sabino canyon recreation area

Storm – 6/30/2015

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles

Rain! Warm summer rain fell for the first mile of my short loop, just long enough for me to gain some elevation and find a spot to sit and watch the lightning – flashes in the clouds to the south and bright bolts to the west – a beautiful summer storm over the desert!

1506 Lightning from the Phoneline Trail
Looking west into lightning and clouds – from the Phoneline Trail. June 2015.
1506 Night in Sabino Canyon
Heading down to the road – lights from a night-time tram visible below – lightning in the background. June 2015.

Bighorn Release, Bighorn Capture Deaths, Sabino Canyon Recreation

Posted - Charles Miles
16 more bighorns released in Catalina Mountains – Douglas Kreutz – Arizona Daily Star: On Friday 16 Bighorn Sheep were released into the Santa Catalina Mountains (12 ewes and 4 rams) bringing the total number of sheep released this week to 30. Unfortunately the number of Bighorn deaths associated with this reintroduction has again increased with 3 rams dying during the capture operations. Autumn in Tucson: Sabino Canyon – Ann Brown – Arizona Daily Star: A nice post on the diverse recreation opportunities available in Sabino Canyon.

Prison Camp to Sabino Canyon, a Competition Between Friends – 9/19/2014

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
1409 Crossing Bear Canyon on the Sycamore Reservoir Trail
RA crossing Bear Canyon (flowing!) on the Sycamore Reservoir Trail. September 2014.

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.

1409 Scarlet Creeper near Sycamore Reservoir
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.

1409 Richard Consulting with Two Members of the Hat Empire
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…

1409 A present from Alison
Defeat! September 2014.

🙂 12.8 miles, +881’/-2800′ of elevation gain/loss.