Don Graydon's Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

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Dec 04 2010

Don Graydon

Photos 39
Triplogs 8

86 male

Joined Nov 14 2010
Tucson, AZ, Nov

Thimble Peak

Tucson, AZ

Thimble Peak

Tucson, AZ

Climbing		Dec 04 2010
		Don Graydon • Triplogs 8

Climbing	10.00 Miles

Climbing	10.00 Miles

no routes

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If you're a climber and you've ever seen The Thimble in the Catalinas above Tucson, you know you've got to stand on top someday. So we did.

Dave, Maggie, Jimmie and I hiked from the Gordon Hirabiyashi campground on the Mount Lemmon highway and followed the up-and-down-and-up-again trail to the base of The Thimble. The trailhead is at around 4800 feet and the summit is just over 5300, but overall elevation gain in and out must be in the neighborhood of 1500 feet. Maybe 10 miles round-trip.

At the base of the west-side gully that splits the two halves of The Thimble, Dave set us all up in mini-harnesses fashioned out of chartreuse webbing. Cool! He romped up the third-class climbing in the gully, then belayed us up to the base of the 10-foot vertical step that leads to the summit. Again he climbed up on his own, then belayed us up the step. A nice mini-climb on clean, well-textured rock.

[Note to imike: I should mention that Dave has climbed The Thimble many times and took us up the basic route, and there's certainly no "easy scramble to the top" of the highest of the two summits. That 10-foot step requires either an experienced, confident solo climber or a good belay.]

The summit is roomy and grass-covered, with views of a lot of imposing nearby rock spires and towers. In the summit register, Dave's entry was there from last April. Between then and our climb, there was just one entry.

Dave held us on the rope for the descent and then rapped down. This perfect climb on a warm, calm day was capped off by encountering a 3-foot-long western diamondback along the trail. The snake slowly moved into the rocks as we stood nearby admiring it.

What a wonderful three-week visit I've had from Index, Washington, but now it's over. I had the pleasure of hiking and scrambling up Pusch, Wasson, Picacho, Sombrero, Finger Rock Guard, Hughes, Ragged Top, Wrightson, Window Peak and The Thimble (total gain 25,000 feet). Wow, winter is not like this back home!

Blessings and thanks to Dave, Maggie, Jimmie, Emmett, imike, Ron, Joe Bartels (creator of this wondrous website) and everyone else who helped make this visit forever memorable.

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Dec 03 2010

Don Graydon

Photos 39
Triplogs 8

86 male

Joined Nov 14 2010
Tucson, AZ, Nov

The Window via Ventana

Tucson, AZ

The Window via Ventana

Tucson, AZ

Hiking		Dec 03 2010
		Don Graydon • Triplogs 8

Hiking	12.80 Miles	4,000 AEG

Hiking	12.80 Miles
	4,000 ft AEG

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Easy to follow, tough to do -- that's the Ventana Canyon Trail to The Window and Window Peak. The trail starts along a metal fence that shields condo and apartment dwellers from the rabble and soon enters the canyon, making 23 crossings of drainages as it makes its rocky way to the top of the canyon. I believe one triplog mentioned that the trail ascends "relentlessly" . . . . or was that "inexorably" or "mercilessly" or "insufferably"? Well, no matter, it gets you there

Maggie, Jimmie and I hiked the trail to The Window (6 miles and 4000 feet gain) in 4 hours, then another half hour to the summit of Window Peak (another third of a mile and 400 feet more elevation). Lots of playtime at both places. Then 3-1/4 hours down.

We were lucky to hit a calm day. No strong winds rocked us as we sat at the edge of the precipice at the base of The Window, this big open arch in a multicolored rock wall. The short trail from The Window to Window Peak is easy to follow. After reaching the broad saddle east of the spires that constitute the summit, we left the trail and climbed due west, following the rough climbers' track up to the short hands-on rock scramble.

