Santa Rita Mountains

  • AZT 2020 Day 5, March 13, Friday
  • Start 1 mile past Kentucky Camp mile 77.7 (passage5mile4.7)
  • End mile 105 (passage7mile5.1)
  • Miles walked:  27.3

The sun shines for the first of several days, as the trail continues on rolling hills in grassland with scattered low trees and a few cactii.

Further in the day the land seems to be more arid, with less grass, as the route gradually descends below 4k altitude.

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Stetson’s Gold

  • AZT 2020 Day 4, March 12, Thursday
  • Start 3 miles past town of Patagonia, mile 54.1 (passage4mile2.9)
  • End 1 mile past Kentucky Camp mile 77.7 (passage5mile4.7)
  • Miles walked: 23.6

The morning followed dirt road, and then one hour of trail in wilderness area, to climb 2k feet over a saddle. Intermittent light rain starts late morning.

Down the other side the trail follows Bear Spring and Bear Spring creek. Several interpretive signs tell the story of a mining operation in 1904 that takes water from Bear Spring 8.5 miles in pipes past Kentucky Camp to hydro-mine for gold.

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Patagonia

  • AZT 2020 Day 3, March 11, Wednesday
  • Start Middle Canyon mile 31 (passage2mile10)
  • End 3 miles past town of Patagonia, mile 54.1 (passage4mile2.9)
  • Miles walked: 23.1

From camp the trail climbs up to a saddle, and one can look back on the east Canelo Hills.

The trail altitude profile shows a gradual descent into town, but the up-and-down rolling hills take a lot more effort than expected.

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