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March into West Clear Creek Wilderness
July 27-29, 2007

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March into West Clear Creek Wilderness - July 27-29, 2007

HEADQUARTERS, COMPANY F OF THE FIRST INFANTRY REGIMENT OF CALIFORNIA VOLUNTEERS,
In the field, A. T., July 25, 1864.

Sgt. D. Smith,
Sir, there is a mining camp established  in West Clear Creek Canyon that has not been heard from in some time. You are ordered to take two reliable men and, on a parallel march with the main column, descend into West Clear Creek Canyon to determine if the mining operation is still active, what success they have met with, and if they have observed any Indian movements within the area.
Unless they first exhibit hostility, any natives encountered should be treated with on friendly terms and encouraged to come into the camp of the main body for parley and presents of food and manta. The tribes in this area have been on friendly terms and while hostilities are not expected  they should nonetheless be carefully guarded against.
Though most of the company's enlistments end next month I trust you will do you duty faithfully. Some of the men are already chomping at the bit for civilian life so be sure to keep on guard against loosening the reigns too much in this hostile territory. You should have a nearly full moon but still be on extra alert lest the rainy weather of late provide cover for those who would do you harm. Fires should be kept low and around the clock watches should be maintained lest your small patrol be surprised and overwhelmed by opportunists in the wilderness.
Do not let the men dawdle and go prospecting in the canyon if it means a delay in your duties. You will need to move rapidly in order to reach the canyon and return to the main body in a timely manner. You are expected to rendezvous with the main column Southeast of Bald Hill on the evening of July 29.

James E. McCaffrey
1st Sgt.

By order of Cpt. Henry M. Benson,
Co. F, 1st infantry California Volunteers, cmdg.

   

AARs:

This was by far one of the most physically and mentally challenging marches I have done. We began with a steep 1500 foot descent into the valley with a single canteen of water, determined to reach the creek in the valley below. After following the twisted and steep trail for a number of hours we finilly reached the edge of a canyon where we could see water a mere couple hundredd feet away but at the bottom of canyon that showed no further way down where we were. Our canteens were well emptied after the long march under an Arizona Sun in July and that water was desperately wanted. Desperate for water and finding our path paralleling the creek rather than actually reaching it, the decision was made to find a way to the water immediately and a game trail that involved as much sliding as climbing down to the canyon floor. That water was so refreshing and inviting when we finally reached it. After bathing, refilling canteens and resting up weary muscels we were again ready to push on. Our next challenge was to find a way out of that narrow canyon back to the trail but after a tricky assent we made it back up. We followed the trail for some time and eventually it did reach and even cross the creek. In fact at several points the trail had been washed out and over grown and was practically non-existant. Nothing was to be done but to push ahead and follow the creek using whatever game trails, paths, and even the creek itself at time. Our brogans were continually filled with water but in the heat of the day the cool was most welcome. After much struggling along throughout the day we reached a point of fatigue where it was determined we needed to stop and rest up for the night. While making camp a rattle snake was discovered within the rocks where we were building our campfire and had to be dealt with. Also discovered was the need to boil drinking water for safety. [Owing to a loss of the back up bottle of water purification tablets.] Too hot, fatiged, and thrirsty to do much beyond boil water we went to sleep without eating much of the salt beef or crackers we had been issued. The next day we were on the march early with canteens of hot boiled water again following the river and trying to make distance downstream. We did not find the miners, indians nor anyone else by the time we eventually reached the point where the trail ascended up from the valley. We were too fatigued and thirsty to make the asscent and had to send a message to ask for someone to come to our aid for the trip back to where we had started.

Start at the upper  Blodget Basin Trail Head on FR214.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/blodgettbasin-tr.shtml
Follow FR214 to the upper end of the West Clear Creek Trail.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/west-clear-creek-tr.shtml
Follow West Clear Creek Trail to Lower Blodget Basin Trail Head.
Follow Blodget Basin Trail back up to Starting location.

Maps
Overview Map
Large Detail Map
Topozone online Map

Other reports:
http://www.public.asu.edu/~bvogt/20-20/west_clear/in-west_clear.html
http://www.arizonahikingtrails.com/hikingpages/westclearblodgett.html
http://www.arizonahiking.org/West_clear.htm
http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip.aspx?TripID=5715
http://www.public.asu.edu/~bvogt/20-20/west_clear/in-west_clear.html
http://hikearizona.com/interestDEX.php?ID=21&WID=61
http://www.wildernet.com/pages/activity.cfm?actid=030401IO*53128hw&CU_ID=1
http://www.wildernet.com/pages/activity.cfm?actid=030401IO*53132hw&CU_ID=1
http://randolphfamily.net/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=BlodgettBasinTrail
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-parks-231889-blodgett_basin_trail_coconino_national_forest_horseback_riding-i
http://images.google.com/images?q=%22West+Clear+Creek+Wilderness&ndsp=18&svnum=10&um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=N&imgsz=small|medium|large|xlarge