Headed back into Tucson on the Finger Rock Trail. November 2014.
The weather is finally great for lower elevation hikes! On this hike up Finger Rock I especially enjoyed the section above the turn to Linda Vista where the trail winds in and out of small drainages below big cliffs, the feel of the trail underfoot and plants around you constantly changing.
I had hoped to go a bit further than the junction with the Pima Canyon Trail – but I ran out of time and and it is hard to argue with the junction as a stopping spot with the view below just a minute away… 9.5 miles, 3950′ of elevation gain/loss.
Taken near a campsite off the Finger Rock Trail just after the junction with the Pima Canyon Trail – great views all the way to the top of the mountain! November 2014.
Christmas Cactus – Cylindropuntia leptocaulis – along the Linda Vista Trails. November 2014.
In September I did a run half as long as today’s and posted about how hot it was – Too Hot – Linda Vista Trails – 9/4/2014 – what an exciting time of year when the weather changes and these lower elevation trails become fun and accessible! 3.3 miles, 520′ of elevation gain/loss.
Stopping at a trail sign to enjoy the views. November 2014.
We started the day at the Palisade Trailhead – it was cold when we stepped out of the car, but we knew we would warm up quickly on the Palisade Trail. We paused occasionally for pictures, stopped to enjoy Pine Canyon above the falls (still flowing), peered into the Mud Spring tank (filled with water and leaves) and nearly ran into the old phoneline that still angles across the trail.
A grassy descent on the Palisade Trail. November 2014.
The grass covered trail as we descended – below Mud Spring the trail is not as frequently used and more than once we had to pause to find our way – well worth the effort, the last part of the descent to the junction with the East Fork Trail is so beautiful!
Looking up Sabino Canyon – from the Phoneline Trail. November 2014.
Sabino Canyon was full of cold water near the East Fork Trail/West Fork/Sabino Canyon junction – a nice break before finishing along the Sabino Canyon and Phoneline Trails.
Fall color above the the 1918 Trail. October 2014.
There was steady traffic on the highway and every trailhead I could see had at least one car – on such a lovely day it was inspiring to see so many people out enjoying the mountain. I parked at the Sunset Trailhead and took the unsigned 1918 Trail – the trail runs along a stream near the highway and into the Bear Wallow area – never far from the road, but so beautiful with the fall colors that the sounds of the cars are easily forgotten.
Bright fall color in the sun along the 1918 Trail. October 2014.
Eventually I turned onto Bigelow Road – steady running to the top – back the way I came. 1918 and Bigelow Road to Mount Bigelow and back the same way – 7 miles, +/- 930′ elevation gain/loss (round-trip).
Another great post to with some fall colors in the Santa Catalina Mountains is Sirena’s Happy 5th Anniversary! – congratulations to Sirena on her blog’s 5th anniversary! Sirena’s Wanderings is a GREAT source of information and inspiration!
Road construction is on-going – on the weekends there are no delays but areas like the one below (with the pavement removed) located just down-mountain from the Ridgeline Parking Pullout are likely to cause delays on the weekdays…
Pavement removed – construction underway – there are no current delays on the weekend days, but expect delays during the week – just below the Ridgeline Parking Area. October 2014.
A Scarlet Creeper among the flowers and green near Sycamore Reservoir on the Sycamore Reservoir Trail. September 2014.
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.
RA on the Sabino Canyon Trail – we wished for rain from the threatening clouds in the background, but we had very close to zero rain and by the end of our run there were brutally hot patches of full sun. September 2014.
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…
Defeat! September 2014.
🙂 12.8 miles, +881’/-2800′ of elevation gain/loss.
