The clouds over the mountain looked tempting and tall but I had to drive high on the mountain to get under their shadow – the cloudless blue skies around the mountain hint at higher temperatures to come, I don’t think summer is quite done… Ridgeline Parking Pullout, Incinerator Ridge Trail and Kellogg Trail up to Mount Bigelow. 4 miles, 1000′ of elevation gain/loss.
AT dropped RA and I at the upper parking area of the Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Site – then we both started towards the Phoneline and Historic Sabino Trail junction. AT’s route was to drive to the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center and then hike/run up the Phoneline Trail. RA and I came down via the Sycamore Reservoir Trail, East Fork Trail, Sabino Canyon Trail and Phoneline Trail.
There were amazing flowers near Sycamore Reservoir – both Bear Canyon and Sycamore Canyon were flowing – there were clouds in the distance. We barely paused as we turned onto the Sabino Canyon Trail – as we continued down the trail it seemed like it was getting hotter and hotter.
I was surprised by the flowers on the Phoneline Trail – I had expected them near the canyons, but on Phoneline I didn’t expect such a great display. As I approached today’s finish line I was ahead of RA but couldn’t really look for AT – I was tired and the trail was too rocky – but as I got closer and didn’t see AT watching us I hoped I had won…
🙂 12.8 miles, +881’/-2800′ of elevation gain/loss.
Clouds were moving in – it was humid, but cooler than many previous days, and it seemed just cool enough for a hike on the Pusch Peak Northwest Side Route – I made it 2 miles and 1700+’ up the trail before the rain and the dark gave me good reasons to stop, take a picture, enjoy a break and return down to the city.
When discussing where to go hiking with a visitor to Tucson you can count on the Marshall Gulch Trail and the Aspen Trail getting mentioned in some loop/combination/variation – and certainly there can be NO argument about these being sublime and incredible trails.
But as lovely as those trails are the loop that – for me – has come to best represents the spirit of the Santa Catalina Mountains is the Oracle Ridge – Catalina Camp – Red Ridge loop. This loop has astounding views, steep descents, cows, mines, water, washed out two-track, a bit of pavement, the Arizona Trail, flowers, steep climbing, more steep climbing, bones, big trees, burned areas, One Park Place and even an occasional cactus…
The harshness, history and beauty of this loop may be without parallel in the range – 9 miles, 2550′ of elevation gain/loss – with the great company of Korey Konga!
Dirt roads and paved mountain roads may not always be my first choice for travel on foot – but I have to admit that some of the most lovely vistas I have ever been to are along roads – and sometimes new routes magically open up once you abandon a strict trails-only approach.
Up the Bigelow Trail – lovely flowers and big trees, onto the Butterfly Trail up to Mount Bigelow, down Bigelow Road – great views and nice to see all the people out camping, onto to highway – Turkeys flying across and on the side of the road – and back to the Bigelow Trailhead – 6.3 miles, 860′ of elevation gain/loss.