Southern Arizona Hiking Blog

Buckskin Gulch and The Wave

2011-11-21T20:01:00.000-08:00

I can't believe we have been here for 2 years and hadn't made this trip yet! Just a little north and west of Page, AZ across the UT border is the Coyote Buttes area. This place holds some amazing sights from alien like sandstone formations to the longest slot canyon in the world. It's a hikers paradise!

We made the long road trip up from Tucson on 11/19/11. A quick few hours of sleep in Page and we were off to trail head. We chose to take the Wirepass trailhead first to "The Wave." It was a bit tough to stay on any specific trail but once we saw the notch in the rock it was easy to track down. Based on the GPS the actual wave area was mainly SSE from where the trailhead veers off out of the wash. The Wave was simply amazing and if you haven't been you need to go NOW!

After the wave we trekked back with hopes to drop into some slot canyons. We eventually found a way down back into Wirepass and took it over to the intersection with the Buckskin Gulch trail/slot. This area is amazing with the walls closing in to no more than 2 feet and soaring hundreds into the sky. There are even some cool petroglyphs on the wall at the intersection of Wirepass and Buckskin on the right wall as you are coming out of the slot canyon from Wirepass.

I will let the pictures tell the story.

Heading towards the Wave

Sandstone formation getting close to the Wave

The Wave

Looking back over Coyote Buttes from the Wave

Katie in the Wave

Heading in the slot canyons

The crew in Buckskin Gulch

Slot canyons on the Wirepass Trail

Petroglyphs

Mt Lemmon 7/9/11

2011-07-10T16:15:00.000-07:00

Finally the monsoon has shown itself and the hiking trails on the Catalina mountains have opened back up. We took quick advantage to get out of the heat for a little while and headed up the mountain on 7/9. We hit the always trusty Marshall Gulch area. Surprisingly it wasn't that crowded! We decided to head up the Aspen trail this time for a change of scenery from Marshall Gulch.

It was 72 degrees to start the hike. What a great change from 102 that is was back at the house in Tucson. The trail was nice and great, full of life. The gigantic swarming flies were a little bothersome at times but as long as we kept moving they weren't too bad. We found a little horny toad who let us get close and personal.

Horny Toad in Catalina Mountains

Max, the Chocolate Lab, was pretty wooped just after climbing up Aspen. I guess it was still a bit hot for him. We decided to head back down Marshall Gulch trail instead of heading to Lemmon Pools this time. Either way it was a nice escape for a couple hours and some decent exercise. Already looking forward to the fall!

Grand Canyon Photos

2011-04-17T16:30:00.000-07:00

My sister and nephews came out to Arizona for the first time. We had an adventure filled few days! Here are some great pictures of everyone at the Grand Canyon.

Cibeque Creek/Superstitions Hiking

2011-03-18T11:26:00.001-07:00

I am super late in getting my report up from last weekend. We hit Cibeque Creek and then drove back through the superstitions! Cibeque Creek is about a 3 or 4 hour drive from Tucson. We went through oracle, Globe and then into the Salt River Canyon. Heading North, as soon as you pass over the bridge there is a dirt road that heads left/west. Head down that road about 4 miles unless you come to a creek crossing. It was probably 6 inches or so deep and this is actually Cibeque Creek. Cross the creek and park on the right. From there we hiked up the creek for a mile or two.

Katie relaxing in Cibeque Creek

The scenery was great, the water was cold! After a while of trying to help the dog scale up the rocks I gave up and just started walking in the creek. I can't imagine the water was much more than 45 degrees. It was freezing! We hiked a ways from there but got to an area that was tough for the dog and eventually turned around. We didn't make it to the slot canyons I had read about so we'll definitely be going back sometime soon.

Since it was early we took the really long way home. We heading back to the west and down past Roosevelt lake and dam. From there we headed up the 24 mile long Apache Trail in the Superstition Mountains. It was a long ride but we were rewarded with some great views from a nice flat area towering above the canyons near Tortilla Flat. If you have some time i definitely suggest driving the trail!

Max posing at sunset on the Apache Trail outside of Tortilla Juntion

Organ Pipe Cactus/ Ajo Peak Hike 3/5/11

2011-03-11T10:02:00.000-08:00

Big Organ Pipe Cactus at the beginning of the hike

It had been about a year since we drove from Tucson down to Rocky Point, Mexico. This drive takes you west out of Tucson to Why, AZ and then you head south into Mexico from there. Right before the border you pass through Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Since that trip I had been wanting to make it back and try out the hike to Ajo Peak. The mountains have a totally different color and style to them as compared to the Tucson area mountains.

Since the elevation in this area is pretty low is gets really hot in the summer so please don't try this hike between May and September! I would rate this hike as difficult due to the steep areas and loose gravel. It gave me a good workout!

