I have long been fan a of Garmin® handheld GPS units. Most all of the Garmin units I’ve tested have been accurate, reliable, light, rugged, and well designed.

Our most popular models are in Garmin’s “Mapping Handhelds” product category, designating units that can display optional maps and usually with built in base maps. As of this writing Garmin has an overwhelming 25 different models in this category, with prices ranging from around $150 all the way to $600.

Like any gear geek, I am influenced by my own biases when trying to pick out what I think are the most desirable units, so I might as well tell you up front what those biases are. With backcountry foot travel my primary activity, I prefer units that are light, compact, have long battery life, can store a lot of waypoints, and offer a useful topo map display.

My favorite units in this Garmin grouping are the recently released Dakota™20 and the now venerable eTrex Vista®HCx and eTrex Legend® HCx models.

Dakota 20

There is a lot to like about brand new Dakota 20. Priced at about $350, its most obvious feature is a slick and responsive touchscreen with color output that is reasonably easy to read. Weighing a mere 5.3 ounces (including lithium batteries), it is packed with features including an altimeter/barometer, an electronic compass, turn by turn routing on roadways (with optional software), the ability to transmit data wirelessly with other compatible units, and a wireless receiver that interacts with optional heart monitors or bicycle cadence sensors. The list goes on. The touchscreen and menu system is not as sophisticated as that found on an iPhone, but is very effective and satisfying to use. Battery life isn’t bad at 20 hours, but to achieve this, power hungry features like the electronic compass must be turned off. (The compass can be easily turned off or on using menu commands.) It stores a thousand waypoints and accepts a micro-SD™ storage card which can be used to install vast amounts of optional mapping software.

The Dakota 20 works with a bunch of optional map products, but I use the “TOPO U.S. 24K” series from Garmin which are similar to 7.5 minute, 1:24,000 scale USGS maps. These digital maps scale well and are readable enough to be quite useful in the field. Garmin publishes them on micro-SD cards which slip into the SD port in the GPS unit and on DVDs.

A few caveats are in order however. This map series lacks some of the fidelity and rich detail typical of USGS maps, and though they present trails and roads, I have noticed some errors with road and trail locations, naming, and incomplete information. However, I continue to use USGS maps (via TOPO! software) and I find the on-board GPS topo map a valuable supplement. I usually carry my GPS clipped on an accessible pack shoulder strap, and like having the topographic information readily available on the unit screen, since my paper USGS map is often stashed away in the pack.

eTrex Vista HCx and eTrex Legend HCx

The eTrex Vista HCx and eTrex Legend HCx have been around for a while now, but are still units I recommend. They weigh about 5.5 ounces and are about the same size as the Dakota. These units do not have a touch screen, but instead use buttons and a small cursor stick to navigate a sensible and well featured menu system, displayed on a readable color screen. The battery life is outstanding on both units at 25 hours or so, and both accept a micro-SD storage card, so they are well suited for use with optional mapping products like the TOPO U.S. 24K maps. Both models can store up to 1,000 waypoints, just like the Dakota 20. The Vista HCx sells for about $300 and includes an altimeter/barometer and electronic compass; but as with the Dakota 20, the compass should be turned off to maximize battery life. Without the altimeter/barometer and electronic compass, the Legend HCx is a lean, mean, GPS map machine, selling for around $250.

Compact, light, and powerful, I like and recommend these three Garmin models for backcountry navigation.

Using an optional belt clip

Mt Wrightson looms large on the drive up Madera Canyon Road in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson, and the hike to this towering summit from the end of the road is the signature outing in the area.

So, it can be easy to miss some trailheads near the mouth of Madera Canyon that access a loop trail which visits two of Madera’s side drainages. Graced with several springs and tangled groves of white barked sycamore trees, oak, pine and fir - this is a lovely area to spend time in.

Sycamore cathedral near Bog Springs

A direct hike to Bog Springs requires a round trip of a little over 3.5 miles with an elevation gain of a just less than a thousand feet. The cathedral grove of sycamore trees around the spring is exceptionally beautiful and serene.

