There would not be water until the next day, so our packs were heavy with the weight of our most basic necessity. By the afternoon, we were in the midst of this rock pile, slogging up the mountain under the harsh sun. Looking at the Rincons from Tucson, the northern slope of Micah Mountain looks like a rock pile. The heat slowed our pace as it tends to do, but we only had 15 miles to cover our first day so we could take our time. It was triple-digit weather in the valley, and while gaining a few thousand feet helped, the climbs were tough and not particularly shady. In fact, although it was only the 10th of the month, Tucson had already set 5 new record high days that October. Just a few days prior Tucson had set a new record high temperature for the date. I had expected this section to be a mostly downhill journey, but I should know better than that by now. Technically, the first ten miles of our journey were not in the Rincons at all, but instead making our way out of the Catalinas toward Reddington Pass, the divide between the two ranges. Although the trail was indeed in great shape, this is still Arizona, so the terrain remained rocky and rugged. We hiked the range from North to South, starting at Molino Basin at the Catalina foothills and ending at the Gabe Zimmerman trailhead south of Colossal Cave Mountain Park. To avoid the hassle, we made sure to avoid having to overnight within the boundaries of the park. The downside of backpacking in National Parks is the permit system. Hiking in a National Park all but guarantees that the trail will be well maintained, so this was a nice change of pace from the absolute lack of trail we just left behind in the Chiricahuas. Not only does the AZT cross these mountains, but the range falls within the boundaries of Saguaro National Park. Fewer still hike to the top of its prominent peaks. Still, most people who live in Tucson seem unaware of the name of the range. The Rincons are a prominent feature of the Tucson skyline, rising from the east like 2 huge mounds – one rounded, one pointed. Because the AZT is a well-traveled trail, the route is well-maintained and easy to follow. The Arizona Trail and the Sky Islands Traverse share a route over several of the mountain ranges closest to Tucson. Tags #vegetarian #vegan #gluten-free Appalachian Trail Arizona arizona trail backpacking Birds bryce canyon Continental Divide Trail Gear Gear Review Grand Canyon grand enchantment trail hiking MYOG national parks Pacific Crest Trail Prescott Circle Trail Sky Islands utah ArchivesĪfter our bushwhacking trip through the Chiricahuas, Paul and I were in the mood for some manicured trail for awhile. The AZT crosses the road at the cattle guard with the southbound trail starting about 50 yards down the road.Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The pistol hill trailhead is 2 miles down pistol hill road just before the first cattle guard. For those of you that want to avoid the park fee. The trail then drops down into a flatter area of desert, rolling small hills and ends at Pistol Hill road. The trail follows the west side of the hill and the canyon opens up allowing wonderful views of the Rincon mountains and Tanque Verde ridge. After crossing to the east the trail follows a canyon out the north end of the park that goes from the east side of the drainage to the west side and then past a picnic ground with tables and campsites. This part of the trail is in a mesquite grove and is the most scenic area in the trail. There are a few intersecting trails that the horseback rides use that cross the trail. Then drops into the wash and circles the park on the eastern boarder. The trail traverses the hillside to the east of the park. This is where a small connector trail goes across the wash up a small incline to intersect the main Arizona trail. At the west end of the parking lot there is a small picnic ground with an aluminum gate. The trail head starts in the "Cowboy" parking lot which is part of the La Posta Quemata Ranch located within the parks boundaries.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |