What's Up with Ellis: Tomkins Trail 513

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Tomkins Trail 513

Thirteen strong, a party of Skyliners braved the 1600-foot climb on rock-strewn Tompkins Trail 513 on 27 November 2010.

Standing, left to right: Jim Manning, Linda Tovar, John MacInerney,

Marvin Alt, Ellis Price, Name Withheld, Miriam Sterling; Sitting/kneeling: Lila

Wright, Dolly Yapp, Kwi Johnson, Virginia Driscoll, George Everman,

Betty Wolters - Photograph by Gorillapod, using George’s camera.

Taking group pictures has always been a bit of a tricky proposition for us; even though we have cameras with time-delay features it is not always possible to find a place to position a camera. In the past we have sometimes placed it on a backpack, a suitable rock, or even a sturdy tree branch. Now, however, we think we have solved the problem. Meet our new photographer’s assistant, the Gorillapod (right). Shown here, positioned sturdily on it’s three legs, for the above photograph, it can also wrap itself around tree branches to provide a shooting platform for a time-delay shot.

From Cottonwood, we drove to Camp Verde on Hwy 260, continued across I-17 for one and seven-tenths miles to turn right on Oasis Road. At the foot of the hill, about one-half mile from Hwy 260 and just before reaching Salt Mine Road, we turned right onto FR 136, the forest road running up Copper Canyon. We continued on FR 136 for two and one-half miles to park at the Trail 513 Trailhead, located in a sharp bend about sixty yards past a cattleguard. (NOTE: The trail marker has succumbed to vandalism and the top half, along with the trail number, is missing.)

The trail starts with a steep incline that varies little along the way except for a few very short sections until it tops out on a ridge near Tomkins Tank. (NOTE: I had previously called this trail Lucky Canyon Trail; however, I have since found it listed on a topo map as “Tomkins” Trail. That map also shows another trail running up Lucky Canyon (the canyon straight ahead of us when we topped the first ridge) to connect with the one we were following at this point, the divide between Copper Canyon and Lucky Canyon. All the maps that I have found with trail numbers do indicate that Tomkins is No. 513, so I guess we are safe to refer to it by that designation. Meanwhile, I have never been able to find where the trail running up Lucky Canyon actually connects with Trail 513.

Our trail, also used by 4-wheelers, was steep and littered with loose rock, requiring care to avoid sprained ankles. It did, however, provide great views back across Verde Valley to the San Francisco Peaks. If you are so inclined, you can also view the traffic on I-17 running up the other side of Copper Canyon.

View from Trail 513 across Verde Valley and the Mogollon Rim to the

San Francisco Peaks beyond.

Somewhere along the trail George and Kwi found a clump of Paperspine Cactus, a species we had previously only seen at one other location. We also saw several examples of galling on the scrub oaks along the trail. See photograph (left) for two galls removed from a tree and displayed among the rocks on the trail. I have always wondered what caused this phenomenon and decided to find out. According to an entry in Wikipedia what we saw appears to be oak marble gall. The Wikipedia entry indicates that the gall provides the developing larvae with a safe refuge.^¹

We wound our way slowly up the trail, stepping carefully to avoid loose rocks, stopping once along the way for a snack and several times just for a breather. At last, after having climbed over 1600 feet in a distance of one and two tenths (1²/₁₀) miles, we arrived at the top of the hill. When we topped out we were two tenths (²/₁₀) of a mile and 255 degrees true from Tomkins Tank. While most of us were resting, John and Kwi hiked out to a point we could see to our north that appeared to overlook Copper Canyon and the Verde Valley. When they returned to report that it was indeed a great viewpoint, we decided to hike to there for lunch and then head back down the trail, leaving ourselves time to visit the waterfall in Copper Canyon; the waterfall is after all very near the lower trailhead where we had parked.

Linda and Marvin are enjoying the view across Verde Valley;

John is searching for Gold?

We all enjoyed the view and I got a good solid nap before we headed back.

Looking back down Trail 513 and across Verde Valley to the Mogollon Rim

– Photo by John

Leaving the viewpoint we made our way back to the trail. Although there was no trail to guide us back to Trail 513, the way was relatively clear of undergrowth and the going was fairly easy. A photograph by George (right) shows us straggling back lunch. It also gives an idea of the terrain through which we were hiking. We did have to stay alert to not have anyone become separated from the group as the trees were thick enough that anyone falling back more that twenty or thirty yards was in danger of losing sight of those in front.

Once back on the trail the going was easy in that it was all downhill; however, great care was required to avoid falls due to the sharp incline and loose rocks on the trail. Some found the descent harder on the knees than the ascent had been. Following is a photograph showing hikers carefully picking their way the trail. As you can clearly see each step requires care.

Descending the trail with care – Photograph by George

By the time we reached the spot where we had taken our first rest break on the way up the trail, the group had gotten scattered out and we stopped again to let everyone catch up before descending the rest of the way. As noted before this spot is on the rim of Lucky Canyon where, according to the map, a trail running up that canyon should join with Trail 513. However, I still saw no sign of it. When we had stopped here on the way up the trail, George had spent the time gathering brass, which was plentiful because the area is apparently used for target practice. Shown below are some of the shells George (with the help of Kwi and others) gathered during that first stop. I have also included a nice picture of a Hollyleaf Buckthorn.

Brass cartridges – Photograph by George

Hollyleaf Buckthorn – Photograph by George

A couple of the hikers continued on to the cars to wait, Kwi searched for more brass and then followed them, John arrived and decided to explore the immediate area, and I stretched out, pulled my hat over my face and served as a trail marker. After all, I reasoned, we didn’t want the rest of the party to pass us by without knowing we had stopped to wait.

When everyone had caught up we continued on down to the trailhead, about another four-tenths of a mile, doffed our backpacks and walked on down to the falls, just about a tenth of a mile away. The falls had a steady stream of water; however the foliage in the area was not as pretty as the last time

I was here, just one year ago. George did take a good photograph of a Squaw Bush.