We started at the Estes Canyon trail head and headed up from there. There was a pretty strong border patrol presence in the area but outside of that we only saw one other group of hikers all day. It was a really windy day and until we got into the canyon it felt like 40 mph head winds which made for some challenging hiking. The canyon itself is just amazing with different colored walls. The hike ended up being a lot more challenging than I had expected. The first mile or two up to Bull Pasture was pretty easy. From there you wind around and then into the canyon. That's where it got tough. Going up the canyon walls up to the rim was really steep with a lot of loose gravel. Going down was definitely trickier than the ascent. However the views you are rewarded with at the top are amazing. There is a really neat window in the rocks as well. From the top of Ajo Peak there are amazing views of the surrounding desert, Mexico and Arizona. Definitely a trip worth checking out.

Katie near the top of Ajo Peak

Neat sandstone mountain you pass by on the way up.

The window is big enough to get into for the brave!

Looking back down into the canyon.

The way back down looking back into the valleys

Tucson Mountain Weekend

2011-02-27T14:05:00.000-08:00

I know I seem to post a lot about hiking in the Tucson Mountains but a) they are basically in my backyard and b) they just don't get enough PR as everyone is always talking about the Catalina's. I thoroughly enjoy hiking out here in the winter and the crowds are minimal.

Tucson Mountain Wash Hike

On Saturday we took all of the dogs for once and headed up to a wash just across from the Desert Museum. If you go over Gates Pass and then make a right on Kinney just after the desert museum there is a parking lot on the right. Park here and follow the trail head down into the wash. From there just follow the wash uphill for some great secluded scenery. There are a few areas where the wash has created some interesting canyons and colors. It's an interesting little hike for a mile or two up into the mountains.

Saturday night a storm rolled through and we awoke to snow in the Tucson's! This is a rare event so we rushed out the door to get out and hike before it melted away. We headed up the Hugh Norris trail, one of our favorites. After reaching the first saddle we were greeted by great valley views of the snow covered Tucson and Catalina Mountains. We hiked from there about another half a mile to the second saddle. After that the urge to explore our own path took over and we headed up a couple of peaks off of the trail. We found a couple of nice "windows" in the rocks and had a good time scrambling up the mountain.

Snow!!

Love the Saguaro!!

Another window in the mountains

Window in the side of the Tucson Mountains

Great view of the Tucson and Catalina Mountains

Hugh Norris Trail - Tucson Mountains

2011-02-06T08:39:00.000-08:00

We took a quick morning hike on the Hugh Norris trails yesterday in our backyard - the Tucson Mountains. We have hit Wasson Peak a couple of times before but not sure if we would make it today. We brought the puppy with us and his paws sometimes get sore quickly on the rocky hikes out here. The weather was great in the upper 40's when we started. We ended up making it a quick fitness hike to the saddle of the other trails and headed back from there as Max started showing signs of his paws getting tender. A beautiful trail with great views of the Tucson mountains and the surrounding valleys. The Hugh Norris trail really offers some great desert views and some fun off trail rocks to scramble up. Check it out before it starts heating up out there!

Sedona Mountain Biking

2011-01-12T20:08:00.000-08:00

Well as I am sure you have read we have put many many miles on our hiking boots. With some encouragement from friends we recently invested in a couple of used mountain bikes and thought we'd give riding a shot. We have done a couple trails in the desert in Tucson so far. It's flat out tough. Just a wee bit different that riding on asphalt! Anyways, we decided to head to Sedona last Saturday to try a couple of beginner trails.

A quick 3.5 hour drive north out of Tucson and we were at the Bell Rock pathway trail head around 10am. From what we had read the Bell Rock trail was really the only "easy" trail in Sedona which is known for it's world class mountain biking.

Even the slight uphill of this path for some reason was a bit grueling on the bike to start. I guess there just much be some muscles I am using on the bike that I don't use other wise! Well long story short is the uphill was tough but extremely rewarding as the downhill parts of the trail were just downright awesome. If you are a beginner i definitely reccomend you hit this trail.

Of course don't forget about the beauty of Sedona. We took a couple side hikes climbing around the amazing red rocks. What a great place!

And also a big thanks to the Fat Tire Bike Shop in Sedona for the quick repair around lunch time.

Thanksgiving in Utah - Day 2 in Bryce Canyon

2010-12-09T22:53:00.000-08:00

After a great hike in Zion and a great Thanksgiving dinner just outside of the east entrance we slept like babies. The Best Western at the turnoff to 9 turned out to be a great deal for 60 bux a night. Rooms were perfect! We got up early the next morning and hit the road for Bryce Canyon. It isn't too much more than an hour or so to the north and the drive was quite nice.

Getting started at Bryce Canyon on the Peek-a-Boo Trail

We were greeted by single digit temps and thick snow all over the Bryce Canyon area. It is much higher in elevation than Zion - 8000ft+ at the top vs. 5000ish around in Zion. We decided to try the Peek-A-Boo trail which is a 5.5 mile loop through the heart of Bryce Canyon. Like all of the hiking trails in Bryce Peek-A-Boo starts at the top of the canyon walls and descends drastically. The thick snow made it a real challenge in a lot of areas. Some of the unpacked snow was over knee deep and kept our pace pretty slow! However the snow really made the area beautiful. I had been here before so it was great to see the mars-ish terrain covered with white! I wish we would have brought some skis - quite a few good opportunities for some downhill cross country action!

