Month: March 2020

• AZT 2020 Day 11, March 19, Thursday
• Start mile 218.6 (passage14mile11)
• End mile 244.9, near junction to Ripsey Ranch (passage15mile10.2)
• Miles walked:  26.3

Clouds build and threaten in the morning, but eventually the sun gets through part-time.

I saw a javelina in the morning, and several rabbits and jackrabbits through the day, not seen much earlier on the trip. A few cows are grazing, likely kept to a small number on this vegetation. Later in the day the hills flatten out, and vegetation changes somewhat– the saguaros see to prefer slopes, and more thorny bushes grow here.

Continue reading “Tortilla Mountains”

• AZT 2020 Day 10, March 18, Wednesday
• Start mile 191.5 at road junction on Oracle Ridge (passage12mile8.7)
• End mile 218.6 (passage14mile11)
• Miles walked:  27.1

The trail continues along Oracle Ridge, slowly descending to the hills below. I meet “Detour”, and we walk a few miles together in conversation before he stops for breakfast.

Today we are over a quarter the way through this trip.

Continue reading “Maelstrom”

• AZT 2020 Day 9, March 17, Tuesday
• Start mile 173.7, half-mile to Cathedral Rock Trail (passage11mile9.4)
• End mile 191.5 at road junction on Oracle Ridge (passage12mile8.7)
• Miles walked: 17.8

I passed a dozen tents near Cathedral Rock junction, where the trail starts to climb out of a box canyon.

But instead of going over the saddle, the trail turn toward one of the walls, beginning a climb up to Mount Lemmon.

Continue reading “Summerhaven”