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8/8/2019 10:47:00 AM
Debi
7/31/2019 1:37:00 PM
7/31/2019 1:36:00 PM
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8/8/2019 10:47:00 AM
Lost Horses in the Gila 8-8-19 update: OK, we've organized the next step in the hunt for our roaming rascals, and we're going in with horses! This Saturday we're heading back in to camp in the area where we have strong evidence they are (Clear Creek camp at the Trotter trail, starting from the Aeroplane Mesa trailhead). Jim Mater of U-Trail, our first outfitter, is going to pack us in with horses and mules, and help us search. Hopefully the pack string will act as "herd bait" for our guys and lure them in. Photo is of Jim's pack string during our original trip a month ago, when the adventure started.
Debi
7/31/2019 1:37:00 PM
Amelia Adair Update 7-27-19: Very excited to report that yes, we found lots of tracks and poop in the area where we believe the horses are ranging. Several sets of tracks seem to indicate they've been coming back periodically (although not daily) to the headwaters of Clear Creek on Johnson Mesa, in the area where the Trotter Trail, Lilley Park and Mars Springs Trails all merge together. We followed tracks all the way to where they seemed to head off down the Prior Trail, above the Chicken Creek drainage, but had to turn back. We hiked a total of 13 miles out and back from our camp at Trotter's Meadow. Tracks indicate they seem to be grazing and wandering around the more open meadowed woodlands to the southeast of Clear Creek. We found no recent tracks to indicate they have headed back towards the Middle Fork of the Gila. That seems to indicate they've moved southeast since we first found their tracks in this area. Big picture: this is a roughly triangular area between the Middle and West Forks of the Gila River, bounded to the northwest by mountains including Lilley Peak. The area moderates in grade and becomes more open woodlands sloping towards the confluence of the forks at the Cliff Dwellings National Monument. There is lots of water up on the mesa, several tanks and a pond near Prior Cabin, which is near the middle of the triangle. Water is good up there this year. We met an outfitter heading in to this area as we were hiking out, and he will be looking for tracks. Hopefully we may have news in a week or so from him. Meanwhile, we think it's likely the horses may continue ranging southeast, since there's grass and water. So we're moving base camp to the Cliff Dwellings area, and plan to hike and/or ride in from there. Thanks for your continued good wishes and for following along on this horse and human adventure!
Debi
7/31/2019 1:37:00 PM
Amelia Adair Update 7-29-19: Just got word from an outfitter that he saw fresh tracks in the area of Prior Trail and Trotter trail on Saturday, same area where we saw those tracks on Thursday. But the horses weren't hanging around their camp at Clear Creek. So the horses are still in the same area, likely moving south east. We're making plans to go in again to that area. Fingers crossed that we're narrowing the search!
Debi
7/31/2019 1:36:00 PM
Update 7-31-19: Martin Adair says "We have had zero success getting an outfitter to pack us into the Gila. So Amelia Adair and I are planning to backpack ourselves the 12 miles in to set up a base camp at Prior Cabin. Amelia is at REI buying the lightweight gear we need to do it. Planning to start backpacking Thursday morning and hope to arrive at Prior by Thursday night. Planning to hike Friday between Prior and Clear Creek to hopefully pick up their tracks again. Where we go next is dependent on what we find. Will be out of touch offline for 3 or 4 nights unless we find them before. So don’t expect to hear from us for awhile."
Debi