The hike was amazing. I think my GPS said we lost and gained overall about 2000ft of elevation. The rock formations and windows were just amazing. If you haven't been there you have to visit! The peek-a-boo trail was great!

Wall of Windows - Bryce Canyon

Just getting started but a great view of the canyon.

Sun rising through the hoo-doos

More great shots of the red walls in Bryce canyon

Great photo of the sun shining off the snow in Bryce

Name that rock...

Thick snow!

Thanksgiving Day - Zion Canyon, Utah

2010-12-08T21:19:00.000-08:00

We decided to forgo the normal Thanksgiving holiday and spend a few days in the Zion and Bryce canyon area in Southern Utah. I had hoped that we would be able to camp and spend a mini-fortune on gear the week earlier. The weather had different plans for us as a blizzard blew through Utah the day before we got there. Instead of temps in the 30's at night it was into the single digits. Time to change plans!

We arrived at Zion Canyon Lodge at 8pm on Wednesday to spend the night in a warm cabin and then give hiking a shot in the morning. We woke to -12 degrees! Wow - truck would barely start. We go a warm breakfast, bundled up and headed into Zion.

Walter's Wiggles

We headed up towards the trail to Angel's Landing. The hike was cold but great until we got to the Walter's Wiggles area. It was completely iced over and as slippery as can be. We were able to slowly make our way up the 20 switchbacks knowing heading down would be much more challenging than going up. Once through there we quickly realized that the treacherous last half mile on Angel's Landing wasn't an option. It was completely iced over! It's tough under great conditions, no way I was trying it covered in ice!

We decided to head up the West Rim trail and explore areas where we haven't been. This turned out to be a great decision. We only saw a few people along the way. It was mostly covered in snow but not packed to the point where it was too slippery. The various lookouts over the canyon along the trail were just amazing. The snow actually really added to the beauty of the area.

Getting started towards Angel's Landing

Along the West Rim Trail in Zion National Park

Snowy conditions in Zion

Day 2 we headed to Bryce Canyon...

Great picture from Bryce Canyon - 11/26/10

2010-11-27T20:56:00.000-08:00

We arrived at Bryce Canyon, Utah the day after the blizzard rolled through. 2 degrees starting the hike just meant for small crowds. Beautiful day!

Tucson Mountains - Afternoon Hike

2010-11-21T20:59:00.000-08:00

Enjoyed a quick hike on the Sweetwater trail in the Tucson mountains this weekend. Have to love November weather!

Fall Hiking in Tucson

2010-11-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

Just because you live in the desert doesn't mean you have to fly east to enjoy some fall colors. We set out this past weekend to hike up in elevation to enjoy the fall show that the Tucson area has to offer.

Aspen Trail

There are a lot of areas you can check out and explore but we chose to drive up Mt. Lemmon to check things out. A couple days earlier someone had posted that there were some changes in color but it had not yet peaked. Since this is our first fall in the area I don't know if it had peaked or not but it was spectacular either way.

Wilderness of Rocks

We started on the Aspen Trail in the Marshall Gulch area. The weather was beautiful - 56 degrees, sunny and a nice breeze. The Aspen trails gains elevation pretty quickly but eventually levels out to a nice hike through the woods. The Aspen trees were all a nice shade of bright yellow! We were also fortunate to see a couple of white tailed deer on this part of the hike. Once we hit the intersection of the Mint Springs, Marshall Gulch and Aspen trail we decided to take the Wilderness of Rocks path. This trail descends a bit through some amazing rock formations. You eventually come to a creek that seems to flow year round. Keep your eyes peeled as you eventually get to the Lemmon Pools area which is a great stop for lunch. Our dog always enjoys cooling off in the pools even if it is only 58 degrees out!

We decided to head back from there. We were about 3.5 miles in and wanted to check out the Marshall Gulch trail on the way back. The colors on Marshall Gulch were amazing. The creek was flowing well and I couldn't imagine that the colors could have looked better. I am sure they will still be looking great this next weekend if you have a chance to make it up. Enjoy the pictures:

Aspen Trees

Getting started on the Aspen Trail

Beautiful blue skies

Max cooling off at Lemmon Pools

Another picture at Lemmon Pools

Marshall Gulch trail

Great fall colors off the Marshall Gulch Trail on Mt. Lemmon

More fall colors - Mt. Lemmon October 2010

Hard to beat the diversity in our area

Fossil Creek Hiking

2010-08-29T17:59:00.000-07:00

We decided to make the 3.5 hour drive to the Fossil Creek area outside of Payson, AZ this weekend. It was well worth the drive.

From Phoenix get on 87 north. Take it all of the way to Strawberry, AZ. Once in Strawberry make a left on Fossil Creek road. Go 2 miles and it will turn to an easy dirt road. About 3 more miles and the trail head is on the right. We were there on a saturday and there were plenty of hikers and campers. It wasn't crowded but it was definitely not a hike of solitude.

