Looking across Carter Canyon from the Mint Spring Trail you can see Forest Road 18 switchbacking up the burned out hillside, past cabins and water tanks, joining and following power lines up to Radio Ridge. It doesn’t have the same appeal as getting up to Radio Ridge on the Aspen or Aspen Draw Trail but summer flowers, winter snow, interesting views… maybe just worth it…

East of the Mint Spring Trailhead FR18 leaves Carter Canyon Road as Miners Ridge Road – apparently the road was erroneously classified in the Forest Service Infrastructure Database (INFRA) as open to public motor vehicle traffic – corrected in the recently finalized Santa Catalina Ranger District Motorized Travel System where the note for FR18 reads:

In INFRA road is listed as having ML1 and ML2 portions, however, on the ground the road is currently closed to the public, but utilized by authorized personnel. Error in INFRA that restriction to public access not listed. Redesignate in INFRA as “Restricted to Administrative and Permitted Use Only”. ML 2. Radio Ridge access for Mt. Lemmon water district and TRICO Electric. Restricted to reduce intensity of resource impacts.

I don’t recall ever seeing a gate or signage on Miners Ridge Road indicating that it was closed in any way to the public and I assume the note is mainly referencing the top section (the upper section of the road is labeled Radio Ridge Road in Pima County’s GIS Information and Cap Rock Road by Google Maps) where the road has been gated at the Summit Trailhead to prevent public motor vehicle access for as long as I can remember.

I’m sure that FR18 is blanketed by snow every year but in previous years it hadn’t occurred to me that the snow covered road would be an interesting hike. This year I was a little smarter – lower on the road there were vehicle tracks, but they eventually disappeared and I plunged into untracked snow up to Radio Ridge – alone for a cold sunset – before making my way down partly by headlamp.