Up this mellow scramble, we found the tree that is supposed to help with the ascent, but we couldn't decide whether the tree helped or just got in the way. We relaxed on this fine rocky summit with endless views, including across to neighboring spires that are only feet away and barely lower than the pinnacle we were standing on.

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Nov 30 2010

Don Graydon

Photos 39
Triplogs 8

86 male

Joined Nov 14 2010
Tucson, AZ, Nov

Old Baldy Trail #372 to Wrightson Summit

Tucson, AZ

Old Baldy Trail #372 to Wrightson Summit

Tucson, AZ

Hiking		Nov 30 2010
		Don Graydon • Triplogs 8

Hiking	10.80 Miles	4,000 AEG

Hiking	10.80 Miles
	4,000 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

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Partners

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It looks like this is close to the 100th triplog on Mount Wrightson -- popular indeed.

My inspiration for this hike was Pete Cowgill, of the Southern Arizona Hiking Club, who chugged up the 5.4 miles and 4,000 feet of elevation gain to the Wrightson summit in September at age 85.

In a terrific writeup for the club, he also tells how he zipped to the top in 2 hours and 4 minutes at the age of 77. Since I'm heading inexorably toward that age (72 in two weeks), I thought I'd give it a go to see how I'd do on my first trek up this fine mountain.

Well, it's clear I'm not going to be able to keep up with Cowgill and the local crowd on Wrightson. My time was 2:28, and I thought it would kill me.

Wonderful hike, though. Beautiful summit trail. Lots of ice at Bellows Spring. The wind blew like heck at Baldy Saddle. It blew like hell on the summit.

I'd love to be here from Seattle again in 13 years to see if I have the great spirit shown by Pete Cowgill.

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Nov 28 2010

Don Graydon

Photos 39
Triplogs 8

86 male

Joined Nov 14 2010
Tucson, AZ, Nov

Ragged Top

Tucson, AZ

Ragged Top

Tucson, AZ

Hiking		Nov 28 2010
		Don Graydon • Triplogs 8

Hiking	3.00 Miles	1,400 AEG

Hiking	3.00 Miles
	1,400 ft AEG

no routes

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A good omen for a good day: I found Hawaiian music on KXCI while driving to pick up Maggie and Jimmie. The music brought me back to my many days on Maui.

We drove across the desert west of the freeway, admiring the saguaro, watching a hawk, enjoying the sunrise. From the trailhead it's a simple matter of cross-country travel through cholla country, up to the saddle just to the south (left) of Ragged Top. At the saddle we looked to our right and, sure enough, a moderate gully headed straight up into the mountain.

We hiked the gully and soon arrived at the top, where you have only three choices: [1] drop down the other side (north) of the gully to return to the desert floor; [2] turn left and climb a tall slot to a summit (oops, sheer vertical); [3] turn right and follow the well-used track upward, finishing through a stretch of third-class lite (fun!).

We signed in to the summit register: "The cholla were relentless . . . Score at halftime: Cholla -- 6; Don, Maggie, Jimmie -- 0". No one comes here in the summer, of course -- no entries between early May and late October.

On the way down the three of us decided to take the north gully for a nice round-trip scramble. We started slippin' and slidin' down the thing -- and it was obvious we weren't the first to do so. No chollas here!

About halfway down the gully, the terrain opens up, so we left the gully and started countouring cross-country to the east. We ambled over four or five minor shoulders and gullies until we finally spotted the trailhead. A few cold beers brought the scramble to a fine conclusion.

2 hours up, 1-1/2 hours on top, 1-1/2 hours down.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cag Shot

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Nov 26 2010

Don Graydon

Photos 39
Triplogs 8

86 male

Joined Nov 14 2010
Tucson, AZ, Nov

The Pillars

Tucson, AZ

The Pillars

Tucson, AZ

Canyoneering		Nov 26 2010
		Don Graydon • Triplogs 8

Canyoneering	0.50 Miles	600 AEG

Canyoneering	0.50 Miles
	600 ft AEG

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What a fine way to spend a few carefree hours -- scrambling among the huge water-scoured boulders of this canyon just a few miles outside Tucson. Pack a lunch (maybe some wine?), bring your camera, shoulder your bouldering pad.