The hike down is about 4 miles. Piece of cake, at least until you have to come back up. The area is gorgeous as you descend and ascend from the creek. Once you get to the intersection of the mail trail just stay left. Make sure to cruise down the creek a ways. Once you get to the waterfall you'll know you've made it.

Once to the creek I was stunned at how nice it was. There is a large waterfall, crystal clear cool water to swim in. There are a lot of places in Fossil Creek to cliff dive as well. Even caves to swim in and out of. A truly great spot to escape the heat of the summer.

The hike back up was a great workout too. The first mile or two is the toughest and steepest.

Enjoy!

Katie and Max as the Fossil Creek waterfall

One of the caves near the waterfall

Mt. Wrightson and Madera Canyon - 6/12/10 - Hiking with the dog!

2010-06-14T21:53:00.000-07:00

High temperature of 87 in Tucson in June? Wow! What a perfect weekend to get out and do some hiking in the desert. We had not climbed Mt. Wrightson from Madera Canyon all the way to the summit since last June. It was time to try it again. Last year it was one of our first hikes out here and we were sore for days afterwards. I wonder how much better our bodies are conditioned for the climb now?

We met up with a couple people from a local hiking group at the Old Baldy trail head at 8am. It was about 55 degrees out and windy! Brrrrrr. Once we started moving however we warmed up quick. We headed to Josephine Saddle using the Old Baldy trail to get started. Max, our chocolate lab, didn't seem to realize how long of a day it was going to be. The dog was running up and down the trail at full speed. That slowed down pretty quick as we ascended up the trail. We made it to Josephine fairly quickly and stopped for a few minutes to give the dog a break (and us). From there we continued to hike up Old Baldy towards the summit. The last few switchbacks up to Old Baldy saddle were pretty rough. From there it is only about a mile to the top of wrightson. The first half a mile from here are a pretty easy hike but again the last few switchbacks up to the peak seem to take forever!

It was just a beaitful day at the peak. It was actually pretty downright cold. It was probably around 60 degrees with the wind gusting up to 40mph. But at the least the bugs couldn't battle the wind so we were bug free on top of Wrightson for some pictures and a snack. Max was worn out so we hung out for a while and let him relax. This was by far his toughest hike already. I wonder if he knew we had another 6.5 miles to get home?

From there we decided to take the super trail back to Josephine. This trail is nice and goes around the outside of the mountain heading south and then eventually to the west and then back north to josephine saddle. It is about 4 miles to get to Josephine so a bit longer than Baldy but it is nice so have some decent new scenery on the way back. Max was flat worn out but a few 15 minute breaks got him back to the car in one piece.

A great day at Madera Canyon. If you haven't climbed Wrightson yet you need to get out there!

Chiricahua National Monument Hiking

2010-06-08T18:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a couple weeks since this hike as I have been lazy in updating my blog! This was our first hike with the local "Alt Hiking" meetup group. We planned a day hike at Chiricahua outside of Willcox, AZ and then camping in Pinery Canyon forest. Chicahua was about a 2.5 hour drive from Tucson. Our hiking started at around 6000 feet of elevations so the temperatures were nice.

Wow. Chiricahua has some incredible rock formations! We started on the echo canyon trail and hiked around 9 miles in and out of the park. The first mile of the echo canyon trail was amazing with the tall rock walls and slot canyons. There were a slot of spots where you could use the slots as shortcuts. But by far the best part of the hike was the Heart of Rocks mile or so long loop. The rock formations are really mind boggling on the loop. This hike is a MUST do if you are in the area.

Getting started on the echo canyon trail at Chiricahua.

Camel Rock for obvious reasons.

Balance Rock

Chiricahua - Explore a beautiful area full of Native American history!

2010-05-17T20:37:00.000-07:00

We are heading out this weekend to camp and hike at Chiricahua National Monument in southern Arizona. Stay tuned for a report early next week. Until then:

A “Wonderland of Rocks” is waiting for you to explore at Chiricahua National Monument. The 8-mile paved scenic drive and 17-miles of day-use hiking trails provide opportunities to discover the beauty, natural sounds, and inhabitants of this 11,985 acre site. Visit the Faraway Ranch Historic District to discover more about the people who have called this area home.

Starr Pass Trail, Tucson, AZ - 4-24-10

2010-04-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful day in Tucson! We thought we would do a quick hike in the Tucson Mountains before it gets too hot to hike at those elevations until the fall. We had not hiked in the Starr Pass area yet so we headed that way. The Starr Pass trail head is just before the resort off Starr Pass Blvd. There is a little dirt road that turns to pavement at the trail head.

The trail for the first mile and a half was a nice leisurely stroll through the desert. A lot of the cacti were blooming along with the wildflowers which made for a pretty hike. After the first mile and a half we went stright through the next intersection and started gaining a little bit of elevation. Eventually the trail climbs up to a small peak with nice views of the surrounding area. The GPS said it was about 3200' at the top, with a gain of 800' to get there over a total of 3 miles.

