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I AM BACK!!! 5 more days of the sling and I already have clearance from my surgeon that wearing a full pack will not do any structural damage to my repaired shoulder. It may irritate the scar and there may be some pain. Bring the pain, baby, bring the pain!

This looks like a nice way to ease my way back in to see how much I can handle. 7.8 miles out and back, and I would like to also maybe add on a venture up to Maverick Spring, the top of Green Mt., and maybe even up the Brush Corral Trail and loop back. Most descriptions favor starting at the San pedro vista area rather than the General Hitchcock Campground. Any reason for this? I was thinking to maybe start at Gen. Hitchcock to save time driving. In any event, leaving Mesa at the usual 5:30am start time.

Stiller wrote:I AM BACK!!!

Stiller wrote:Most descriptions favor starting at the San pedro vista area rather than the General Hitchcock Campground. Any reason for this?

Buncha woosies is what they are

Anyhow, I'm only vaguely interested. This is a good hike for April IMO, there's much better hikes up the mountain right now. Also can't be home late either.

Hitchcock is lower than San Pedro Vista so it only matters if you want to go uphill at the beginning or the end. This could be a warm one.

It used to be really pretty. I've camped at Maverick Spring, and also have heard some spooky stories about that area. However, wasn't it all burned over in the fire, or did it get missed?

Jim Lyding wrote:This could be a warm one.

Well, then that would be reason to start at Gen. Hitchcock, do the uphill in the morning and cruise back down in the heat. The elevations range from 6000' to 7300', so I would hope that should alleviate the heat somewhat.

Would someone please answer my question? I haven't been up Catalina Highway in more than 11 years.

I think it's spotty. Seems like Guthrie was bbq'd. Nick or one of the pueblopelli's will know better.

I guess I had assumed that because the woods were so thick around Maverick that it would have gotten hit. I am going backpacking with some Tucsonans this coming weekend--they will probably know.

The Alt Hiking group went out there on June 7 (no - I didn't go). But there are photos on the site: http://www.meetup.com/Alt-Hiking/photos/945361/.

I led the hike Cindy's referring to. We started across the road from Lizard Rock and went up to the Outback using a climbers route. From there we bushwacked up to the top of Green Mountain. It was a warm day but we started early enough that it didn't matter since it's a short 3-4 mile hike. We ended at San Pedro Vista. That whole area has patches from the burn.

Sections of the green mountain trail is also bare from the burn. I recommend starting at the parking for the Upper Bug Springs TH. Then go uphill. That way you're going downhill during the heat of the day.

I've never been to the springs...

Don't forget to bring $5 for the parking fee. Wish I could join y'all on this one, but I'll be in Idahoooooo

This will probably only be slighty cooler than Phx, and that might have has much to do with doing it in the morning as the elevation. doing the uphill portion first is likely to alleviate the heat issue. If my shoulder can handle this one, I'm looking to go back and take on Pine Canyon next. If you decide to commit, I'll PM you to arrange meeting up.

Stiller wrote:I AM BACK!!! 5 more days of the sling and I already have clearance from my surgeon that wearing a full pack will not do any structural damage to my repaired shoulder. It may irritate the scar and there may be some pain. Bring the pain, baby, bring the pain!

Most descriptions favor starting at the San pedro vista area rather than the General Hitchcock Campground. Any reason for this? I was thinking to maybe start at Gen. Hitchcock to save time driving.

That might be because of parking restrictions at the campground. If I recall, only campground users can use the campground parking lot and overflow campground parking lot according to posted signs. We usually park in the pull off on the opposite side of the road just down the highway from the campground entrance. As others have suggested, start at the lower trailhead (Hitchcock campground) to avoid an upside-down hike in the heat of the day.

Bill

Is it ok to park in that pull off area? and how likely is it that there will be space there on the holiday weekend? sounds like a call down there might be in order

Finding any parking that weekend may be dicey. Your best bet may be to park at one of the many picnic areas in Bear Canyon or the upper Bug Springs TH and take that connector trail from the Bug Springs TH over to the Hitchcock CG and the lower end of the Green Mountain trail.

What's the length and AEG of the connector trail (one-way)? Does it have a name/number?

Jim Lyding wrote:Hitchcock is lower than San Pedro Vista so it only matters if you want to go uphill at the beginning or the end. This could be a warm one.

Exactly. The gain\loss calculation works out either way you take it, pretty much.

Stiller wrote:Is it ok to park in that pull off area? and how likely is it that there will be space there on the holiday weekend? sounds like a call down there might be in order

I've parked there in past summers without any problems and there were no signs that prohibited parking.

Bill