my opinion. A lot of routes that were lost to fires are starting to be cleared again in the last couple years.

[@chritztopher]

how could you tell those were aspens?? just by the way they were?

[@HomelinkST]

Almost went there when everything was shut down for fires earlier but ended up doing something else. There seems to be a *lot* of water there that can't just be from the recent monsoons. Any particular planning resource you used when putting this together? I usually use hikeaz but water sources/trip logs are pretty dated for this area.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Honestly I went out there thinking I would be looking for water in spring catchments. Cima Spring seemed like a good bet. I had more water in my pack at the trailhead and dumped a bunch when I saw how the creeks were flowing. Took me totally by surprise. Like you said there's not a lot of recent info online.

[@PABackpacker]

Most of the creeks are spring fed. June is typically dry until the monsoon rains in July and August. Even then the creeks may not run except for higher elevations and at the source of the spring. 2021 was especially wet, hence the spectacular water flow. I was there in June 2021 and there was zero water, even where I knew where a spring was.

[@milwaukeemotor5995]

a more green part of arizona, that i've never seen before

[@newmexicosky6938]

New subscriber here. Really enjoying your photography. Your telephoto shots are incredible. What type of camera are you using?

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thanks! I use a Panasonic Lumix G9. I use just one lens, a 12mm-60mm f/2.8. But I use an internal sensor crop to get to 85mm. I think that's like the equivalent of 170mm on something like a Cannon full frame. Lots of post processing.

[@cjjt66]

Great video. Looks really appealing place to go. However, lots of up just to get to the cool stuff. Plus, the warnings about drug traffickers is very sad. Keep up the good work!

[@WildlandExplorer]

Definitely a lot of elevation gain. That's what the sky islands in southern Arizona are known for. I wasn't really too worried about the drug trafficking problem. My understanding is that they leave the gringos alone and get in trouble with their bosses if it gets out that they had any contact with anyone. Still, there's obviously an element of risk inherent with spending time alone in wilderness where they travel. Maybe best to take a friend, and some protection.

[@MJnNB]

Fantastic video. I know I'm a little late to the conversation, but may I ask where one would park to do this loop? Looks like there a few options for this and I'm only familiar with the western side of the mountain range.

[@MJnNB]

Actually, I watched the last few minutes of the video and my question was answered. Great content. It's now on the list of places to go this summer.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Good to hear! To avoid Ranger Bob's nastygram, I'd suggest parking at the *actual* trailhead and not the campground parking that I mistakenly parked in. There's an unsigned fork in the road right before the campground, stay right and it will take you to the trailhead instead.

[@tato4612]

great

[@nathanhadland655]

Could you share an AllTrails map or something similar of the route?

[@JustinMcKinneyhiker]

Amazing vistas !!! Great trip ! Apache territory . Having backpacked in Yosemite for many years, you Arizonians are right . Thanks for sharing your trips !! ( get any ticks on you ?)

[@WildlandExplorer]

No ticks! Permethrin - as much of a pain as it is to pre-treat clothes, works pretty well. The history in that place is super interesting; intersection of Cochise / Geronimo / Billy The Kid / now it's a bit of a cartel route.

[@this-is-slammin-549]

Word is they have now spotted two jaguar on trail cams in the chiricahua mountains

[@WildlandExplorer]

Super cool. Got another video of this area. eventually when I get around to editing.

[@jibslundemo3245]

Did you use a chili recipe? Or did you just make it up at home by trial and error?

[@WildlandExplorer]

It's heavily modified from the Pioneer Woman / Food Network recipe. If you google that you'll find it. I add couple cloves fresh garlic, 1 tbsp honey, couple diced carrots, smoked paprika, omit the masa harina, add lots of Tabasco.

[@dmn3773]

I normally wouldn’t hike with a firearm because it’s just extra weight and annoyance but I wouldn’t likely venture in this area without some sort of protection. Checkout South Fork in the fall while everyone else visits Ramsey and Ash Creek in SE Arizona. Excellent video man!

[@WildlandExplorer]

Yeah pretty much everyone else out there was armed - because it was all hunters up top, haha.

[@dmn3773]

@@WildlandExplorer for sure. someone I know seemed to be pretty upset at you for posting this video but I don’t get the hate… I think people who are in physically fit condition and in hiker shape forget how strenuous of a hike and just how difficult this area actually is to hike in. You’re not going to get too many goobers who are up for the challenge (physically or mentally) and even if you think you are this area will humble your ass really fast. Thanks again for the reply and video.

[@WildlandExplorer]

I think it's important to keep in mind this isn't 20 second Instagram or Tiktok sound-bites from the parking lot of Yosemite Valley. These are real backcountry trips, with a lot of time invested in planning and experience involved. I don't market my channel on purpose - you have to search for it and already be involved in the topic to come upon my content. You're absolutely correct that these trails will humble one's ass - even experienced and in-shape hikers. There is a population out there that frowns upon backpacking videos because they perceive the exposure as a threat to their backcountry solitude. I've found over time, these are often the same people who write trip logs & submit photosets from these same places. They submit GPX files that one could download and follow; they post water reports. I don't hear them in an uproar about hiking websites, but those websites get an order of magnitude more traffic than my KZbin channel. Anyway, I appreciate the support!

[@dmn3773]

@@WildlandExplorer Agreed on all accounts. There is a certain community with a website which tends to one of the worst echo chambers for outdoor/hiking enthusiasts primarily based in Arizona. I know you're familiar with the website, no need to mention what that place is. The biggest problem I have with said website are fountain cleansers who post there. Utter hypocrisy and 'all for me!' kind of attitude. They need to get off their high horse and realize this is meant for everyone not just ***ers. Still searching for a good community to be apart of. Thanks for the reply!

[@Miderguy_]

@@WildlandExplorer screw those haters. Lol.