There are a lot of trails in the area. Most of them look to be very fun for mountain biking. There were quite a few mountain bikers out on this day. We didn't see any snakes but I am sure they were there. Quail, Roadrunners, a couple hummingbirds and lizards were the only wildlife we saw.

The Starr Pass area is a nice network of fairly easy hikes. Great desert views for all seasons except for summer.

Enjoy!

Basset Peak - Ash Creek Trail Hike 4-3-10

2010-04-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

I decided to try a new area this weekend. We drove a little over an hour east on I-10 to Willcox. From there it was about 30 miles to the NW to get to the Ash Creek trailhead in the Galiuro Mountains which took around another hour in driving. This area is extremely remote which was great as we were hoping to see some interesting wildlife. There wasn't another person on the trail the entire day! There were a few people with their families in campgrounds before the trail but no one hiking.

The round trip to Basset peak is a little over 10 miles but if you don't have at least a high clearance vehicle you'll add another 5 miles round trip to the hike. We made it most of the way to the trailhead in our Sequoia which is only 2WD. We had to drive through a couple streams and the dirt road was full of rocks, boulders, overgrown bushes and trees, etc. We also added quite a few new scratches to the side of the truck so make sure if you do make the drive up to the trail head you drive your beater!

If you follow the road straight back it eventually turns into the Ash Creek trail. You'll criss-cross back and forth over the stream for 3-4 miles depending on where you start. This area is a very nice change from the desert. You feel like you are in the Appalachian Mountains as you gradually climb with the stream through the forest. There also were some very nice areas back here to camp. The stream was running pretty good but as we returned later in the day it had definitely started running much better; I assume because of the snow melting in the warm air.

As you get towards the start of the canyon you cross over the stream one last time and begin climbing to the top of the ridge. This area is the most strenuous of the trial but isn't that terrible. You'll go through pretty consistent switchbacks for the next mile or so until you come to a trail intersection at the top of the ridgeline. From here you make a left to continue the last mile over to Basset Peak on the Basset Peak Trail. Supposedly near this same area is an old WWII plane wreck but we didn't see it as we really didn't know where to look. There are beautiful views in all directions of the surrounding area and mountain ranges. Mount Graham was covered in snow which made for a great view out to the east.

We ended up getting within about 1/4 mile of the top but the snow got really thick, really quick. It was completely covering the trail in spots. With the very steep angle and the thought of slipping down and/or getting lost out here in the middle of nowhere we decided that it wasn't worth the risk to keep going. We never did see any wildlife however right before we turned back there was something very large about 100ft from us that was knocking some pretty big boulders loose! I would assume a bear or a mountain lion given the size of the boulders it sent down the side of the mountain.

This is a beautiful area and a great hike. A great day getaway from Tucson especially if you want some seclusion.

Enjoy!

Madera Canyon Camping Adventure - March 28, 2010

2010-03-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

We have had the itch to do a camping trip since we moved to Tucson 2 months ago. We decided to try Madera Canyon as we had hiked there a few times and some of the camp sites are up pretty high in elevation and offer great views. Most importantly, we could bring our dog with us! I also wanted to try to get up to Mt. Wrightson again while we still had some snow on the ground. I knew it was going to be a bit chilly at around 8000' where we were going to camp. Chilly was an understatement, more like absolutely freezing!

We arrived at Madera Canyon on Saturday morning at around 10 am. It was 51 degrees, a nice start to a beautiful day. Since we had all day long to hike we decided to take the Super Trail to start since it was a little longer of a hike and we had already used Old Baldy from the parking lot a few times. After hiking the Finger Rock Trail the previous weekend the Super Trail was a breeze. Even with 35 pounds on my back we cruised up towards Josephine Saddle and 7000 ft quickly. There wasn't as much snow compared to what we saw a few weeks back up to this elevation. This made me think we could make it up to Baldy Saddle and camp overnight there. We wouldn't make it quite that far.

We stopped and at Josephine Saddle for about 30 minutes. It was a busy day and there were quite a few groups of people in the area and passing through. Our dog had to make sure that he greeted everyone as they came through the area! After lunch we made the decision to head towards Baldy Saddle and see if it was suitable for camp.

A nice lady told us that there was another nice area about a mile past Josephine Saddle to camp. This is where we would end up setting up camp, around 8000ft in elevation. A nice area opened up as the trail went around a corner and you could tell people had camped there in the past. From this spot it was probably another mile up to Baldy but the snow started getting bad. With the air in the 50's the snow got pretty soft and we started to sink in quite a bit. Right before you start the switchbacks up to Baldy we found ourselves sinking thigh deep in the snow that seemed to be 3-4ft deep. Every step was a challenge and stressful. We decided that my girlfriend would stay behind at the spot we found for camp with the dog. I wanted to at least try to get up to Baldy.

The snow flat wore me out. Every step was a challenge, sinking and slipping in the deep, soft snow. I did make it most of the way up the switch backs but it took me at least an hour. Once you got into the switchbacks the snow wasn't nearly as bad but it was still tough after a long day. I was getting tired, it was getting late and I was hungry! I decided to turn back as I was also getting a little uncomfortable with leaving them back by themselves. I turned back and made it back down a lot quicker than I was able to make it up. I decided to slide down about 100ft of elevation in the snow on my butt. It was fun and a lot easier than slipping and falling every other step!

