MOUNT
BALDY CROSSOVER TRAIL
Mount
Baldy Wilderness.
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| Mt.Baldy Crossover trails moves through forests & meadows |
Tethering
the West Baldy and East Baldy trails that make grueling ascents to a saddle
near the 11,403-foot summit of Mount Baldy at the edge of the White Mountain
Apache Indian Reservation, the Mount Baldy Crossover trail No. 96 is much more
than a means to an end.
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| Crossover Trail is in the Mt. Baldy Wilderness |
The woodsy
3.5-mile connector route is often used as part of the 16.7-mile three-trail
loop that traces the slopes of the extinct stratovolcano that’s been silent for
2 million years, but it also delivers a classic White Mountains experience when
done alone as an out-and-back trek. It’s a great way to get acquainted with the
high country terrain and acclimate before taking on the mountain.
Although
this trail trifecta isn’t especially difficult in terms of technical challenge,
the thinner, high elevation air can cause huffing and puffing that slows down
progress. That’s a good thing, though, because you’ll want to take this one at
a leisurely pace to enjoy the variety of scenery and rich biodiversity.
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| Delicate prairie smoke sprout feathery plumes in summer |
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| Brilliant magenta American vetch flowers stand out underfoot |
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| Forest and meadows collide on Crossover trail |
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| Orange gooseberry shrubs are common on the route |
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| Ferns grow hip-high in sunny spots |
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| Marsh marigolds grow in moist areas on the Crossover trail |
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| A feeder stream cuts through a meadow on Crossover trail |
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| Many-flower stickseed is a fun find on the trail |
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| Aspens flourish in sunny glens on the Crossover trail |
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| False hellebore grows in wet meadows along the route |
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| Rocky Mountain irises thrive in wet meadows |
The
quickest access to the Crossover trail is from the East Baldy trailhead where
the route follows the East Baldy trail for 0.2-mile to a junction where it swerves
north and away from the channel of nearby East Fork of the Little Colorado
River. Bouncing among various ecozones
within the Mount Baldy Wilderness area in Eastern Arizona, the trail kicks off
with a stroll through aspen glens with glimpses of mountain foothills. Soon,
the aspens are swallowed up in mixed conifer woodlands of Douglas firs,
Ponderosa pines and Engelmann and Blue Spruce.
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| There's lost of scenic variety on the Crossover trail |
Cloaked in a crisp atmosphere tinged with the smell of moss and damp
earth, the forest is so thick in some places that sunlight barely lights the way,
while in other spots, gaps in the tree cover let in enough sunshine to sustain
spreads of ferns, wild strawberries, Canada violets and spotted coralroot--a complex
and odd-looking ground dweller in the orchid family. Interspersed throughout the hike are open-to-the-sky
wet meadows replete with their own community of moisture-loving plants. Where
the ground is mushy and damp, look for frilly bundles of false hellebore that
sprout head-high flower stalks in summertime and the delicate blooms of marsh
marigolds, aquatic buttercups, prairie smoke and berry-laden shrubs.
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| Spotted coralroot grow among pine needles on the forest floor |
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| The route begins with a short hike on the East Baldy trail |
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| A segment of mixed conifer woodlands on the trail |
Except for
where fallen trees slumped over the trail require some mild scrambling to get
over, the trail is easy to follow and, even with the diluted oxygen, not too much
of a challenge. The trail ends at the junction with the West Baldy trail. Turn
around here, or if you parked a shuttle vehicle at the West Baldy trailhead,
head right and hike a half-mile to complete the journey.
LENGTH:
7.4 miles round trip
RATING:
moderate
ELEVATION:
9,275 – 9,400 feet
GETTING
THERE:
From Pinetop-Lakeside, travel 20 miles east on State Route
260 to State Route 273 which is just past mile post 377 and signed for Sunrise
Ski Area. Turn left and go 11 miles south to the East Baldy trailhead on the
right.
INFO:
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