November 3rd

Brian:
As expected the coyotes acted as our alarm, and we awoke to cool temperatures. We walked southeast along a dirt road until following an AZT blaze into a wash. Eventually we came upon Tucson Wash where we left the AZT to follow the wash directly into the town of Oracle and the Post Office to re-supply.

After doing so we left town along the Mount Lemmon Highway until coming to Cody Loop Rd. We hung a right and climbed steadily through some neighborhoods until reaching the Oracle Ridge Trail, our entry into point the Santa Catalina Mountains. We followed the Oracle Ridge Trail for a few miles up steep slopes, and across some ridgelines before intersecting with the AZT again at a saddle.

It seems all the official AZT trailheads are located incredibly inconveniently for folks with only two legs (as opposed to four wheels) as their means of travel. I find it odd the the trailheads are all placed on the outskirts of town where the beautiful metal signs are routinely shot up, and seemingly unapparent to the local community through which the AZT passes. I would think a better approach would be to move the trailheads closer to town, try to incorporate the AZT into local networks of trails and paths. Not only would this be easier for folks hiking the trail in terms of logistics, but it would also raise awareness of the trail and its users for a given community.

Anyway, off the soapbox and back to hiking...This area burnt awhile back (1996?) and the regrowth seems to be struggling in the drought conditions. On a positive note, the charred trees obscure little. The views to the north were nice as it is always enjoyable to look back on the terrain previously traversed. To the NW we could see the white bubbles of the Biosphere 2 Project. It was great to be on a ridgeline again and have some distant views.

We continued along the ridge, switchbacking up to high points, and contouring along mountain sides before reaching a dirt road. After climbing steeply for a short time we decided to camp for the night on a breezy, relatively flat spot, overlooking city lights far below to the north and west. Tomorrow we should re-supply again in Summerhaven, a small mountain town adjacent to Mt. Lemmon Ski Resort.

Lastly, it seem I am doomed to photograph this trail. My Grandfather was kind enough to overnight his camera to me in Superior to use for the rest of trip, but it seems (despite reading and re-reading the instructions) I am not intelligent enough to get the film to load properly. Maybe tomorrow when my patience has returned I'll be able to figure something out. Thanks for reading.

November 4th
Summerhaven: Arizona's Torched Getaway

We arrived in Summerhaven this morning for our resupply package. The mornings walk, although a bit overgrown and weedy, was a splendid way to start our day as the trail followed a ridgeline as we climbed steadily upward from Oracle. Coming to a saddle, we ignored the official AZT as it dropped significantly in elevation westward, added 7 miles+ to Summerhaven, was unmarked, and returned to another high ridgeline via a deep canyon which obviously would have no distant views.

Continuing along the ridgeline we passed a group of folks out for a day hike. One fellow in the group was the local AZT Trail Steward. He told us he thought the ridge route was a better alternative as well...left us wondering why the AZT is located where it is in the Santa Catalinas.
Anyway, we eventually came to the Catalina Highway which we followed a short distance to the PO. Because of the fires and road construction, the Catalina Highway is closed much of the day, so besides fire trucks and construction vehicles, it is quite pleasant here. It appears that a number of homes were burnt, but many folks appear to be salvaging what they can and rebuilding. The challenges for the remainder of the day include: deciding a decent route out of here, a good sink shower at the public restrooms, finding some source of potable water, and deciding what pie flavor to order.

Talking with the few locals around, it seems the trails have all been washed out, burnt to a crisp, or otherwise destroyed, so the afternoon may be an adventure. Lastly, good news with the camera...it seems I mustered the smarts to get it loaded correctly, and the display happily reads `1'. Lets hope it makes it to 36 and then rewinds without a hitch! Anyway, time to move on. Thanks for reading.

Brian

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