So we set up camp and enjoyed the rest of the beautiful afternoon with great views of Mt. Wrightson and the valley below. We had a nice fire and just relaxed for the last few hours of the day. The only real excitement came when my bear paranoid girlfriend started seeing things and decided a bear was staring at us. She grabs some shoes and starts flaing and screaming trying to scare the imaginary bear away. It had to be one of the funniest things I have ever seen! Too much discovery channel and animal planet paranoia going on there!

Another reason we chose this area is that there didn't seem to be much wind. Quite a few areas that we hiked through seemed very windy but our campsite area seemed pretty sheltered. We called it a night at around 9pm as the temperatures were dropping fast. Our wet socks that we hung on the trees to dry had already frozen! So here we are nice and cozy in the tent with the dog. We stayed plenty warm enough in our sleeping bags while the temps dipped well below freezing outside. Everything was great, at least until all hell broke loose at around 11pm!

The wind seemed to just come out of no where. You would hear the gusts start coming through the trees and eventually just blowing like hell over us. The tent held up for about an hour but eventually the gusts, which had to be 40 mph, pulled out stakes out and it collapsed. So there I am, in the freezing cold, half asleep, trying to put it back together in the dark. Some how I was able to get the tent back up. I tried to reinforce it with some big stones but within 15 minutes of trying to get back in and comfortable it collapsed again. We basically said screw it and just slept in the collapsed tent while the wind whipped it around like a loose sail all night long. The worst part was that the flap/cover of the tent blew off and the vent was right above us open all night with the freezing cold air coming in. Long story short, we didn't sleep. It was freezing cold and sucked! At first light we packed up and headed for the car which we made at about 8am.

What an adventure! I can't wait to get up there and camp again but this time it will be much closer to the summer!

A couple of additional pictures:

Max was freezing!

Looking up towards Baldy Saddle at sunset

Sunset

Finger Rock trail to Mt. Kimball - A killer workout!

2010-03-23T19:34:00.000-07:00

3-21-2010 - Finger Rock Trail to Mt. Kimball

I don't know why I continue to underestimate the difficulty of some of the hikes around the Tucson area. We had planned all week for an all day hike on Saturday, so I chose the Finger Rock trail. I had hiked this area before but never hiked the whole thing. Mostly it was quick mile runs up and down the trail before work so this will be the first attempt to summit Mt. Kimball.

We got to the trail head near Skyline and Campbell at about 9am. I figured we were a bit late as the parking lot was already pretty full but there was still room for us. The trail starts up into the canyon running along a very nice soothing stream. It was running pretty well this trip which I assume is from all the snow melt from the previous few weeks of snow. The trail starts pretty easy for a about a mile as it winds its way along the creek. Enjoy it while you can as you are about to gain over 4000 feet in elevation in the next 5 miles!

Once you start ascending up into the canyon you begin to realize what you have got yourself into. The trail climbs relentlessly for the next 4 miles. Switch back after switch back will gradually take you up and away from the saguaro's and cacti into grassy areas and mesquite and eventually into a pine dominated forest at the top. It is quite an amazing transformation in such a short distance. About half way through the trip there is a side trail that goes off to the right towards Linda Vista. We didn't have the energy for the extra distance but it looked like there would be a nice view into Tucson towards the South and West.

From here the trail isn't as miserably difficult for a few minutes. You gradually climb around through the canyon and eventually back out to the north. There are some amazing views of the mountains and flat walls in this area. The faces get colorful with green moss covering some of the sides. After about 15-30 minutes you start to head back up towards the top of the canyon pretty steeply. The vegetation changes so quickly here and you eventually find yourself in a forest. Your last stop comes as you get to the ridgeline with Finger Rock trail heading off into the catalinas and Pima Canyon trail heading north towards the summit of Mt Kimball. The rest of the trail is about a half mile long and not too difficult. Our GPS showed 7255 feet at the summit of the mountain.

You'll hit one more fork in the trail, stay to right to get to the summit. The very top is pretty much covered in forest but just continue towards the end of the trail. At the end there are some amazing views back towards town and over towards Mt. Lemmon.

Coming back down, at least for us, was rough. Especially the last 3 miles the trail seems like it is never going to end. I kept glancing towards Finger Rock waiting patiently for us to get past it! It took forever! My legs were just done and the trail kept going. It took us (moving slooowwww) about 8.5 hours to complete the hike. 3 days later and my legs are still sore! If you hit this trail in the summer make sure to bring a lot of water as the lower elevation sections of Finger Rock trail will be very hot.

Not really hiking but - San Carlos fishing report

2010-03-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

I guess I should have titled this blog something more relative to general outdoors but oh well. We spent the last weekend down in San Carlos, Mexico for the first time. It is truly a great place to experience the outdoors.