Each collection of boulders leads up to a sandy bench, followed by more boulders which lead up to another bench, and so on and so on for less than a quarter-mile and a gain of maybe 200 feet. A tiny place, really, just the right size for a playground.

Each bench of clean, warm, coarse sand invites you to lie down -- maybe imagine yourself on a Maui shore. But Maui doesn't have these smooth, inviting white-and-gray boulders or these chiseled tan-and-orange cliffs. Looking over this dry streambed, it's easy to picture a day when water rushed over 10-foot-high pourovers into quiet pools 50 feet long.

I went up this lower canyon area to a place where two side gullies enter. From here the main canyon narrows and steepens, with smaller boulders that are less water-scoured (and therefore offer better hand- and footholds). I didn't go far, but you can certainly scramble as far as you want.

I wasn't alone in the canyon. Four rock climbers showed up to climb an east-side wall. And I ran into occasional bees and wasps.

Many thanks to imike for turning me on to this sweet retreat.

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Nov 22 2010

Don Graydon

Photos 39
Triplogs 8

86 male

Joined Nov 14 2010
Tucson, AZ, Nov

Safford Peak (Sombrero)

Tucson, AZ

Safford Peak (Sombrero)

Tucson, AZ

Hiking		Nov 22 2010
		Don Graydon • Triplogs 8

Hiking	4.00 Miles	1,300 AEG

Hiking	4.00 Miles	1 Hour 30 Mns	2.67 mph
	1,300 ft AEG

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[NOTE: I put down 4 miles as the round-trip distance, 1-1/2 hours as my time one-way up (shamelessly not counting my half-hour dead-end detour), and 1300 as the total elevation gain.]

What a terrific hike/scramble at the north end of the Tucson Mountains just a quick drive from town. Hikes like this during my one-month break from the dark and damp of Index, Washingon, are just what the doctor ordered. So on to the fun: Park in the Sanctuary Cove parking area and walk back out to Scenic Drive and head up the good trail that starts at the end of the drive.

Keep an eye out for a modest trail taking off to the right after half a mile. That's about all you need to know. From this point on, the route is an obvious, well-used hikers track that takes you quickly up until you're nose-to-nose with the vertical north wall of Safford. No need to worry about cairns or junctions to this point -- just stay on the obvious track.

At the north wall I had the choice of a steep track that headed straight into the rocks and one that skirted left to traverse southward along the base of the cliffs. I went left and quickly found an interesting little cave -- maybe 15 feet wide and 20 feet deep, and 30 feet high or more once you step inside.

Stay on the beaten path as it curves to the west around the south side of the peak and then steeply ascends to a saddle just to the left of the summit. I wish I'd followed this advice myself. I got lured up a steep gully about a third of a mile before the saddle and spent a fruitless half hour looking for a decent way up.

At the saddle I got good views of Baboquiviri to the south, Ragged Top to the west and Picacho to the northwest. From the saddle the route turns east and offers some scrambling and routefinding challenge on the way to the top. Nothing serious -- just pay attention.

I went up on a windy day. On its third attempt, the wind took my beloved Idaho Whitewater cap for good.

[NOTE #2: I also hiked up Picacho on Nov. 18 and Wasson on Nov. 16, but what can one say that is new about those two fine hikes?]

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Praying Mantis

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Summit Block

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Nov 21 2010

Don Graydon

Photos 39
Triplogs 8

86 male

Joined Nov 14 2010
Tucson, AZ, Nov

Finger Rock Guard 6475

Tucson, AZ

Finger Rock Guard 6475

Tucson, AZ

Climbing		Nov 21 2010
		Don Graydon • Triplogs 8

Climbing	8.00 Miles	3,400 AEG

Climbing	8.00 Miles	3 Hrs 30 Mns	2.29 mph
	3,400 ft AEG

no routes

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[This triplog really should be under a heading like "Finger Rock Guard," but I didn't see any such category. So, since I found my way up this beautiful rock pile thanks to an earlier writeup under "Finger Rock Summit," that's where I'm putting this one. Round-trip 8 miles, one-way up 3-1/2 hours, 3400' elevation gain (plus 200' in and out of the canyon).]

