santa catalina mountains

Across Davis Mesa, Into Edgar Canyon – 11/26/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
November 2016.
From a 1904 map of the Tucson area – the current Davis Spring Trailhead is near the center of the map above ‘Davis Spring’. Note the trail across Davis Mesa from Alder Canyon… November 2016.

The Davis Spring Trailhead is a gateway into an interesting part of the mountain – but, in addition to the mandatory hour+ drive, the primary access is a long, slow, high-clearance drive from Redington Road – far too few hikers see this area.

North of Edgar Canyon, across Davis Mesa, Black Hills Mine Road runs along the north ridge of Alder Canyon – notably easier to drive than the the Davis Spring Trailhead access road.

Encouraged by a trail shown on the 1904 USGS Tucson Quadrangle, I wondered if it might be faster to access the Davis Spring Trailhead by parking above Ventana Windmill off Black Hills mine road and hiking across Davis Mesa. I plotted a route across Davis Mesa that, in my living room, seemed like the route would be primarily fast-to-walk easy-to-find double track.

November 2016.
November 2016.

On the south side of Alder Canyon it was clear that the double track, so clear on the aerial views of the area, was not going to be quite as expected – we found hints of it but… I was glad to be hiking with Geoffrey from Trailvoyant – great company and an experienced set of eyes to look for the faint track!

Near the wash splitting Davis Mesa the double track became more distinct, but even then its rocky decent didn’t actually speed us up – on the other side an old road eventually appeared and curved towards the trailhead.

November 2016.
In April of this year this area was covered by a pool of water that was several feet. November 2016.

Clear water flowed from Davis Spring and water is still making its way down to the corral above Edgar Canyon. At the corral we drop into the bottom of the canyon – there is less water than there was in April, and very little flow – mostly just isolated pools.

November 2016.
Geoffrey from Trailvoyant enjoying the Fall colors in Edgar Canyon – the Davis Spring Trail bypasses this section of Edgar Canyon on the hillside above. November 2016.

The bottom of the canyon is filled with fall colors – we leave the trail behind as it climbs the canyon side and continue up canyon to the Davis Spring and Knagge Trail junction – our turn around point for the day –  on the way back we find, lose, and then find the Davis Spring Trail before crossing back over Davis Mesa and Alder Canyon as the light fades.

November 2016.
Davis Spring Trail and Knagge Trail Junction Sign. November 2016.

On the 1957 Bellota 15′ Map the trail across Davis Mesa is no longer present and our path across Davis Mesa doesn’t seem worth repeating or recommending – a fun adventure and a great day out, but not the alternate Davis Spring Trailhead access I had hoped for!

November 2016.
November 2016.

First Snow – 11/28/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles

The cameras at the top of the mountain showed a nice layer of snow but at 6 AM ‘Closed’ signs blocked the drive up the mountain – instead I drove Redington Road hoping the snow might have made it far enough down the mountain to photograph from one of the view points near the Italian Spring Trailhead, low clouds and a high snow line meant that the lovely sunrise scene didn’t include any snow – but closer to town it was easy to see the first good snow of the winter blanketing the top of the mountain!

November 2016.
Sunset from Redington Road. November 2016.
November 2016.
First snow of the winter! November 2016.
November 2016.
No snow lower on the mountain – but a nice blanket higher on the Mountain. November 2016.

Almost Super Moon from Kellogg Mountain – 11/13/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles

We hike up the Bigelow Trail to the junction with the Butterfly Trail and then wander up to the top of Kellogg Mountain. Tall trees on the eastern slope, missed by the fires that scorched much of the mountain over a decade ago, block our view – from a rocky perch farther down the ridge we can clearly see Bassett Peak and the spot where the moon will rise – just a few minutes of waiting in the cold wind and then…

Almost supermoon - moonrise. November 2016.
Almost supermoon – moonrise. November 2016.
Moon over the Galiuro Mountains. November 2016.
Moon over the Galiuro Mountains. November 2016.

On the 13th the moonrise was about 10 minutes before the sunset and we thought with some luck we might get the almost-supermoon rising against beautiful sunset color – it didn’t quite work out exactly as planned, the light on the eastern mountains faded faster than expected – but still beautiful, and the clouds around the setting sun were spectacular!

Sunset from Kellogg Mountain. November 2016.
Sunset from Kellogg Mountain. November 2016.

Lombar Hill – 10/31/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
Lombar Hill from the Control Road. October 2016.
Lombar Hill from the Control Road. October 2016.

Below Marble Peak, at a sharp turn, the Control Road crosses a cattle guard and a fence runs up the ridge towards the top of Lombar Hill. A road on the north side of the fence seems like it might take you to the top, but instead it ends at a fire ring and a trail that quickly disappears into thick vegetation. On the south side of the fence a small, occasionally overgrown, path parallels the fence – it only takes a few minutes on this path to get to the top – a nice break from the long drive up the mountain!

Looking down the mountain into the San Pedro River Valley from Lombar Hill - Alder Canyon and the ridge between Alder and Edgar Canyons are on the right - if you zoom in you can see Black Hills Mine Road and the road to Ventana Windmill descending into Alder Canyon. October 2016.
Looking down the mountain into the San Pedro River Valley from Lombar Hill – Alder Canyon and the ridge between Alder and Edgar Canyons are on the right – if you zoom in you can see Black Hills Mine Road and the road to Ventana Windmill descending into Alder Canyon. October 2016.
Horned Lizard on Lombar Hill. October 2016.
Horned Lizard on Lombar Hill. October 2016.

I am not sure about the who/what/why of the name Lombar Hill (please contact me if you can fill me in on the history of this name!) – the name does not appear on the USGS 1904 Tucson Map, perhaps because it is a smaller feature, but does appear on a survey from the 1920s…

The 1904 Tucson Topo Map (available as a free download from the USGS) - Lombar Hill is in the center of the map but is not labeled. October 2016.
The 1904 Tucson Topo Map (available as a free download from the USGS) – Lombar Hill is near the center of the map but is not labeled. October 2016.
Lombar Hill shown on a Survey from the 1920s, unlike the 1904 Topo Lombar Hill is labeled. The survey document is available from the General Land Office Records (Township 11S Range 16E). October 2016.
Lombar Hill shown on a Survey from the 1920s, unlike the 1904 Topo Lombar Hill is labeled. The survey document is available from the General Land Office (Township 11S Range 16E). October 2016.