For being so close to Tucson, San Carlos has some surprisingly great fishing and water sports. On top of that there is also supposed to be some great hiking there as well. Unfortunately we didn't get to try it out this trip but I am sure we will be back soon.

We fished with Captain Bryan on the Margarita V boat on Saturday 3/13. The wind was supposed to blow by noon so we got an early start at 6:30. The mountains fading straight into the ocean is just amazing. The water is very clear and definitely has a tropical look to it. We trolled some lures out of the pass and started catching sierra immediately. Our main focus was yellowtail though. We quickly put out some live baits and trolled them for a bit. We ended up catching 3 yellowtail in about an hour's work. By 1030 or so the wind started picking up so switched to trolling lures for sierra. I was amazed at how fast and furious the action was - we probably caught 12 sierra in 30 minutes! It was a great time.

After fishing we cleaned up and headed over to the Soggy Peso for a couple drinks. Wow - their margaritas are a lot stronger than they taste. I think after 3 we were both feeling pretty tipsy. We stayed there for an amazing view of the sunset and then called it a night. It isn't the cheapest place for drinks but by far the best place right on the beach with a sunset view.

On Sunday we decided to do some kayaking around the rocks and points in San Carlos. We rented kayaks from Ocean Sports at the main marina for 30 bucks for a half day. All of the different rock formations into the water made it a lot of fun. We were able to find 2 spots where we could kayak through caves or cutouts in the rocks from one side to another which was really cool. With a little wind and tide it was a little hairy but definitely fun and exciting! If you make it down rent a kayak for a couple hours!

We also spent some time exploring the different points. Climbing and scaling around all of the rocks at the base of the mountains at the edge of the ocean is a lot of fun. Just be careful you don't get stuck out there with the tide coming up! I also tried a little freediving but the visibility was pretty poor at probably 6ft. Supposedly it is usually closer to 30 ft so I will have to give it a shot again next time we make it down.

Saguaro National Park - Hugh Norris Trail

2010-02-28T15:40:00.000-08:00

Well I thought the Hugh Norris trail in the Tucson Mountains was dog friendly. We got there, with a truck full of dogs, and the sign said no dogs. Hmmmmm well we are already here, there is only one other car in the parking lot. I guess it can't hurt to just go. What's the worst that could happen? We get a ticket?

To get to the trail take Gate's Pass road over the Tucson Mountains and hang a right on Kinney towards the museum. Follow Bajada Loop Drive into the park. The trail head is about 3.5 miles past the visitors center on the right. This is a great trail except in the summer when it is just too hot to climb in this area. Much of the area falls in to the Ironwood Forest National Monument.

So we took all 3 dogs and started on the trail. This one starts right into things heading up. Most of the trail is very well marked and kept. Most of the vertical distance is gained in small steps. Which are great and brutal at the same time! It is a beautiful area of the Sonoran desert.

Once you make it up towards the first pass there are a lot of rock formations off of the trail that are easy to get to and fun to climb on. These short side trails offer great views and vistas of the surrounding valleys and mountains. Eventually this trail leads to the tallest peak in the Tucson Mountains - Wasson Peak. We didn't make it that far as the clouds started to build and we eventually had a turn around and jog back to the car to beat the heavy rains. The total distance to Wasson Peak and back is 9.8 miles. You gain a little over 2000 feet of elevation and the last mile up the peak is pretty tough. Definitely bring a lot of water and some snacks.

The dogs loved the trails. I wish they would allow them so we could go back. I just don't understand why they don't allow dogs on these trails. Regardless, this is a great hike. If you have the time definitely treck up to Wasson Peak for some amazing views.

Hiking Pusch Peak - Tucson, AZ

2010-02-24T19:04:00.000-08:00

I had no idea what we were getting ourself into. We didn't want too long of a hike so we opted
to give Pusch Peak a shot. It was about a 3 mile one way trip so how hard could it be? Wow were we suprised as we finally got into the climb. It starts out very nice and easy as you

stroll up through the foothills. But it quickly transforms into a steep climb up the side of the peak that is the toughest hike we have done in Tucson yet.

At the trailhead the trail splits, go left and begin an easy climb up the foothills of Pusch Ridge. After a few minutes when the trail forks, go right and continue through the desert. After another 15 minutes or so you'll come up on a rusted sign that cannot be read. Veer to the right where you will start your steady climb up to Pusch Peak.

The climb is a lot of fun. Instead of the usual switchbacks this one really just follows the terrain straight up the mountain. You'll encounter areas where the trail is a little hard to spot but if you take your time at look around you can usually find footpaths were previous hikers have gone. The face of the peak doesn't look like it is too far off but it takes a while to make the way up. Not too far into the steep area there is a side trail off to the right that has great views of the Tucson valley. We decided to keep heading straight up to conserve energy just in case it was a tough climb. That was a good idea.

As you hike to the east of the face the trail seems to just go further and further and steeper and steeper. Around each corner we thought we had finally made it to the the top only to find extremely steep trails going higher and higher!

