Arizona Trail/ Patagonia to La Cienega Creek

Day 6 and 7:

Patagonia Zeros

The rain and snow forecasted was on its own schedule, late, and so ours changed too.  As John Steinbeck wrote, “People don’t take trips, trips take people”.   We could have walked out in the rain and freezing temperatures, I was really pushing for this at first, but why?  Vanity? Proof that I’m tough? Boredom?  

 Instead of walking we rooted in, each doing what pleases their soul.   Hawkeye wandered town, talking and observing.  I wandered in, thinking about my shadow self and spending time reading.  We were both happy in the end.   This hike is not about making big miles and proving our worth as hikers, it’s about exploration; both inside and outside.  

It finally poured rain at the end of the day and hikers streamed into the hotel with stories of snow and sleet and poor visibility.  Mark met a couple sweet, young men who had no place to stay and brought them to our room.  Andy and Caleb were a joy to host and we had sweet fellowship. 

Day 8:

Patagonia to Casa Blanca Canyon 

AZT mile 66.7

Stats: 

Hiked 15.6 miles 

Climbed 3228 feet descended 1600 feet

Walked for about 7 and a half hours

Lovely breakfast in town and then a dirt road walk out of town with a gradual climb.  There was a group of us since everyone got bunched up in town with the storm.  Met lots more hikers.  It was a fun crowd.  We shared stories and laughed and Hawkeye chased down a few folks from making wrong turns.  He did it three times.  Lol.  It’s easy to do when you are walking in a group.

We climbed another mountain, called sky islands in Arizona and entered Mount  Wrightson wilderness.  We saw fox pines and Arizona Madrones for the first time on this trip.  We huffed and puffed a bit on the climb in the heat of the day.  

We are now camped alongside a creek.  It will probably be cold tonight, but being lulled to sleep by the joyful sound will be worth it.  Our camp spot is crowded.  Patches, Colorado, Chewey and Mark from Minnesota plus another group of four just arrived.  I hear them rustling and getting their bed for the night constructed in the dark.  I’m glad we stopped at 4 pm and I got a soak in the creek and we had a small fire and we had time to eat and visit leisurely.  We had a good day.  

Day 9:

Casa Blanca Canyon to Bowman Springs-

AZT mile 82.9

Stats: 

Hiked 16.3

Climbed 1754 feet and descended 2151 feet

Hiked leisurely 8 hours

Great day of easy hiking.  We left our mountain camp around 9 AM, well after all the other hikers had departed, so we had the trail all to ourselves.   The trail through this section follows an old aqueduct of the Santa Rita Mining Company.   There are interpretive signs telling the story of a 200,000 dollar investment in this hydraulic mine that only returned around a two thousand dollars worth of gold. Mr. Stetson, the founder of the company later fell out of a window to his demise.  Hmmm?  This all took place around 1900, the exact dates have slipped my mind.  Here’s a photo of Kentucky camp that was the mine’s headquarters and now serves as a museum and rest stop for hikers and other folks. 

We caught up to many of the hikers that had departed earlier than us and we gained a hiker daughter.  

Audra has never backpacked before and has been hiking with fast experienced thru hikers. Her first day on trail was alone and she got off trail on her second day by bathtub springs, like many others.  It is a confusing intersection.  She ended up hiking all the way to the town of Sierra Vista.  She was lost and alone for three days and a bit panicked but she persevered and returned to the trail.  

We invited her to hike with us as we have only been averaging 2 miles  an hour and perhaps we can help a bit. She seems relieved.  We stop before dark and have a proper supper and are in bed before the cold sets in.  She’s a tiny thing and last night and this morning she had no feeling in her hands from the cold.  I have similar issues so I shared my extra plastic gloves with her to wear under her warm gloves.  It works really well.  Ziplocks on your feet with socks over them works too.  Just a couple little hacks for people with cold hands and feet.  

We also heard through the grapevine, so not sure if it’s true, but either Andy or Caleb (we shared our room with them) got bit by a rabid skunk!  We don’t have cell service now, but we hope to contact them tomorrow and hear the real story.  

Day 10:

Bowman Springs to Mile 97.1

AZT mile 97.1

Stats:

Miles 14.3 miles

Climbed 1913 feet and descended 2820

Hiked all day

Lovely morning walk out of the Santa Rita mountains into oak woodlands and grasslands and eventually into huge cactus gardens.  Flowers are beginning to bloom at this lower elevation.  There were many small up and downs into canyons and  over rocky trail most of our afternoon.  Water sources are scarcer.  Here is a photo of one of them. The water was clear under the algae. We, of course, treat all of our water either through a filter or with chemicals.  

The temperature was warmer than it has been as well and it made the miles go by slower for us.   We are tired tonight.  

 We are camped right beside the trail.  It was all we could find and the sun was going down.  The top photo at the beginning of this post is right outside our tent door. Cactus garden! 

  Earlier in the day I bumped something pokey (everything here is pokey) and tonight discovered a huge thorn in the side of my foot. I dug it out.  It was needle thickness and over a quarter of an inch in length.  One must be careful out here.  

Audra, the 19 year old new backpacker, is sticking with us for the time being.  We had her set the pace for most of the day as it is easier leading than feeling like you are being pulled along.  She is having some pain  in her lower ankle/foot.  I think it might be tendon problems.  She’s an itty bitty lady and carrying a big and heavy pack.  I’m being a weight nazi and keep suggesting things she should ship back home to Flagstaff. 

Hawkeye called Andy and he did get attacked by a rabid skunk!  He and his friend Caleb were  cowboy camping and Andy awoke to something biting his face right under his eye. He grabbed it and screamed for his friend to shine a light on it to see what it was.  When he saw a skunk he threw it rapidly into a tree.  They began trying to stop the bleeding from his face and then they saw in the small beam of their headlamps that the skunk was running right back at them.  They both hike with wooden staffs and they bludgeoned it to death.  It is a crazy story and one that makes me not want to camp without a tent.   Andy, of course, has to go get  shots, but plans to rejoin the trail in a few weeks.  

Day 11:

Mile 97.1 to Mile 113.4

AZT mile 113.4

Stats:

Hiked 16.3 miles 

Climbed 700 feet descended 1642 feet

Morning dawned beautifully from our trail side camp.  We met a few hikers that passed by early.  Perks to camping trail side.  Lol.  Audra works at REI so she did a little trail side service an adjusted a hiker’s backpack belt because he had lost weight.   

It was easy hiking today as we entered the lower Sonoran Desert.  A beautiful rock garden full of various cactus.  Flowers too are beginning to bloom and we also saw many butterfly’s gathering nectar. Anyone know what this black one is called? 

We also saw many bicyclists out for a ride as we are now hiking just east of the southern Tucson area.  About ten miles into our hike we came to a trailhead and found Audra a safe ride into a nearby town.  Her feet and ankles need a rest.  She is a sweet young lady full of grit and we enjoyed our time with her and hope to see her again.  

We are currently camped just off the trail a few miles from Colossal Caves Mountain Park   and enjoyed a wonderful,  eye stretching, pastel sunset.  We will pick up our resupply of food at the park in the morning and head back into the high country soon, but there are storms in the forecast. Decisions await.  

(See the photo of Hawkeye in the mouth of the snake?  This tunnel goes under I-10 and it is the third time we’ve crossed this highway while hiking a long  distance trail.)