Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
probably won't be any water in the creek from late spring until the monsoon season.)
The trail switchbacks up the far side of the creek in long, gentle ascents, which change
direction to all points of the compass. Deciduous forest begins to give way to conifer-
ous as you climb, and there are frequent glimpses of Mount Wrightson to the south-
east and Mount Hopkins to the southwest.
About 2 miles from the trailhead, you'll have climbed about 1,000 feet. Views
open to the left of the trail and between the trees of the main crest of the Santa Ritas,
including the three highest peaks in these mountains. Mount Wrightson is the farthest
southeast. Mount Ian (simply marked as 9,146 on most maps) is to the east, and to
the northeast an unnamed peak (marked 8,853) is the third highest. Somebody needs
to come up with a fitting name for this significant summit! If you're trying to get the
best views between the trees, keep your eyes open for a flat, unsigned lookout on the
left side of the trail.
The next landmark, about 1.5 miles farther, is the delightfully named Sprung
Spring, which fills a round metal basin on the right side of the trail. The water looks
clear but should always be purified. You're now just 0.25 mile from Josephine Saddle,
which is 3.7 miles from the trailhead. The Super Trail enters the saddle opposite the
Boy Scout
memorial cross and turns left, following the same route as the Old Baldy
Trail for 0.2 mile. A metal sign clearly marks where the Super Trail turns off Old
Baldy to the right (south). From this fork, it's 4.2 miles to Mount Wrightson via the
Super Trail or 2.7 miles via Old Baldy.
The next section swings around the southwestern side of Mount Wrightson,
climbing occasional switchbacks and yielding excellent views of Mount Hopkins to
the west. You'll encounter a few brief loose sections as the trail crosses small, rocky
landslides, but none are a problem. About 1.4 miles of hiking from the previous trail
fork will bring you to the 8,000-foot contour and Riley Saddle, on the south side
of the mountain. A signed but poorly maintained trail from here goes south toward
Josephine Peak, which has tree trunks scattered on it like matchsticks. No one seems
to know who Josephine was, but she has the fifth highest peak in the Santa Ritas, a
saddle, and a canyon named after her.
