Day 39 near Antelope Peak to Black Hills

As expected, packing my gear and preparing to hike took slightly longer this morning because of the tent. I began hiking at 6:45 a.m., just about the time the sun rose above the horizon.

Straight ahead was Antelope Peak (3,117 feet), a small, extinct volcano that stood alone in the mostly flat desert. This area may be part of the Tortilla Mountains, but I couldn't see any other named features nearby.

There were patches of ocotillo, prickly pear, and teddy bear cholla, but little else.

After heading toward Antelope Peak, the trail veered left to curve around the mountain. I walked for about an hour before stopping to eat breakfast.

A cow gave me a forlorn look as I passed by. It was the only animal or person I saw that morning.

The trail descended gradually for 10 miles, though every now and then a small hill interrupted the downhill stretch.

Sometimes when the trail crested a hill, I could see the terrain ahead. At high points, I discovered there was enough cell service to make a call. I then made a reservation for tomorrow night at El Rancho Robles Guest Ranch, the only motel to be found in Oracle. I should be able to get there tomorrow afternoon.

The clerk told me a large group was staying there tonight. The rooms wouldn't be ready tomorrow until after 4 p.m. I was glad to know this. After I hitch into town, I'll go first to the Dollar General store and do my resupply shopping before heading to the motel.

There were several large ocotillo plants along this trail section, and I made sure to steer clear of them. Though not quite as treacherous as cat's claw, their long thorns would tear at clothing and flesh just the same. Ocotillos are often used in landscaping to create a natural fence.

A long section of the trail followed a road. The first part of this section went through Putnam Wash, where the ground was covered in loose sand. Walking on it was like walking on a sandy beach.

The water in the tank was nasty. It was green with algae, and debris and dead bugs floated on the surface. I knew I'd need to carefully pre-filter the water with my bandana before filtering it into bottles.

Before doing that, though, I checked the comments about this spot posted in the FarOut app. A few hikers said better water could be found inside a cattle corral next to the windmill. A small tank inside the corral wasn't easy to reach because of some fencing, but there was a valve where I could get clear water.

I left the well shortly after 11 a.m. The temperature was warm, but it wasn't uncomfortable. There was an occasional breeze, and wispy clouds passed overhead from time to time.

These were cirrus clouds, which sometimes signal a change in weather can be expected in the next day or two if they thicken and lower. I kept that in mind because I knew there was a 45% chance of rain tomorrow.

The trail continued to follow a road, if you could call it that. It wasn't graded or maintained. I noticed fresh tire tracks in the sand and wondered if I might see 4x4 vehicles today, but I never did.

I made a few short stops in the afternoon, though not to rest. As I got closer to Oracle, the cell service became more reliable, and I was able to check the score of the Indiana Hoosiers football game. IU was playing Michigan State, with a chance to start 9-0 for the first time in program history.

The winning streak seemed to be in jeopardy when the Spartans scored 10 points in the first quarter. My worry about a loss was soon erased, however. Indiana ripped off 47 unanswered points and easily won the game.

Along the way, I also saw a couple of backpackers and three day hikers. Seeing the day hikers was a surprise, as I was still several miles from Oracle and there didn't seem to be a trailhead nearby. I'm not sure where they came from.

As I continued down the trail, my mind alternated between the scenery, the football game, and a podcast I was listening to. Fortunately, I wasn't completely lost in thought. I heard a sound and realized right away it was a faint rattling noise. I stopped abruptly in my tracks and looked around.

A large rattlesnake was coiled just three or four feet ahead of me and off the trail. It was not pleased to see me. I knew that because it was shaking its tail vigorously. That was an unmistakable signal to me that it was agitated and alarmed.

The snake was probably a western diamondback, though admittedly, I didn't stay long enough to study it.

Western diamondbacks are the largest and most common rattlers found in this part of Arizona. Most grow to around four feet in length. The one I saw might have been shorter, but again, I didn't take time for a measurement. I carefully stepped wide around the snake to avoid making it angrier.

Later, I wondered why the day hikers I met never mentioned the snake. Maybe they didn't see it when they passed this way a short time ago.

After the 10-mile section that dropped 1,250 feet, the trail began a climb that was steeper than the descent. The next six miles climbed 1,360 feet. Along the way, the sky became increasingly cloudy.

At 4 p.m., I walked about a quarter mile off the trail to reach another water source. It was also a large metal tank, though this one was much taller. It’s called Mountain View Tank.

To fetch water, I had to climb a ladder and scoop it using a plastic jug with its bottom cut out.

By the time I left the tank, the sky was overcast, and the wind was picking up. Was this the change in the clouds that confirmed a change in the weather? Maybe, but I had been fooled before by the desert sky.

I continued walking for about a mile until I found a campsite. It was an exposed area with nothing to block the wind, but I didn't expect to find a better spot farther along the trail.

To anchor my tent, I collected some large rocks and placed them on the guylines. Ironically, as soon as I finished setting up the tent, the wind stopped. Nevertheless, I was prepared if the wind picked up again. I was also ready for a fox or skunk that might wander into my campsite.

This had been a good day. I didn't hike quite as far as yesterday, but I also didn't die from a rattlesnake bite. Tomorrow was shaping up to be a good day, too. I had just 12 miles to go to reach a trailhead where I could hitch into Oracle.

I knew there was a chance of rain tomorrow, but I was trusting it would be light or hold off until after I reached town.