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| Hiking | 12.20 Miles |
3,680 AEG |
| | Hiking | 12.20 Miles | | | |
| 3,680 ft AEG | | | | |
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[ show ]
| partners | | Met Brian and Jim on the east side of Tucson and then we hopped in Brian’s van for the trip to the trailhead. Started hiking a little after 10 am on the Cave Canyon Trail. Pretty pine forest on this canyon was quite enjoyable. As we started climbing out of the upper canyon onto more exposed terrain, we cleared a fallen tree from the trail. Lots of young yet good sized pines growing just below Florida Saddle. Checked out a little high point with Jim and then we took a lunch break at the saddle.
We had some amazing views and some aspen color on the Crest Trail, where temps felt refreshingly cool. Passing Baldy Saddle and its group of backpackers, the temperature dropped significantly as we approached Baldy Spring (dry), and noticed ice crystals along the edge of the trail.
The sun was getting low in the sky as we turned onto Gardner Canyon Trail. We stopped to admire the view of Wrightson from the ridge top, and witnessed a large black bear walking across the slope from us, where we had just been. The mighty beast worked its way up the mountain side and soon disappeared from sight. We continued down Gardner, watching the sun turn the distant hills a deep orange as it set. We hiked by headlamp below the Walker Basin Trail junction, into (from what I could see) was a beautiful forested canyon. We stopped to admire the stars and Milky Way before making the final leg of the journey on the Link Trail back to the van. Great hike, and lots of beautiful country seen and memories made. My first hike on the eastern slope of the Santa Ritas. |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Light
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| "…you never know when a hike might break out" -Jim Gaffigan |
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Route Editor
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