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Antelope Mountain

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ANTELOPE MOUNTAIN View from the saddle of Antelope Mountain near Greer A drive along State Route 260 in the White Mountains between Pinetop-Lakeside and Springerville is a tour of extremes. Fish Creek Corral frames a view of Antelope Mountain The scenic byway begins in dense woodlands replete with lakeside retreats that comes to an abrupt end near the turn off for the town of Greer where the landscape jumps from piney to pastoral.   Ellis Wiltbank Reservoir sits at the base of Antelope Mtn. Like a splash of cold water, the terrain suddenly changes into sprawling grasslands and isolated pine-covered knolls. Figuring prominently in the landscape are hundreds of lumps, bumps, slumps and conical hills--welcome to the complex geology of the Springerville Volcanic Field.   This swath of cinder cones and lava flows sits at the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau, a roughly 130,000 square mile collection of some of the country’s most remarkable landforms (think: Zion, Capitol Reef a...

Porter Mountain via Flume Connector

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PORTER MOUNTAIN via FLUME CONNECTOR White Mountains views from the summit of Porter Mtn. Anchoring the heart of the 200+-mile White Mountains Trail System (TRACKS), the Timber Mesa and Panorama loop trails offer easy access, moderate workouts and abundant scenic beauty. Exposed cinders along the road to Porter Mountain The popular, close-to-town loops are tethered by two lesser-used connector routes: Sawmill #626A and Flume #636B. While enabling seamless travel between the two big circuits, the auxiliary routes also demonstrate that, like a crèam-filled sandwich cookie, the best stuff is in the middle. Porter Mountain seen from the Panorama trailhead Prickly poppies bloom April - November Of the two, the Flume Connector is the easiest to reach. Beginning at the Panorama trailhead, the shady single track moves through the woody space between Flume and Porter Mountains before making a mild ascent to the top of Timber Mesa. But to add some extra punch to the hike, a detour up Porter Mount...

Mount Baldy Crossover Trail

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MOUNT BALDY CROSSOVER TRAIL Mount Baldy Wilderness. 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. 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. Tha...