Trail #104, Dutchman, Superstition Mountains

This Saturday there will be a trans-superstition hike of sorts using the Dutchman #104 trail since the Reavis-Rogers hike is postponed due to flood damage from January. An exerpt from hikearizona. com on the trail is below.

We will meet at the First Water Trailhead to set up carpool. We will carpool to Peralta and will head back to the cars at First water, meet time at First Water is 7 am. (*Please bring $2 for the shuttle drivers.) I am hoping to be on trail not later than 8 am and off trail by 4-ish pm.

Trail will be warm but not hot yet...be sure you have at a minimum 3 liters of water; the odds of there being any water is slim as we exit winter into spring. You will need pack food, sunscreen, and a hat as it will be a sunny AZ day.

*This is a long hike and will be quick paced as a training hike for the upcoming Rim Cubes and Rim-to-Rim hikes. Hence there will be no trail sweep on this hike.

Trail Length: 17.6 miles (book mileage but they tend to run a little shy so add at least 1 more mile. Depending on when we reach Parker Pass we may opt to exit Black Mesa for an extra 3 miles.)
Elevation: Technically a 0 footer but with the rolling hills and all you can be looking at about 2500 feet in gain.
Dog friendly?: Yes, but for experienced desert dogs please.
Trail itself: Mostly worn trail but with some new stretches not regualarly used by day-hikers. Some steep slopes. You will need to know your trail junctions on the hike as there is no trail sweeper.

Exerpted trail description:
Peralta TH to Miners Summit: The trail heads out east from the TH. It immediatley gains a little little elevation, but then evens out, before starting the ascent up to Miners Summit. The asscent starts at the intersection with Coffee Flat Trail (108). The trail gains about 1200 ft in a mile and a half. This is the highest point of elevation in the trip, so enjoy it.

Miners Summit to Marsh Valley: This part of the trail is all downhill or relatively level. Right on the summit is the intersection to the Whiskey Spring Trail (238). Shortly after the summit is the Bluff Spring Trail (235). This will take you back to Peralta in about 3 miles. Bluff Spring is know to sporadically have water, ask the local rangers. The next trail is the Red Tanks Trail (107) which will lead back to Whiskey Spring. This is also the approximate location of LaBarge Spring, which usually has filterable water. A mile or so up the trail you will find the intersection of Peters Trail (105) and also Charlebois Spring (also usually has water available). The remainder of this section is about 1.5 miles and ends at the intersection of the cavalry trail (239).

Marsh Valley to Aylors Caballo Camp: The trails through this area were a bit rougher than the rest of the trail and seemed a bit less traveled but the trails are usually easy to find. Right after Marsh Valley the trail takes a sharp curve to the south and loop around the bottom of Black Top Mesa. This section can be eliminated by taking the Bull Pass Trail (129). The Bull Pass trail saves about a mile and half of distance but has much more elevation change. Underneath Black Top Mesa there are two options for returning to Peralta Trailhead. The first is the Terrapin Trail (234) and the second is the Peralta trail itself (102). This section contains another uphill section, this one is less steep though it only climbs about 500 feet in a mile. After the intersection with the Peralta Trail the Dutchmant Trail heads north again and in a little less than a mile comes to Aylors Caballo Camp (this is not shown on the Beartooth map but is shown on the USGS map).

Aylors Caballo Camp to Parker Pass: Aylors Caballo Camp is the intersection of three trails with the Dutchman trail. This is where the Bull Pass trail again connects to the Dutchman Trail. Boulder Canyon Trail (103) and the Black Mesa Trail (241) also intersect here. After this is the last small climb up to Parker pass, the trail gains about 400 feet in a mile.

Parker Pass to Firstwater Trailhead: This was by far the easiest section of trail. The trail is well maintained, wide, and smooth. After Parker Pass its almost all downhill, with the exception of the last 100 yards before the parking lot. Right before you get to the Trailhead the trail is intersected by Second Water Trail (236). From here to the Trailhead is less than a half a mile.