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- Apr 13, 2017
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I enjoy this subforum a lot and so here's some photos from a recent Black River AZ trip. I go to a very remote area between the last bridge and the White Mountain Apache reservation. Usually don't see more than a couple of people (often none) the whole weekend and there's miles and miles of river in virtually inaccessible-by-vehicle sections.
There are long stretches like this and at each corner there's a nice hole. Here's my obligatory gear shot. .44 Redhawk, one of my new EDC Skinners, a work in progress (I named this model Black River Hunter as tribute to my favorite place on earth). Far right is a very early blade I've kept as a camp knife. It's also the first time I've ever used a walking stick to aid in the numerous mandatory river crossings. Getting old sucks!
My ride and minimalist camp gear. We are in severe fire weather so campfires are rightfully banned. In 2011 the Wallow Fire took over 500,000 acres in the White Mountains but thankfully this area was spared. Stupid subhumans left a camp fire to go fishing during the windiest spring anyone can remember, sparking the largest wildfire in Arizona history.
ETA... I initially said no jail or reparations but I revisited the incident aftermath articles and both spent all of a weekend in jail + $500/month on a 3.7 million reparations charge. (the firefight alone cost more than $79 million) Getting to this spot requires driving through miles and miles of utter, complete destruction.
About 12" brown. I caught another just like it in a different hole, and several smaller apache trout. This used to be a renowned smallmouth stream until G&F wiped them out to reintroduce the Apache trout.
Canyon Walls... It's pretty vertical in places, probably 1000'+ from rim to stream.
I used to see Bighorn Sheep on every trip in large groups of 30 and more. Then they reintroduced Mexican Gray wolves maybe 20 years ago and that was that. I saw this one all alone across the river, maybe 60-80 yards. We spent many minutes contemplating each other.
Love the wolves, I've seen them once up close and had them right in camp early one morning howling and being answered from both sides. I found his mud track where he was on his haunches, he was 60 yards from our tent.
On this trip I saw turkey but no bear or elk which is unusual. I know the pumas have seen me but I've never been so lucky. Oh and I got within 2' of a small diamondback as I was heading up through brush from the river to the bench. Way too close but he was already moving away, I saw him just before he rattled so a quick sidestep and all was well. All in all a wonderful trip.
There are long stretches like this and at each corner there's a nice hole. Here's my obligatory gear shot. .44 Redhawk, one of my new EDC Skinners, a work in progress (I named this model Black River Hunter as tribute to my favorite place on earth). Far right is a very early blade I've kept as a camp knife. It's also the first time I've ever used a walking stick to aid in the numerous mandatory river crossings. Getting old sucks!
My ride and minimalist camp gear. We are in severe fire weather so campfires are rightfully banned. In 2011 the Wallow Fire took over 500,000 acres in the White Mountains but thankfully this area was spared. Stupid subhumans left a camp fire to go fishing during the windiest spring anyone can remember, sparking the largest wildfire in Arizona history.
ETA... I initially said no jail or reparations but I revisited the incident aftermath articles and both spent all of a weekend in jail + $500/month on a 3.7 million reparations charge. (the firefight alone cost more than $79 million) Getting to this spot requires driving through miles and miles of utter, complete destruction.
About 12" brown. I caught another just like it in a different hole, and several smaller apache trout. This used to be a renowned smallmouth stream until G&F wiped them out to reintroduce the Apache trout.
Canyon Walls... It's pretty vertical in places, probably 1000'+ from rim to stream.
I used to see Bighorn Sheep on every trip in large groups of 30 and more. Then they reintroduced Mexican Gray wolves maybe 20 years ago and that was that. I saw this one all alone across the river, maybe 60-80 yards. We spent many minutes contemplating each other.
Love the wolves, I've seen them once up close and had them right in camp early one morning howling and being answered from both sides. I found his mud track where he was on his haunches, he was 60 yards from our tent.
On this trip I saw turkey but no bear or elk which is unusual. I know the pumas have seen me but I've never been so lucky. Oh and I got within 2' of a small diamondback as I was heading up through brush from the river to the bench. Way too close but he was already moving away, I saw him just before he rattled so a quick sidestep and all was well. All in all a wonderful trip.
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