March 21-23, 2013 Molina Basin TH to Tiger Mine Road TH.  (47.5 miles and a whopping 10,650 feet of climbing).

Not many folks have seen this view!!

Well, this was one of those hikes where you have to be careful what you wish for.  After my two previous hikes I was a little bored with rolling, grassy hills.  This hike definitely was neither of those as you can tell from the climbing number above.  In the spirit of being totally transparent, my mileage total was really a bit over 50, more on that later.  The three themes of this hike: OE, climbing, and the color purple.


Special thanks to Debra and Albert for making sure my car was at the trailhead at the end of the hike.

I knew going in that this hike offered a bunch of climbing in the first two days and mostly downhill on the third.  I didn't realize that I was going to be hiking a few extra miles the first day, which also added to the climbing total.  And as much as I would like to blame the maps, the GPS or random act of nature, I cannot.  It was totally OE (operator error).  Sometimes the day is going so well, you feel really good, you just don't take the time to fully read and understand all the information before you.  So although I'm not counting the extra miles in my total above, I'm definitely counting the extra climbing!!!

Other than my navigational problems, the first day was a great hike.  A little up and down, through some really interesting trail, great views and water everywhere.  Sycamore Canyon was spectacular and a very enjoyable walk.  I can definitely see why this area is so popular with the hiking community from Tucson.

This photo and the two to the left are near Hutch's pool.
What a great spot for lunch.

My goal was to reach Romero Pass and camp there for the night.  I accomplished that, although a bit later than I had expected.  This was really the last flat spot before climbing up Mt. Lemmon.  It turned out to be a  good choice.  It was a bit windy in the late afternoon, but it died down as the sun set which helped me get some rest for the climb the following day.

It was hard to believe it was spring, not fall with these colors

There is no better way to start the day than a 6 mile climb, right!!!  My climb started as soon as I left camp and ended several hours later (it seemed like days).  It took me about 4.5 hours to hike the 8 miles to Summerhaven which is almost double what it would take me over a normal route.  But as is the norm with the AZ Trail, the scenery was great, especially through the Wilderness of Rocks.  I only took a couple of photos though because I knew if I started I would never make it out of there.

I knew I was going through downtown Summerhaven ont this trip, so I planned my meal schedule around that.  I got into Summerhaven around lunchtime and stopped at the pizza and cookie place.  Sure beats freeze dried food anytime.  After leaving Summerhaven, the trip really got interesting.

Better than freeze dried any day!!

I had been protected from the wind because of the terrain, but as soon as I left Summerhaven and started on the Oracle Ridge trail, the wind was relentless.  I spent the next day and a half cursing it, trying to not get blown down the mountain and generally wishing someone would just turn it off.  (I slept very little on night two, the wind continually whipping my tent back and forth and the noise sounded like I was sleeping next to an interstate highway.)  And that wasn't the most challenging part of this trail.

Wilderness of Rocks.  I could have easily
spent a day here just taking photos

The Oracle Ridge trail heads from Summerhaven at almost 9,000 feet, down to Oracle at about 5,000 feet.  And while some of this trail is a gentle downhill, there was an awful lot of very steep segments, with very loose rocks.  Some of it was singletrack, some old two track roads.  I will take a good climb any day over a very steep downhill road, with lots of loose rocks and carrying a 30lb pack.  This is where the color purple comes in.

I was about 3/4 through my day two hike, when I caught a loose rock on a steep downhill two track and rolled my ankle.  Vicki said I couldn't take a photo and post it to the blog to attract sympathy.  So I'm writing about it instead, still hoping for sympathy from somewhere!!  Vicki's rule with the kids as they grew up was always "you play, you pay".  She doesn't use that with the kids anymore, but I hear it often:)

A slightly sore ankle and more wind made day three more of a chore than I had hoped.  But in the end I was able to hike and enjoy the remainder of the trip. I've been pretty fortunate so far on my journey and if this is as bad as it gets I'm not complaining.  Although I'm still looking for a little sympathy on the ankle.

This is the view looking north on day one.  On the very highest ridge you
can see the communication towers on the top of Mt Lemmon.

Same ridge looking south towards the end of day 2.  It is amazing
sometimes to look back and realize you walked all that way.