After the 5th day of hiking I landed in the artsy town of Patagonia, where I camped at the Terra Sol camping hostel. I was surprised to see so many AZT hikers at Terra Sol (10?), and pleasantly surprised with the thunderstorm that dropped the temperature and much need rain on the desert landscape.
In three days I hiked 37 miles and reached milepost 52.5. The scenes changed often. There were pine forests, the first notable cacti, valleys barely holding any natural water, tanks of water for cattle, enough warm sun to open the umbrella, and enough cold to start the mornings wearing a down jacket. Best of all, I felt great even when I slowed down at the end of the hiking day, longing for my happy place tucked in my 10-degree sleeping bag.
Hiking out of my comfort zone is good, especially at my age. Hint: Medicare, Social Security. There are so many things that made my stomach feel unsettled. Hint: anti-diarrheal tablet fixed it. The Arizona Trail can inflict heat, water scarcity, extreme terrain, rattlesnakes, rabid wildlife (not just rumors about the rabid ones). I chose to hike the AZT because I really want to experience a new environment and geographic area. My previous thru-hikes featured short segments of arid desert. The AZT is, I believe, the real deal of desert hiking. I will write about my experiences every week or so.
My goal is to hike 700 out of the 800 miles of the AZT. The trail is presently blocked at the Grand Canyon after the sad, terrible wildfire that burned over the trail leading to the North Rim. It’s another casualty of the extended drought that has gripped the western U.S. for over 20 years, due to man-made climate change. I will return to hike the 100 mile segment after to National Park Service opens to trail, when I can experience hiking down into the canyon and up to the North Rim. BUT, there are no guarantees I will make it that far. There are no guarantees on the trail. Ever.
On Day 1, I chose to hike 3.9 miles to a campsite that was 1400 vertical feet below the 9,090 foot high point near Miller Peak. Ascending 2300 feet was enough for the first day. With enough water in my backpack, I climbed the rest of that first challenging ascent on Day 2. Along the way, I hiked into a zone that included progressively more forested landscapes that included pine trees. At mid-day the temperature was barely above freezing. The experience of my first two days was tiring and enriching.
I wrote no descriptions on the photos. But, it is worth noting that my lovely wife Cindy accompanied me on the two-night rail journey to Tucson, where we took in local cuisine, parks and a concert by Aimee Mann across the street from the Hotel Congress in downtown. I appreciate Cindy’s support of my AZT hike!