There are quite a few areas of the trail that required us to really get on all 4's. Plenty of steep drops plus areas where I felt I was doing a little more of rock climbing than hiking. The views from the top are worth it though. From the top of Pusch Peak there are 360 degree views; Mt Kimball and Mt. Lemmon off to the east and the Tucson Valley back to the west. There is a lot of room at the top to stop, rest and eat some lunch. Make sure to re-energize as the trip back down is tough.

Slow and steady is a great idea for this descent. Be careful with your foot placement, one wrong step and you are sliding pretty easy.

I highly recommend this hike. It is a great half day hike close in to Tucson that I would consider pretty tough or even strenuous. It will give you a great workout!

Enjoying Madera Canyon in the Winter

2010-02-11T19:26:00.000-08:00

February 6, 2010 - I wanted to see some snow. I knew Mt. Lemmon would have snow but I really am not a fan of crowds and the rumor was that Mt. Lemmon is packed after fresh snow falls. Option B - Madera Canyon. The parking lot at the trails is around 5000 feet and the snow level was close to 6500. No problem.

Madera canyon is an amazing place in the winter. The scenery is just gorgeous with the snow covered peaks in the background. And a big plus - pets are allowed on the trails here. We brought Max our chocolate lab who has never really climbed up any terrain like this before. I had no idea how well he would do. We ran into quite a few people with dogs while we were there.

We decided to start up Old Baldy trail and just climb until Max was worn out. It turns out he did great and never really wore out on us. He was always running ahead and then back to us. The trail jumps right in to some fairly steep paths winding uphill. Although at first the trail is wide and flat and pretty easy walking the terrain gets rockier and tougher pretty quick. As you climb the views of Mt. Wrightson are amazing:

We climbed for about an hour before we got into the thick snow. It was patchy in the shady areas but I would guess we were about 6000 feet up before it got fairly thick and was covering the ground. Fortunately other hikers had been there recently and we could easily follow their path. If we had been the first to arrive after a snow storm I can imagine it would have been really difficult to follow the trail.

Max was absolutely having a blast. He stayed well ahead of us, stopping at the corners so we didn't get out of sight. 4 legs were really a benefit on this day, he kept his footing a lot easier than we did.

We made it through the Old Baldy trail and decided to keep going towards Mt. Wrightson until we either got too tired or the trail was too difficult with all the snow and ice. Well we didn't make it too much further. There must have been at least a foot of snow on the ground. It was beautiful and just a ton of fun climbing. We probably went another mile but at the point the snow was so deep that Max had trouble with his footing. The path left by other hikers was great for us but he was having trouble with the deep holes his paws were slipping into. We turned around probably 3.3 miles of the 5 miles to the top.

We just had a great time. The canyon was awesome, the views were amazing and the weather perfect. If you plan on making it to the top I would highly suggest waiting a couple days after any serious snows unless you have snow shoes or something to trek in the snow with. A couple of walking poles makes the world of difference on the descent down to the bottom over the snow and the ice.

Anyone who hasn't been to Madera Canyon in the winter really is missing out!

Hiking Wasson Peak - Our first official hike as Tucson residents

2010-02-09T21:38:00.000-08:00

We officially relocated from Jacksonville, Florida as of 1/30/10. Well our stuff arrived on Saturday so we figured Sunday would be a great day to do a nice hike. We moved to the west side of town and the Tucson Mountains are in our backyard. So we figured we would start there since in the summer it will be too hot to hike these mountains as their elevation doesn't get too high.

We really didn't plan well but we headed to the Camino del Cerro trail head and started on the sweetwater trail. There was a sign that said Wasson Peak was about 4.5 miles so I figured we would give it a shot. The Tucson Mountains aren't that tall so it couldn't be too tough right? The trail starts out very easy with little elevation gain wandering through the Saguaros. The trail is pretty wide starting out with dirt/gravel but eventually gets rocky as the elevation gains. The pic to the right is near the beginning of the trail. The landscape was great and the further we hiked the more picturesque it became. As you start winding into the mountains the views of Tucson are awesome! Here is a nice shot on the way up:

About 3.5 miles in you get to an area where a couple trails meet. Kings Canyon Trail and Sweetwater Trail junctions here at about 4,000 ft in elevation. There are great views of the valley to the west and back to Tucson. However from here the trail gets much tougher as you start winding your way to the summit of Wasson Peak. As you continue the summit to the right just looks like it is forever away. Although it is only 1.2 miles from the crossroads up to the peak it is definitely a tough 1.2 miles. Very scenic and beautiful but tough too. The views at the top are definitely worth it. The view below is looking over the Tucson's towards the SE:

This is a great trail and route. 9.2 miles total round trip and about 2000 feet of elevation gain. Make sure to hike this in the winter, spring or fall. It is a scorcher in the summer! Don't let the first few miles fool you - the last 1.2 up the switchbacks to the peak are a definite good challenge. There were quite a few people hiking but not bad for a beautiful Sunday. Some people actually hike this at night time to get to the top to watch the sun rise over the catalinas. I am sure this must be an amazing hike but I am sure there a lot of wildlife at night. Anyone does this one at night?