Tag: Arizona

• [Day 33] Miller Peak

  

  Despite the many close-call visitations from a skunk last night, I fortunately started the day only smelling of body odor. I made my way up towards Miller Peak, hitting my last water source at Bathtub Spring. On my final approach to the peak, I saw four or five white-tail deer (they have been plentiful since…

  jarodlyles

  December 19, 2023

  AZT

  Arizona

• [Day 32] Conelo Hills

  

  I began in the freezing canyons of the Conelo Hills this morning. The objective identified the Miller Peak Wilderness Boundary as the goal destination for the day. With an 8pm start, I made my miles over the relatively flat day. 🗓️ Date December 18th ⇢ Mileage 31.2 📍 Trip Mileage 781.7 ⛅️ Weather Thin cloud…

  jarodlyles

  December 18, 2023

  AZT

  Arizona

• [Day 31] Santa Rita Mountains

  

  Today’s scene in the Santa Rita foothills had an interesting resemblance to the very northern portion of trail on the Kaibab Plateau — light undulations through yellowed grasses and junipers and mesquites and oaks. The morning at Box Canyon Trailhead started in the high 30°F’s. I hit cold pockets in the canyons as I resumed…

  jarodlyles

  December 17, 2023

  AZT

  Arizona

• [Day 30] Return to Tucson

  

  After returning home to California for some necessary events including my grandmother’s memorial service, Thanksgiving with family, initiation into a new startup venture, and three rounds of interviews for a new job, I find myself eager to return to the Arizona Trail — or any trail for that matter. I do a fair job of…

  jarodlyles

  December 16, 2023

  AZT

  Arizona

• [Day 29] Interstate 10

  

  Interstate 10. It is a landmark of north-south, long-distance, southwestern hiking. On the Pacific Crest Trail, Interstate 10 lies just beyond 250 miles of northbound travel between Mt. San Jacinto and Mt. San Gorgonio. On the Continental Divide Trail, Interstate 10 locates itself 90 miles north of the border at Lordsburg. On the Arizona Trail,…

  jarodlyles

  November 15, 2023

  AZT

  Arizona

• [Day 28] Saguaro Wilderness

  

  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…

  jarodlyles

  November 14, 2023

  AZT

  Arizona

• [Day 27] Sky Island Hop

  

  I’ve been seeing sky islands since I dropped off the Colorado Plateau, but down south, I find myself hopping between the clusters of peaks using the trail highways in the desert below. The term “sky islands” refers to the isolated mountain ranges of southeastern Arizona and Northern Mexico. From a viewpoint, these ranges span the…

  jarodlyles

  November 13, 2023

  AZT

  Arizona

• [Day 26] Mt. Lemmon

  

  Being southern Arizona, water is scarce, especially this time of season. Though, this morning, where there was some amount of moisture in the arid soil, crunchy frost sprouted. The winds were potent all night and even worse this morning. I had a slow pack up, largely due to obstruction from my whipping tent. I made…

  jarodlyles

  November 12, 2023

  AZT

  Arizona

• [Day 25] Oracle Cutoff

  

  Last night I camped in the chilly ravine of the Camp Grant Wash. This was a large wash, and that name seemed significant for some reason. A little research provided some detail. Due east of the wash, Camp Grant was a military outpost at the confluence of the San Pedro River and Avaraipa Creek, serving…

  jarodlyles

  November 11, 2023

  AZT

  Arizona

• [Day 24] To the Tortillas

  

  The wind this morning kept me submerged in my sleeping bag. My quilt is rated for 20°F, but with the wind, even my totally enclosed feet were chilly. Since I skipped dinner last night, I supplemented this morning with many tablespoons of peanut butter. Until the AZT, I avoided peanut butter — I wasn’t a…

  jarodlyles

  November 10, 2023

  AZT

  Arizona