After a largely dry and storm free winter it was a privilege to spend a week under grey skies! Rain, flowing washes, road cuts turned into waterfalls, canyons filled with water – a real joy, and as I write this it looks like we might get another short storm in February!
A sea of grass out to the Thimble, a ribbon of color down Sabino Canyon, looking up Bear Canyon to and past the Sycamore Reservoir Dam, back lit Saguaros and sunset light in Bear Canyon – every trip into the mountains is another chance to see something new – even the most familiar places are constantly changing, different light, season, weather, colors, wildlife, plants, friends… – and this was a particularly amazing day.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
