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| Hiking | 10.45 Miles |
2,260 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.45 Miles | 5 Hrs 15 Mns | | 2.01 mph |
| 2,260 ft AEG | 3 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | The Bug Springs Trail is part of the AZT Passage 11E, Pusch Ridge Wilderness Bypass. This is for the bikers who aren't allowed to ride through the wilderness area of AZT11. It's also strongly recommended for equestrians, although sections of this trail that Brian and I did had us wondering if this is really a good alternative for horses. AZT11E is a series of existing trails on the east side of the Catalina Highway along with Green Mountain, Butterfly, etc, up to Summerhaven. There are several trailheads along the way on the highway, so it's pretty easy to break this one up into several reasonable dayhikes, rather than the full day deathmarches you have to do with shuttles.
Brian was the only taker I could get on this one, just doing an out and back from the Gordon Hirabayashi CG. Brian was planning to overnight camp after we finished and hike AZT10 the next day, so we both drove to meet there. I was ahead and when I got to the Catalina Highway, there were 3 police cars there checking to make sure everyone had 4WD because there was some snowfall and ice formed overnight. I was good, but I knew Brian was not. I waited for him to arrive and took him up after he parked on the side of the road.
It was only 1600' AEG one way up to the General Hitchcock CG where this trail ends, but it seemed like more. It's steep at first, then a big drop and a mile or so of shady and level through the pines by a stream. then one more gradual climb followed by a steep drop in a half mile to the end, which then turns into a steep climb right back up. We did about 2500' AEG for the day, but 2300' of that was in the first 6 miles (out of 10.5).
Most of the best views were to the west, probably because the sun was lighting that up nicer than the Rincons and Mica Mountain to the east. Got a nice view of Rincon Peak early on poking through a flat cloud.
Weather stayed cool all day, pretty chilly at the start, but we warmed up fast in the sun and from the climb. Not too many hikers, saw probably equal amounts hikers and bikers. No wildlife spotted, other than one couple's 3 little dogs that barked and snarled. Nice views on this trail, but the drive in from I-10 across Tucson is still a slog. |
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Drove up to Palisades to talk to a ranger about it, and the sign there says “closed until further notice.” Ugh.
