Box Camp Trail, Hutch’s Pool, out to Prison Camp – 9/23 and 9/24/2018

A view from a ridgetop section of the Box Camp Trail. September 2018.
A view from a ridgetop section of the Box Camp Trail. September 2018.

Pictures from last Fall – watery Hutch’s Pools, a bright moonrise from the West Fork and a beautiful night – but what really sticks in my mind is the lower half of the Box Camp Trail. The rough trail hides other footsteps – hard to guess the last time someone has been here – an hour? a week? Nice to be alone and wonder!

Water at a canyon crossing on the Box Camp Trail. September 2018.
Water at a canyon crossing on the Box Camp Trail. September 2018.
Grinding holes along the West Fork Trail. September 2018.
Grinding holes along the West Fork Trail. September 2018.
Hutch's Pool off the West Fork Trail. September 2018.
Hutch’s Pool off the West Fork Trail. September 2018.
Moonrise on the West Fork Trail. September 2018.
Moonrise on the West Fork Trail. September 2018.
Camped above the junction of the Bear Canyon, East Fork and Sycamore Reservoir Trails. September 2018.
Camped above the junction of the Bear Canyon, East Fork and Sycamore Reservoir Trails. September 2018.
Looking across the Santa Catalina Mountains towards Romero Pass. September 2018.
Looking across the Santa Catalina Mountains towards Romero Pass. September 2018.
Sacred Datura in the Sycamore Reservoir Area. September 2018.
Sacred Datura in the Sycamore Reservoir Area. September 2018.

Prison Camp to Sabino Canyon – 10/6/2015

A wall near the top of the Sycamore Reservoir dam. October 2015.
A wall near the top of the Sycamore Reservoir dam. October 2015.
Looking across the Santa Catalina Mountains - from near Shreve Saddle, looking down on Sycamore Reservoir. October 2015.
Looking across the Santa Catalina Mountains – from near Shreve Saddle, looking down on Sycamore Reservoir. October 2015.
Looking back towards the Prison Camp area from the Bear Canyon Trail - fast moving clouds covering the mountains. October 2015.
Looking back towards the Prison Camp area from the Bear Canyon Trail – fast moving clouds covering the mountains. October 2015.
Looking down Bear Canyon - rain in Tucson and a break in the clouds above. October 2015.
Looking down Bear Canyon – rain in Tucson and a break in the clouds above. October 2015.

Waves of rain and hail were the highlights of the day – it was beautiful to see the mountain covered in clouds and wet with rain!

Sycamore Reservoir and Bear Canyon, Racing with Friends – 5/23/2015

1505 Richard on the way down to Sycamore Reservoir
RA running down the Sycamore Reservoir Trail. May 2015.

The gate at the entrance to the Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Site is closed, the sun is hot and Sycamore Canyon is dry – summer! And a simple day out with friends enjoying the trails!!

1505 Butterfly Weed
Butterfly Weed along the Sycamore Reservoir Trail. May 2015.
1505 Bear Canyon and the Bear Canyon Trail
Looking at the Bear Canyon Trail disappearing down towards Seven Falls. May 2015.
1505 The Blue Line
The ‘Blue Line’ – a well known landmark along the Bear Canyon Trail. May 2015.

Bigelow Trailhead to the Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Site – 1/17/2015

We started at the Bigelow Trailhead, walked past the gate that closes Organization Ridge Road to public motorized traffic in the winter and continued on to the Palisade Trailhead. The road was icy and there was just enough snow at the trailhead to give a pleasant hint of winter, but not enough to require anything other than a little caution.

1501 Snow at the Palisade Trailhead
Palisade Trailhead with snow – Organization Ridge Road is closed seasonally to motorized vehicles so we parked at the Bigelow Trailhead and walked the road. January 2015.

We could hear Palisade Canyon flowing below – it looked like quite a bit of water from the trail – walked snowy sections of Palisade Trail where the shade preserved the remains of the last storm, paused for birds and enjoyed the polished stone in Pine Canyon before reaching Mud Spring.

1501 Cairn and brown ferns near Mud Spring
A cairn marking the Mud Spring Tank is surrounded by dead ferns. January 2015.

The waterfall in Pine Canyon was roaring away – quite a sight – and we paused just before the trail begins to plunge downwards to enjoy the view – Thimble Peak to Brinkley Point!

1501 A View from the Palisade Trail
A impressive view of the mountains – from near the Palisade Trail looking into Tucson – landmarks include Thimble Peak (near the left), Cathedral Rock and Brinkley Point (on the right). January 2015.

Down to the junction with the East Fork Trail and then up – past the Bear Canyon Trail and onto the Bear Canyon Trail, across Sycamore Canyon, past Sycamore Reservoir where Sycamore Canyon and Bear Canyon were pouring an impressive amount of water over the dam, up to Shreve Saddle and then down the Molino Basin Trail to the car we had left at the Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Site earlier in the day.

1501 Water rushing over the Sycamore Reservoir Dam
Water from Sycamore Canyon and Bear Canyon rush over the Sycamore Reservoir Dam. January 2015.

Descending the Palisade Trail is a great way to see everything from pine forest to cactus and take in quite a few impressive views. Currently miles 4-6 of the Palisade Trail are distinctly more overgrown and less used than the upper sections of the trail – with some attention and effort you should be able to find the trail, but be prepared to use your map and navigate if needed.

12.8 miles, +1,400’/-4,350′ of elevation gain/loss.

Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Area to the base of Thimble Peak – 11/23/2014

If it wasn’t for Finger Rock Thimble Peak would probably be the most recognizable peak in the Santa Catalina Mountains. While there is no official trail to Thimble Peak it is a well traveled destination.

We started at the end of the road in the Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Site – Molino Basin Trail to Shreve Saddle – Sycamore Reservoir Trail on fallen leaves – along Sycamore Canyon thru small patches of color.

1411 Sycamore Reservoir Area
On the Sycamore Reservoir Trail near Bear Canyon. November 2014.
1411 Fall Colors near Sycamore Canyon
Color from the Arizona Sycamores along Sycamore Canyon – on the Sycamore Reservoir Trail. November 2014.

The Bear Canyon Shortcut Trail takes us up to the Bear Canyon Trail and we follow it to the fantastic lookout where the unofficial trail to the Thimble breaks off into a sea of grass.

1411 Not far from the Bear Canyon Trail on the way to the Thimble
Looking up at Thimble Peak after leaving the Bear Canyon Trail for the unofficial route to the Peak. November 2014.

The trail climbs, curves and climbs again – overgrown in places, but cairns and sections of trail keep appearing until we touch the base of the Thimble.

1411 View from the base of Thimble Peak
An amazing view into the Santa Catalina Mountains from near the base of Thimble Peak – from the top of the mountain to Gibbon Mountain! November 2014.

It’s surprisingly chilly in the shade and we retreat along the ridge into the sun to take a break and enjoy the day before walking back over our footprints to the car… 11.1 Miles, 2580′ of elevation gain/loss. Some good sources of information: Summit Hut Trail Talk – Thimble Peak – David Baker, Hike Arizona – Thimble Peak.

1411 Thimble Sunset from above Sycamore Reservoir
Thimble Peak in the sunset. November 2014.