Agua Caliente Hill Trail and Ridge Loop – 2/12/2015

1502 Cat Track Tank
Cat Track Tank with water from the recent winter storms. February 2015.

Its sunny and windy, no sign of the rain that filled Cat Track Tank and many of the smaller drainages – I follow the Agua Caliente Hill Trail past the junction with FR4445, under False Hope Hill, across the grassy hillsides and up to the top.

At the top – a quick note in the summit register, a few moments pondering the short/sad/beautiful note above mine and a brief but careful consultation of the map and GPS before leaving the trail and plunging down the ridge to the west towards towards Cat Track Tank.

1502 Weathertop to Tuffet Tank
Off-trail on the ridge west of Agua Caliente Hill (center) with a view stretching from Weathertop (left) to Tuffet Tank (right). February 2015.

Capturing the view from Weathertop to Tuffet Tank takes multiple photos – stitched together they document the view, but fall far short of capturing the joy of being out on the ridge. The map shows a trail from the ridge to Cat Track Tank, I find it and try to follow the fading track.

1502 Grass and Tree
Grass and tree on the ridge – the windy day reduced visibility and looking towards the Tucson Mountains the sky was white with dust. February 2015.

As the trail descends off ridge it disappears and the Cat’s Claw closes in – eventually I abandon trying to find the trail and cut down to the Agua Caliente Hill Trail to finish the day.

9.2 miles, +/- 3000′ of elevation gain and loss.