Rabb Canyon Box (upper end), Rabb Park Trail (FT 747) - Gila National Forest

 Camping off the road in Noonday Canyon, the night was as still as any I remember spending in the forest. The pines quiet. A very few stars were to be seen for the nearly full moon had the whole night seeming like moments before dawn.
 My arms were cold as I lay in my sleeping bag in the back of the pick-up. I had not brought a jacket or even a long  sleeve shirt. They got chilled down before turning in and never warmed up. I sleep very poorly when camping, but eventually I dozed. Waking up to the moon shining directly in my face, I moved to the backseat of the truck. If only I was a few inches shorter or the Tacoma a few inches wider (at times like these, a full sized pick-up would've better fit the bill) I could have stretched out, but as it was, I did fall deeply asleep. When I woke it was the genuine gray light of approaching dawn at just a quarter after six.

 I wrapped a towel over my shoulders to try and keep my arms warm. It would have been nice and easy to start a fire, but restrictions were already in place.  I ate my hard boiled eggs, bread and an orange. My phone had nearly no charge,  and, as it was my only camera this day, I got out my new Tacklife battery, which I had bought for charging a dead car battery when in need, and tested out its phone charging capability. I went up on the hillside and waited for the sun to come over the ridge, grateful for its first warming first rays, when they did arrive. In about a half hour the battery  had the phone up to seventy percent. I  thought, good enough, got my day pack ready, and off I went on the Rabb Park Trail (FT 747) directly across the road.

 I've been on this one a couple times before, so I knew what to expect: another Gila National Forest uphill both ways special.  It starts with a rough steep climb on loose gravel and rock, followed by a pretty leisurely stroll on the ridge top and then a  long descent through a side canyon down into Rabb Park, which means a long, slow ascent, a pleasant stroll, and a slippery descent on the return trip . I  had two advantages this time though. First, since I was starting from the actual trailhead, and not from the parking area right off of NM 152, I wouldn't  be adding an extra mile and a quarter to my hike. Second, since I had camped, I was actually getting started, at  a cool 8 o'clock and really could've started earlier had I not had the phone issue.

 I was in Rabb Canyon in 47 minutes. Instead of heading upstream, following the trail to the park, I turned left and began boulder hopping and scrambling around the deep pools of tea colored water. I stepped lightly through the tall grass that made the runs in between nearly invisible even though the trickling sound was always there.






Early on, I  inadvertently disturbed a red tail hawk at close quarters as it drank from the stream. Flying up to a juniper on the hillside, it let me know its displeasure with a few grouchy screeches. Down and down  I went hoping to  finish my section  hike of the box canyon which I had completed the lower end of  in March of last year ( I did  complete it ). Pale frogs scooted  about on the bottom of the still pools that had only the thinnest layers of silt and organic material covering the bedrock. Piles of sticks and branches on the low benches streamside made it clear that when this narrowest section of the stream floods the water has no place to go but up. Canyon wren laughter, a constant on these warm spring days, and  the splashing of small falls were the musical accompaniment  for my two hours in the box. I came to a fence that was strung high over some twists and turns in the  smooth bedrock, high enough for a nimble footed cows to go under and leave their allotment. Luckily by the look of things, not many try it.  Rabb Canyon Box is a strange, unique place in the Gila. Despite being nearly in the desert, it seems to have a perennial flow. Despite that flow, there are few riparian trees here, just an occasional narrowleaf cottonwood or group of willows.

Before I left, I soaked my feet, wet my shirt, pants and hat.  I had planned to  get in but the water was just too cold. I could tell by the way it made my pale bare feet ache.
 The walk back was over before I knew it.  I made a sardine sandwich, ate my Wise potato chips and drank my caffeine free, Diet Coke as I sat on the ground in the shade of the pines.