Supes Hike/Run - Peralta Trailhead to First Water

Where: Peralta Trailhead to First Water - Trail Run/Hike

When: March 13, 2010

Who: Solo

Description: Another Superstition Trail run...Peralta Trailhead to First Water Trailhead is approximately 12 miles. About 1600 Feet of elevation gain in the first 2.5 miles, then a lot of downhill. The trail can be really rocky in spots and this time of year all the streams are running.

I have wanted to do this point to point hike for a few years and have been planning on a backpacking trip through here in the fall. Several co-workers and friends of mine will be doing it with a possible midway camp on the top of Weavers Needle. I wanted to through hike this in the spring while the water is running and get to know the route much better.

Still love the Garmin 305..This is a good elevation map for this hike. The first hill is some serious elevation then only a few smaller hills...spread out pretty good.

Google Earth capture...bottom left is Peralta Trail...over Freemont Saddle and on to First Water Trailhead.

I joined a "Crossfit" gym...Leiftime Fitness...and have made more progress in my fitness in 6 weeks than I have in the past 10 years. I workout there 4-5 times a week which never really include more than 1 mile of running per session...but is killer cardio and strength. So, long story short, with my success running Siphon Draw trail a few weeks ago I thought I would double the distance and run this hike as well.

Thanks to my Super Sweet Wify for following me to First Water to drop the truck off and then shuttle me around to Peralta to start the run....THX Babe!

Gearing up...camel back fanny pack with water, 2 hand bottles with accelerade, 1 GU, and a granola bar...iPhone with some good Tunes.

First 2.5 miles from Peralta Trailhead to Freemont Saddle. Great view of weavers needle and looking down to bulldog canyon. 45 minutes.

A minute at Freemont saddle to tighten the shoe laces and then began heading down. This view from Google Earth is looking back up towards the saddle with Weavers Needle on the left.

Excellent trail signs at the major junctions. Peralta Trail 102 is overgrown in several spots with lots of rocks...so it was great to see these signs just to give me confidence I was still on the correct trails.

The trail guides I read for this trip recommended planning 5-6 hours going either direction...my goal was to roll in to First Water in under 3...didn't quite make it. 3 hours and 5 minutes. Definitely got pretty warn down towards the end but could have pushed a bit harder I think if I would have known the trail a bit better...next time.

I think it will be a while before I double this distance in a trail run...would like to find a trail marathon for sometime in the fall to work towards...

I crossed streams and mud puddles about 15-20 times and didn't quite stay dry on all of them. The green in the desert this time of year was worth the wet shoes!