This photo from last year shows the correct route, and was taken about half-way into the cross-country part of the hike. Just aim for the center of the mountain on right side of the photo and you'll end up in Rockhouse Canyon.The weather was cool, dry and sunny. It was a typical winter morning in the desert. We followed friends on this same route a few years earlier. They were seasoned hikers who could navigate difficult terrain with ease. I wasn’t as experienced but felt sure that I could recreate the route. It would be easy except for the off-trail route connecting the two canyons. Still, I could recall it clearly in my mind and I brought paper topo maps along just to be sure. How difficult could it be?? What could go wrong??
By late afternoon I was getting worried because we weren’t yet at the cattleman’s line shack, which is the half-way point of the loop hike. I got hung up in the tricky cross-country section trying to navigate my way over to Rockhouse canyon. My memory wasn’t matching up very well with the terrain. I was second guessing myself, retracing my steps, and trying again. This was consuming time. There were many footprints but they were all over the place and no established trail to follow. There were no other hikers to follow or to ask. My wife, Christine, was very patient.
By late afternoon I was getting worried because we weren’t yet at the cattleman’s line shack, which is the half-way point of the loop hike. I got hung up in the tricky cross-country section trying to navigate my way over to Rockhouse canyon. My memory wasn’t matching up very well with the terrain. I was second guessing myself, retracing my steps, and trying again. This was consuming time. There were many footprints but they were all over the place and no established trail to follow. There were no other hikers to follow or to ask. My wife, Christine, was very patient.
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