Safe Backpacking in the Santa Ritas?

[Tashedelek]

I haven't hiked or backpacked in the Santa Ritas, including Mt. Wrightson, since about 2009 when reports started appearing about drug mules and illegal immigrants using the Wrightson trails (among others in the area). Since I generally prefer to hike and backpack alone I'm concerned for my safety in areas reporting drug mule activity. I'm now thinking about doing an overnight loop around Mt. Wrightson but the prospect of running into a caravan of illegals or drug runners makes me hesitant. So I'm looking for feedback and information about the safety of the Santa Ritas and of Mt. Wrightson in particular, especially for a solo hiker/backpacker. Has the area improved recently, or is it still "busy"? What about leaving a vehicle overnight in the Madera Canyon parking lot?

Please don't lecture me about solo trips: I've done them my entire adult life, including extended winter trips in the northern Canadian Rockies. And please don't advise me to carry a gun: I won't.

Thanks...

[Jeffshadows]

Your friend simply doesn't know the right people to call.

He used to be on the AZ ANG's border mission working daily with the border patrol. Now he's part of the ANG crew that's the backup for BORSTAR for SAR on the border. He knows what calls to make...trust me.

[Jeffshadows]

What finally convinced me to avoid the Santa Ritas were accounts such as the following: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TucsonHikers/message/2445.

I think you're buying into hype, myself. I hike down there frequently completely alone. My neighbor is a retired guy who hikes the various trails down there almost every other day. We talked about this the last time I ran into a group and he said neither he, nor any of his friends from Green Valley, have ever encountered anyone.

[Thoreau]

Your friend simply doesn't know the right people to call.

He used to be on the AZ ANG's border mission working daily with the border patrol. Now he's part of the ANG crew that's the backup for BORSTAR for SAR on the border. He knows what calls to make...trust me.

In hindsight, with the traffic levels in those areas, that does make sense. That, and I'm used to being in places farther north, that are BLM territory, thus they get the call instead of BP.

[Jeffshadows]

Your friend simply doesn't know the right people to call.

He used to be on the AZ ANG's border mission working daily with the border patrol. Now he's part of the ANG crew that's the backup for BORSTAR for SAR on the border. He knows what calls to make...trust me.

In hindsight, with the traffic levels in those areas, that does make sense. That, and I'm used to being in places farther north, that are BLM territory, thus they get the call instead of BP.

I think that's a big part of it. He asked one of his BP pals once why they never come and was (allegedly) told that "Most of the time the people are gone before we get there so it's a waste of time." I guess they just quit responding as a result...

[Thoreau]

That sure would help explain Napolitano's claims that apprehensions are down. =)

[azbackpackr]

The guy who wrote that is SkyIslandHiker who has already responded on this thread.

I asked him at the time why he didn't go find one of those burlap bags!

[SkyIslandHiker]

Drug runners were using Madera Canyon for at least a brief period in the spring of 2009. As I indicated in my previous posting above, illegal traffic has subsided considerably since then. I base this on the amount of trash (Mexican food/drink wrappers/containers, discarded clothing, etc) that we remove from the Josephine Canyon and Temporal Gulch Trails when we do trash pickups. I also base it upon reports from other hikers that visit the Madera Canyon area trails as frequently, or more frequently, than I do.

Although illegal activity has declined I personally would not camp (or hike solo) in Joesphine or Temporal Canyons, or at Josephine Saddle which both of the aforementioned canyon trails lead up to. However, I would have absolutely no qualm about camping at the higher elevations such as Baldy Saddle or along the Crest Trail.

I have personally run into illegals (not smugglers) in broad daylight at Josephine Saddle and along the lower Old Baldy Trail on more than one occasion. One group was very persistent about wanting food and water which was a bit unnerving at the time even though our SAHC hiking group had them outnumbered. Once we gave them what they wanted they were out of our hair and on their way down to the Roundup.

Bill Bens

[kevinweitzel75]

Yes they do come for IA's. My work place was hit with one of Seriff Joe's raids yesterday. I just told the detectives "No hablo espanol."

[RedRoxx44]

The only encounter I had I would describe as "interesting" was in the Chiricahuas on the crest trail before the burn, Brian was ahead of me out of sight as I was in photo mode. We encountered about 18 IA coming down the trail, all relatively young men, a couple looked like they had fallen or crawled through some thorny branches. The coyote--- I assume--- was a bit aggressive toward me in his questioning. I was aggressive right back. Short answers, where some water was off the trail, and where the ranger station was. He seemed to think I would give them whatever I had to help them and my stance was firm and not friendly. They went on. And yes, Brian did not come back for me but waited for me to catch up; he knew I would be ok.

The other "interesting" encounter was a funny one. Hiking in Anza Borrego on the rail tracks ( abandoned at that time but still not advised due to no trespassing) a group of about 20 and myself sat at the end of one of the tunnels waiting for the border patrol to quit running their helicopter up and down Carrizo Gorge. We didn't interact but I sat on one side of the tunnel and they grouped up and sat on the other side of the tunnel maybe 20 feet away. They and I weren't supposed to be there and I suppose they found it odd I wasn't going on. Once the heli was gone we said Adios and went on our way. The funny part was I must of looked hungry as a couple of them offered me some fruit in tin cans. I declined of course but I guess they looked in better shape than I was.

On the Border Patrol I understand those guys are preforming their job as trained and most try to do a good job. I complained at the main camp off the El Camino the amount of tracks I was finding in the desert that was not "old stuff" from the days of no fence. I was told that it was mostly off roader's doing this. Then I explained I was seeing stuff way off the "management " roads and that seemed to cause some inability to explain that away.