With the sky islands the recent recipients of 6"+ of winter rains, it seemed like a good time to chase waterfalls in the Catalinas. Palisade (singular) is a technical canyon, but we just hiked up from the bottom to the base of the last rappel.

There was a nice flow in the creek except for a couple hundred yards where it ran underground briefly. Travel in this creek wasn't too bad and featured numerous cascades and picturesque pools. On the way up we did a lot of hiking in the water, and even considered swimming! On the way back, after darkness had set in, we managed to keep our feet dry the whole way.

After cheating by taking the tram on the way up, the road hike on the way back was a peaceful treat in the dark, though oddly void of any signs of wildlife at all. It was a great day and a worthy destination that more than justified the late night.

I even pretended to be a photographer and took a bunch of photos with longer exposures to make that milky water FOTG likes so much!

Bought a new annual pass and hit the hiker mall that is the Sabino trail network. Went up Phoneline Trail, admiring the view up Sabino Canyon that is always better than I remember. Dropped down Phoneline link to the Sabino Road, and ruined some family’s photo shoot by the stagnant creek with my lurching yeti stride. Sorry folks! Walked down the road wishing I could ride my bike up or hike the entire thing this afternoon. Finished up around dusk, and headed up into the foothills ‘hood for a family dinner rendezvous. Nice afternoon quickie hike.

I had a late start at Sabino Canyon due to a major accident the I-10 in both directions in the same area. Westbound traffic was backed up worse.

Anyway, it was hot and dry at Sabino. I didn't see much, and it would've been better if I went somewhere else. the bats and the canyon tree frogs were out in full force. Everything else was not.

Great day in the Catalinas. It was still raining off-and-on after midnight Friday (and apparently some of this group were still awake for some reason ) but in the morning the stream gauges were around 100cfs and seemed passable. The clouds shrouded the mountains, and ice coated my windshield, but clear skies illuminated the valley.

We started as a group of 5, but Mark was under the weather and hiking in cold floodwater wasn't in his best interest. Carol similarly decided the flooding wasn't all that desirable, and both turned back at various stages.

Seven Falls was awesome, and half the joy was that there were no other people who had any interest in hiking in snowmelt flood waters to get there. (The guy in jeans who made one crossing before turning back did not receive any judgemental comments from me )

Having never hiked any of this before, I had proposed the Bear Sabino Loop with a side trip to Hutch or Thimble. Belinda voted on Thimble and I was surprised how cool of a peak it is. While climbing the chimney we found out that not only smoke rises, and it left all of us with a bad taste in our mouths.

From Thimble we trudged through the little remaining snow and down into East Sabino. We took a break at the Sabino junction and were happy to have decided not to go to Hutch's since there would be numerous additional deep, cold crossings with the ample flow in the creek.

On the return, Mike and Belinda opted for the Phone Line Trail to keep their feet dry. I had hiked it a week ago and decided to head down and play in the water along the road. The last tram left shortly after I started, leaving the road peaceful and quiet with only a handful of runners along the way.

This was a great loop. It would be nice in normal weather, but was extra special with the snow and runoff. After drying off and warming up we devoured a delicious Italian dinner before heading our separate ways.

Apparently I need to add more pineapple to my diet.

Our first trip to Sabino Canyon.
We took the tram up to the end of the road,
then hiked back down along the Phone Line Trail.
Very scenic canyon, very enjoyable trail!
We agreed that a return trip will be made in the future for more.
Great afternoon of hiking and a real nice ending to our 3 day trip!

A 6:44 AM start after a breakfast of yogurt, strawberries, and a bagel. The parking lot is 7/8 full on a cloudy, 86 degree morning. I've packed a rain shell, but now I can see it's not going to be needed. A dozen noisy teenagers fly past me running towards Seven Falls on the Bear Canyon Trail just out of the visitor center. No water in the lower creek as I hit the bottom of Phone Line.

Going up Phone Line, I meet about a two dozen hikers/trail runners over the two & 1/4 hours it takes me to reach the junction with the Sabino Canyon Trail. Coming up behind me about half dozen trail runners over the same time period. There's a slight breeze, making for a comfortable hike up under the overcast skies. I am truly amazed by home many of those I met on the way had no water.

I am absolutely famished by the time I get back to the visitor center. A stop at Brewd for a turkey bacon & egg white panini, mocha latte, and mocha chip scone brings joy to my weary, but satisfied soul.

Met Niko and Jordan after work and the three of us headed east on Bear Canyon Trail. The three of us working in the cactus industry, we naturally stopped to admire plants and consulted the new Cactus & Succulents Of Arizona book that Niko had brought along. The pool at the first Sabino crossing was too enticing for me to pass up, so in I went. Unexpected thunderstorms were scattered over the Catalinas and Tucson, and we knew an amazing sunset would arrive soon. Above us, thunder rumbled down the mountainside from somewhere behind Blacketts Ridge. Sunset came in full glory as we neared the Phone Line/Phone Line Link junction and it was all we had hoped for. We dropped down to Sabino Creek on Phone Line Link in the growing dusk and all enjoyed a swim. Hooting Great Horned Owls and bellowing Canyon Tree Frogs kept us company as we hiked out along the road. Perfect evening!

Great slice of Sabino for my after work adventure. Started out from the parking lot with my newly updated annual pass, up Phoneline to Blackett's Ridge. Made pretty good time, up to the top in 1:08. Took a quick break, then went back down to Phoneline and headed north all the way to Sabino Canyon. Connected back up with the road for a return trip in the twilight. Great weather, it is a strange experience for an afternoon hiker such as myself to look forward to the point when I am out of the shade and back into the sun... Great views, only saw a few other people until I joined back up with the road, then I saw quite a few.

Nice late afternoon hike. Up to the end of the road in 1 hour 9 minutes, then I headed up the trail to the junction with Phone Line to pad my mileage before turning back. I saw a desert tortoise about a half mile from the visitor center; on the way down after sunset, a black-tailed rattlesnake and a western diamondback.

A leisurely walk after a mile run up into the canyon. Lots of water in the creek. Not many people tonight, but a number were happily playing in the water. I watched a roadrunner try to catch a butterfly, and a beautiful male northern cardinal sang joyfully in a creosote bush. All in all, a great evening.