Roger Carpenter – Greg In Wild
Living with a sense of adventure
By Greg in Wild / Roger Carpenter
The recent weather forecast began to give me hope for cooler weather. After two zero days in Summerhaven at cooler77 I high elevation and another day off the trail to have my lacerated thumb treated, I started a four day hike of 64 miles to the small town of Kearny. The elevation through this area, that includes the Tortilla Mountains, was low at below 4,000 feet. I knew heat would be a problem.
Oracle Ridge, reptiles and thumb care
By Roger Carpenter / Greg in Wild
The lofty elevation of Summerhaven and Mt Lemmon took the edge off the heat. But, I was about to hike into lower, hotter terrain. The AZT was recently rerouted to Red Ridge. Rumors claimed it was a nasty descent for three miles to a running stream, then a very steep uphill to Oracle Ridge. I discussed the choice with two other AZT hikers at a cafe for breakfast. The decision was unanimous. We all decided to take the shorter, old route. To my surprise the trail along the old route was in good condition, and I was a happy hiker. Looking to my left from Oracle Ridge, the nearby Red Ridge looked nasty!
Santa Catalina Mountains and Mt. Lemmon, by Roger Carpenter / Greg in Wild
Another day of record high temperature was forecast on March 18. At least most of the miles would be downhill and below the 8,600-foot summit of Mica Mountain. Heading north, with the sunrise to my right, I stepped carefully on a trail that had not received much maintenance as far as I could tell. But I wanted to cover 17 miles, which would enable me to reach my next resupply town, Summerhaven, near the top of Mt. Lemmon, in three days.
The Rincon Mountains and Saguaro National Park, by Roger Carpenter / Greg in Wild
I reached mile 140 of the 800-mile AZT on March 17. There is much beauty in the desert if a hiker knows where to look. Before crossing under Interstate 10, the land where cattle had grazed was devoid of many of the trees and cacti I came here to see. When my friend / AZT hike supporter Alan and I left a campground in Colossal Cave Mountain Park to hike a couple of miles together, we enjoyed the blooms of wildflowers and cactus on an easy-going trail. I continued snapping images after Alan turned back to drive home. These are my favorite places, with no cows!
Another quick update from the Arizona Trail with photo blast. I have hiked out of the high mountain ranges and into lower and hotter desert. On March 14 the weather service announced a heat advisory until March 22. To adjust to this reality I have started hiking at 4am, guided by headlamp, and taking a 2-hour mid-afternoon rest before camping at 5pm. Despite the heated conditions, I find most of the terrain and desert foliage to be beautiful. Even better, I have made a few friends out here. My friend Alan drove to Colossal Cave Park to take me, Wooky and Squirt into town for resupply and dinner. Fun times!
I will continue the hike on March 16.
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.
Continue reading “Arizona Trail Days 3 to 5, March 7-9”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!