A cloudy day, some wind, chance of rain. Maybe not the best day to hike to the Finger Rock Guard. But I just put one foot in front of the other and was soon 3 miles up the Finger Rock trail, a good 2000 feet gain above the trailhead. I could see Finger Rock for most of the way, though it eventually disappeared behind the Guard, its blocky tower of a neighbor to the right (east).

About 5 minutes after I lost sight of Finger Rock, the trail flattened out and began its sharp turn to the right. At this point it was easy to spot the modest track that heads to the left and down into the canyon. From here I could see this track as it worked its way up out of the other side of the canyon.

This rough path loses 200 feet to the canyon bottom before gaining 1000 feet to the broad saddle to the right of the Guard. Just past the firepit at the saddle, one little trail goes right (to Finger Rock, I believe), while the left-hand route sends you up 500 feet of lovely scrambling to the summit of the Guard. Many thanks to the people who pioneered this nicely cairned route through these colorful rock faces and spires. There were only two spots where a conservative sort like myself might have preferred less exposure.

The summit was cloudy, windy and cold, even with my gloves, wool cap and fleece shirt. I wanted to stretch out on the gracious rock slabs at the summit for lunch and a nap, but instead I headed down. A good bit of artfully applied buttage got me back down to the saddle.

[PS: Now after hiking Wasson, Pusch, Picacho, Safford and the Guard on my November visit here from the Seattle area, I'm ready for Window Peak, the Thimble and Ragged Top. If only I had a partner . . . . . ]

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Nov 14 2010

Don Graydon

Photos 39
Triplogs 8

86 male

Joined Nov 14 2010
Tucson, AZ, Nov

Pusch Peak

Tucson, AZ

Pusch Peak

Tucson, AZ

Hiking		Nov 14 2010
		Don Graydon • Triplogs 8

Hiking	4.50 Miles	2,700 AEG

Hiking	4.50 Miles	2 Hrs 30 Mns	1.80 mph
	2,700 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

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no linked trail guides

Partners

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NOTE: I'm not up on the exactitudes of listing info here. I put down 4.5 miles as the round trip distance, 2-1/2 hours as my time one-way up, and 2700 as the total elevation gain. Maybe someone can set me straight if need be.

On my last visit to Tucson, someone told me there was a scramble route up Pusch Peak that started at the top of a little hiking trail called Linda Vista. So I went there Nov. 11 and hiked the seven-tenths of a mile to the top of the trail and, sure enough, found a 9x12-inch metal sign mounted on a metal pole at a point where a rough spur trail heads up toward a canyon to the right of Pusch Peak. The fact that nothing was printed on the sign didn't seem too important: it still seemed to be a signal that "This is it!"

I was overjoyed to discover that the spur trail -- rough and steep and slippery -- goes all the way to the summit. I had envisioned some cross-country bushwhacking, but blessedly there was none. No switchbacks here: it's all relentlessly straight upward. I started out at 7:30 and hiked all the way in shade -- no sun until the top thanks to the trail's northern exposure.

The average gain per mile for the summit spur trail is around 1400 feet. Compare this with the average gain per mile on the steepest section of the Wasson Peak hike: 800 feet.

At the comfortable summit you can stretch out on rounded, sloping granite and take in the 360-degree views. This is a highly recommended outing because it's a relatively quick and uncomplicated ascent to an attractive nearby peak.

As usual on a hiker's track like this, coming down is trickier than going up. Lots of opportunity for slipping. For me, trekking poles are an essential to save the knees.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Throwing a Wendy

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WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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