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well seeing that this one died previously because of scheduling between various parties... i thought it might make sense to try to plan this one early and knock it out in the fall. anyone still interested?

October and November seem like the months most likely to work.

ok, i made this easy... new poll. pick your day... most days win. i just want a good crowd so i'm fairly open... but Sundays are preferable.

and we will be doing the Romero route. as far as round trip (i.e. 32 miles), that's up for anyone coming to decide. i'm up for it even though i may be doing a little bitchin' on the way down.

I highly doubt that I'll do the round-trip backpack. I still hope to do the shuttle hike from Catalina State Park to the top, and then roll down the Catalina Hwy in some sort of vehicle. Hopefully with El Charro providing the finish to the day!

JamesLyding wrote:I highly doubt that I'll do the round-trip backpack. I still hope to do the shuttle hike from Catalina State Park to the top, and then roll down the Catalina Hwy in some sort of vehicle. Hopefully with El Charro providing the finish to the day!

understood... figured i'd just put it out there... going to be a long day no matter what.

I think this will be too long for me for Oct. 4. I have to be back for a 5:20pm kickoff in Mesa, so it looks like I'm out unless I can be sure I can make it.

Stiller wrote:I think this will be too long for me for Oct. 4. I have to be back for a 5:20pm kickoff in Mesa, so it looks like I'm out unless I can be sure I can make it.

well i'm thinking we will need to start early anyway. thinking about starting the drive at 4 AM because we will have to drive the vehicles up the mountain first and then back down. we won't even start until 7 AM probably. 16 miles uphill can probably be done in 8 hours but there is another 1 1/2 hour drive back to the valley. that would be cutting it close for a 5:20 PM kickoff.

joe bartels wrote:1hr 54m Catalina State Park to Ski Valley

Setting up a shuttle may take you more time than you think.

rlrjamy wrote:

joe bartels wrote:1hr 54m Catalina State Park to Ski Valley

Setting up a shuttle may take you more time than you think.

If this works out to be the weekend after my GC trip I can guarantee that I won't wanna walk back down If that's the case I'll have my wife pick me up at ski valley ;)

dysfunction wrote:

rlrjamy wrote:

joe bartels wrote:1hr 54m Catalina State Park to Ski Valley

Setting up a shuttle may take you more time than you think.

If this works out to be the weekend after my GC trip I can guarantee that I won't wanna walk back down If that's the case I'll have my wife pick me up at ski valley ;)

well i'm pretty sure there aren't going to be too many people up for a round trip... that's like 13 to 16 hours of walking
that is, unless someone wants to try it.

maybe this poll was a bad idea...

chris,

i know there is a weekend in october that the broncos play the steelers on monday night. that should free up your sunday.

sarichter wrote:

Stiller wrote:I think this will be too long for me for Oct. 4. I have to be back for a 5:20pm kickoff in Mesa, so it looks like I'm out unless I can be sure I can make it.

well i'm thinking we will need to start early anyway. thinking about starting the drive at 4 AM because we will have to drive the vehicles up the mountain first and then back down. we won't even start until 7 AM probably. 16 miles uphill can probably be done in 8 hours but there is another 1 1/2 hour drive back to the valley. that would be cutting it close for a 5:20 PM kickoff.

It will take you at least 3 hours to get from the top of Mount Lemmon/Summerhaven back to the Valley. Probably closer to 3-1/2 hours. The biggest problem with the shuttle has to do with Catalina State Park being pretty far from the top. Perhaps a route up that starts @ Sabino or Soldier Trail (not sure if there's a trailhead at lower Soldier Trail, and I sure don't think it would be a good idea to walk there from Bab'ad Do'ag along the highway....) might make a shuttle easier? Maybe go up Ventana Canyon? That would be a nice way to get a lot of elevation towards the beginning of the hike.
I'd particularly like to hear what Jeff MacE, nickfraley, Dysfunction, the Wendinator, and the rest of the Tucson crew think.

Stiller, don't you have a DVR? How about I'll record it on my Tivo, and you bring the beer? Your wife wouldn't mind you showing up late Sunday night exhausted and drunk, would she?

easy shuttle approach we used to do was one group hike down, another hike up, and meet along the way for a key exchange... just make sure you're on the same trail and know what the cars look like...

imike wrote:easy shuttle approach we used to do was one group hike down, another hike up, and meet along the way for a key exchange... just make sure you're on the same trail and know what the cars look like...

the only problem with this is that one group doesn't get to have the fun the other one is having

The Steelers/Broncos game is Nov. 9. Don't have a DVR, and I never watch pre-recorded games, gotta see it live. Plus, then you have to play the game of getting home without finding out who won, which is almost impossible.

Ascents from most all of the front and central range trail heads will take significantly longer since the trails they utilize will inevitably gain and lose elevation as they zig-zag through the lower hills onto the main ascent. The beauty of the ascent from Catalina is that it is pretty much continuous and a straight shot.

Another option would be to ascend the Oracle Ridge trail. The meet-up could be Oracle S.P. One group takes off early and leaves a vehicle or two at the top of the Control Road where there is ample parking. They come back down to Oracle S.P. via the control road in a single vehicle and everyone hikes up Oracle Ridge. It's simple to make the summit from there with a minor detour through Ski Valley (or around.) Then, everyone climbs into the vehicles left at the parking area and descends the Control Road to Oracle S.P. It should shave hours off the setup of the shuttle.

well i had my heart set on doing the whole enchilada... but i certainly won't be against doing something that may help others with time issues. i almost want to stay overnight down in Tucson so we could set this up faster and reduce the length of this adventure.

Yea, it's not easy, logistically. Every time I've done it I've been lucky enough to have someone dump me off at Catalina and retrieve me later or the next day up on Lemmon, somewhere...Of course, it's harder to get drivers for this purpose now that the Cafe with all of the awesome pie closed.

If y'all pick the weekend of the 25th, I'll come pick you up at the top. I think it would be laugh to shuttle a bunch of sweaty exhausted men around ;) Of course, I'd have to be bribed with a Prickly-Pear Margarita from El Charro :wist: I could just do an easier hike up there and meet you at Mt. Lemmon later in the day...

Though, I must admit - without the pie, there is less motivation for me to enjoy the trip

writelots wrote:If y'all pick the weekend of the 25th, I'll come pick you up at the top. I think it would be laugh to shuttle a bunch of sweaty exhausted men around ;) Of course, I'd have to be bribed with a Prickly-Pear Margarita from El Charro :wist: I could just do an easier hike up there and meet you at Mt. Lemmon later in the day...

Though, I must admit - without the pie, there is less motivation for me to enjoy the trip

now that's an offer!

jeff,

never had the pie, so i don't know what i'm missing!

sarichter wrote:

writelots wrote:If y'all pick the weekend of the 25th, I'll come pick you up at the top. I think it would be laugh to shuttle a bunch of sweaty exhausted men around ;) Of course, I'd have to be bribed with a Prickly-Pear Margarita from El Charro :wist: I could just do an easier hike up there and meet you at Mt. Lemmon later in the day...

Though, I must admit - without the pie, there is less motivation for me to enjoy the trip

now that's an offer!

jeff,

never had the pie, so i don't know what i'm missing!

the pie was amazing... as was the equally bad service! The pie place is gone?

It is, amazingly enough. Pretty soon: "The streets will be running with latte!!"

Last I heard Oracle SP is closed?


and yes, I discovered it was closed when I was anticipating making a stop at the tail end of a backpacking trip.. Didn't the baker pass?