I was up early, relatively speaking for this southbound hike. The three hikers camped near me (apparently they are traveling northbound) prompted my early move — rustling wrappers, deflating air pads, and pestering whispers under the glow of red headlamps. This why I don’t hike (with exceptions) in groups.
| 🗓️ Date | November 14th |
| ⇢ Mileage | 29.1* |
| 📍 Trip Mileage | 680.4 |
| ⛅️ Weather | Cool morning of 30°F above 8,000 feet; warm 80°F under light cloud coverage at desert floor |
| 🏞️ Trail Conditions | Cleans, maintained single track through Saguaro NP, rolling trail through end of the day |
The trail continued the ascent of Mt. Mica. I enjoyed the climb much. I rerouted over Mt. Mica to Spud Rock, which provided a stellar view of the Santa Catalina’s, Tucson, and the remainder of trail to the Mexican border.
Manning Cabin was a campground on the descent. The rustic spot provided clean rainwater and a nice spot for breakfast before 17 miles of descent.
From the temperate forests of Mt. Mica, the path descended through madrean woodland, semi-desert grassland, and thornscrub to the desert floor. The descent down from the Rincon Mountains might be one of the most diverse and interesting biome transitions I have navigated. The trail was moderate enough where the changes were perceivable, but subtle. The saguaro cactus began to appear below 4,000 feet.
The saguaros of Saguaro National Park were unique and dense. Personally, the saguaros of Roosevelt Lake made a bigger impression — likely since I had not seen them since I was a kid. But, nonetheless, these green, prickly, armed monoliths were awe-inspiring.
Outside of the park boundary, trail flattened into undulating desert walk. I came across a couple who recently completed the AZT camping in their van. Oddly, their names escape me, but they kindly offered me a couple sodas and a place to sit and chat for a while. Typically, I wouldn’t hang around, but I was in no rush since I’m due to be off trail tomorrow.
After the sodas, I walked on, slowly developing an upset stomach that culminated at La Selvilla Picnic Area. I killed time to let my stomach settle, stopping for an early dinner. I made a few more miles into the night around the Colossal Cave area. Colossal Cave features a network of about three and a half miles of mapped cave passageways. I suppose I’ll book a cave tour when I come back to finish the AZT.
Tomorrow, I’ll hop off trail into Tucson and head home on family business. The last 300 miles of Arizona have been my favorite, and I will certainly return for what remains of the AZT.
Signing off,
Zeppelin
“Freak on a Leash”
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