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Brian Posts: 230
1/31/2020
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Hello, I'm new here. I've enjoyed reading trip reports and finally have something to contribute of my own.
I used to do a lot of trips to June Wash. It was a way for me to get to Sandstone Canyon back when I didn't have a car that could get there from the other side. At one point I was looking online for info about June Wash and found an article that Frank Colver wrote on DesertUSA (it looks like it's since been removed). He talked about hiking up to the head of June Wash and how there was a saddle between that and Hapaha flat that had a sheep guzzler. He also mentioned that it would be a challenge to get to the saddle from the June side because of a dry fall. I hiked to that point one day and found the fall. I think I could have climbed it, but I didn't want to take the risk since I was alone.
Now it's 4 years later and I finally hiked to the guzzler from the other side. It's a 17.5 mile drive from the pavement of Split Mountain Road to the area of Hapaha Flat where a wash heads SW toward the saddle (the guzzler can be seen on Google Earth). It was only a 2 mile hike and was a nice change of pace from hikes I've done that had a lot of obstacles. On this one, every time it looked like the canyon was about to become choked with brush, it would suddenly clear out to an easy path. The one dry fall had an easy and obvious bypass on the right side. It ended up with great views for minimal effort.
edited by Brian on 1/31/2020
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Brian Posts: 230
1/31/2020
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More pics of the guzzler.
edited by Brian on 1/31/2020
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+2
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Brian Posts: 230
1/31/2020
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Looking down toward the upper reaches of June Wash, with Agua Caliente in the distance
View toward Hapaha Flat and Fish Creek drainage from the hill just S of the saddle
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+1
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Scooter Posts: 114
1/31/2020
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Welcome to the forum Brian, great trip report.
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Brian Posts: 230
1/31/2020
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Scooter wrote:
Welcome to the forum Brian, great trip report.
Thanks!
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deborah Posts: 115
1/31/2020
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Welcome Brian! Nice photos and report. Thanks for sharing!
I was in June Wash just last Sunday for a run. There was a group of bighorn sheep out there, 9 total. Maybe they were headed for the guzzler. 
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Brian Posts: 230
1/31/2020
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Thanks for the welcome Deborah. Sunday was the day I did my hike too. I drove to Hapaha flat on Saturday and spent the night near Dave McCain spring, then did the hike in the morning.
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ziphius Posts: 911
1/31/2020
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Welcome Brian, nice trip report. Nice find on the ram horns. Interesting area for sure.
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http://www.coyotelearning.org
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Brian Posts: 230
2/1/2020
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Thanks ziphius.
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Britain Posts: 606
2/1/2020
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Welcome. Nice photos and write up. Thanks for sharing.
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Cant drive 55
Britain
http://icorva.com
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Brian Posts: 230
2/1/2020
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Thanks Britain.
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rockhopper Posts: 668
2/2/2020
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Welcome to the forum. Thanks for sharing trip report.
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tommy750 Posts: 1049
2/2/2020
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Nice trip report, Brian. Visiting that guzzler and maybe an eastern ascent of Whale Pk is on my to do list. Thanks.
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Buford Posts: 461
2/2/2020
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Welcome.
I like the shot of the sheep bones.
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Links to my photos: ABDSP photos, Bighorn sheep photos, ABDSP time lapse video, Wildlife photos (mainly birds)
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Brian Posts: 230
2/2/2020
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Thanks rockhopper, tommy750 and Buford.
tommy750: an ascent of Whale from that side sounds interesting. I've had it in the back of my mind for a long time that it would be interesting to do a trip that makes the connection from June to Hapaha. The Lindsay book mentions that Native Americans who lived on the edge of the Laguna mountains would gather in Hapaha Flat each spring. I wonder if this is the route they took.
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Rocko1 Posts: 600
2/3/2020
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Great report. This looks like a good add-on trip while doing Diablo Benchmark via June.
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Brian Posts: 230
2/3/2020
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Rocko1, yes I think so. Even without the short/technical final climb to the guzzler (which I haven't done from that side) it's worth seeing the upper part of June wash where the walls pinch in, almost like a slot canyon.
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+1
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
2/6/2020
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Great TR, thanks for sharing that. There are about 11 guzzlers I believe in the area, that one I have not visited yet. There are a couple more near Dave McCain. As far as an east ascent of Whale, you could do it going up an alluvial from Split Rock, we did a descent that way.
http://www.sefcik.com/2013/11/little-blair-to-alma-wash-backpack-trip.html
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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