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| Canyoneering | 4.70 Miles |
1,500 AEG |
| | Canyoneering | 4.70 Miles | | | |
| 1,500 ft AEG | | | | |
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| | Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use | | A - Dry or little water; shallow or avoidable water; no wet/dry suit | | III - Normally requires most of a day |
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| partners | | The first time I did this hike I really had no idea what I was getting into. While sometimes this "ignorance is bliss" approach to hiking is deliberate, this time we thought we knew what we were getting into... We were headed for Airmen Peak north of Molino Basin and we were armed with a description we'd found on another reputable website. It described an almost entirely off-trail route up the main fork of Upper Molino Canyon to the peak, over a saddle and then back down a "more rugged" West Fork. We expected to be gone 4-5 hours. Note to self: never, ever underestimate the Catalinas!
We started out in great spirits, and with a mind to enjoy every waterfall and mini-pool we encountered. Which is another way of saying we were dawdling up the creek. We figured we'd have plenty of time to do a 6 mile loop without having to hurry.
By the time we were a little more than half way up to the saddle below Airmen Peak, it was already mid-afternoon and we were feeling the work of the climb. I for one was getting tired and though I had no doubts that I could push on to the peak, I also had no idea what awaited us on the other end of the loop and I really did not want to do any of the hike in the dark. We decided to put off bagging the peak for another day and just head down the West Fork of Molino. Our description said that it was 'more rugged' than the main fork we'd been in the first part of the day. That's like saying that the first canyon is 'more rugged' than the road walk in Sabino. And, while the author had mentioned a number of specific (and rather minor) obstacles on the way up, there were none mentioned on the way down.
That is in my opinion a glaring error. 200' waterfalls are not a minor obstacle. When you're already tired and pushing daylight in a remote canyon, they're a little scary.
After some brief nervousness and trepidation, however, we got past the falls quickly and without any real danger. We did manage to make it out before the sun fell below the horizon, and at the end of the day that's all that really matters. No one worried about us and we still got pizza and spinach dip at Renee's. What a fantastic way to spend a Friday.
Next time, though, I'm going to be a little more mentally prepared, especially when I'm not familiar with the source of my beta. It was just a little more adventure than I was ready for... |
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
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Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.- Barack Obama |
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