Walking the complete loop takes in Sylvester Spring, Kent Spring, and Bog Springs, adding another 700 feet of elevation, for a about a 6.5 mile round trip hike from the trailhead; a distinctly harder hike than the in-and-out trip to Bog Springs. On the loop hike, there are some nice long views out Madera Canyon as you traverse the steep slopes between Kent and Bog Springs.

Tramping uphill towards Sylvester Spring

Two trailheads serve this loop. The first trailhead (31.72681 N, 110.8803 W, WGS84) is on the east side Madera Canyon Road just past the turnoff to Bog Spring Campground. Marking the turn into the parking lot, a sign declares “Madera Trailhead, PICNIC AREA”. In the parking lot, the trailhead is conveniently marked with another sign: “BOG SPRING TRAILHEAD”.

The second trailhead (31.72225 N, 110.87943 W, WGS84) is just a few hundred yards up Madera Canyon Road, but here one parks in a parking lot on the west side of the road identified by a sign stating “Amphitheater and Nature Trail”. The trailhead here is on the opposite (east) side of the road from the parking area.

Once on the trail, the loop junction is reached after a little more than a mile; turn left (east) towards Bog Springs, or continue straight (south) towards Sylvester and Kent springs.

Season: These hikes can be done year round. During summer months it can be hot here, so early starts are recommended.

Water: There is often water at Bog Springs, Kent Spring, and Sylvester Spring, but best to bring plenty of your own.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate if you choose to hike to Bog Springs and back; a little over 3.5 miles round trip with just less than a 1,000 foot elevation gain. Moderate if you walk the complete loop; just over 6.5 miles round trip with a 1,700 foot elevation gain.

Maps: Green Trails Maps – Santa Rita Mountains.

Click Map for larger image

Looking for people to hike and backpack with in Southern Arizona? Check these groups out:

Southern Arizona Hiking Club

Green Valley Hiking Club

The Ramblers (University of Arizona's Hiking Club)

Tucson Hikers

The Tucson Hiking Meetup Group 

Tucson Backpackers

The X Hiking Club

Tucson Alt Hikers

What is your favorite hiking group?

Arizona congressional representatives Gabrielle Giffords and Raul Grijalva have turned up the heat on the Forest Service in an effort to stop the disastrous Rosemont Copper mining project south of Tucson in the Santa Rita Mountains.

Read about their recent efforts in an article in The Green Valley News.

View the approximate location of the proposed project on Google Maps at http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=31.833333,-110.75&z=13&t=h&hl=en.

Check out these links to learn more:

Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, a volunteer-based, non-profit organization fighting the proposed mine.

The Forest Service Environmental Impact Statement home page for the Rosemont Copper Project.

The Rosemont Copper public relations site.

A trip up the Sutherland Trail from Catalina State Park to the top of Mt. Lemmon is a challenging hike!

For starters, the word “trail” may not be an appropriate descriptor for the route. The first five miles are pretty easy to follow; a beautifully maintained trail leaves the parking spot at Catalina State Park, but after following a jeep road and power line for a while, the trail quickly deteriorates as it begins a steep climb up the flanks of Sutherland Ridge. The next 3.5 miles of trail are very challenging to stay on; often a bush whack route decorated with small rock cairns that are all too easy to miss in the heavy brush and among numerous rock outcrops.

Coral Bean blossoms

And then there’s the elevation gain: about 6,300 feet vertical from the trailhead at Catalina State Park to the parking spot on top of Mt. Lemmon. That’s a big climb! (Hike from the Colorado River to the North Rim and you knock off 5,800 feet, while the famed hike up Mt Whitney comes in at 6,100 feet.)

Exposed rock low in Cargodera Canyon

There are logistics to deal with too. This trip can be set up as a one-way, 11.5 mile hike, if a vehicle is available on top of Mount Lemmon when you finally stagger into the parking lot. Alternatively, you can make a big loop by hiking from the top of the Sutherland Trail to Romero Pass and then down Romero Canyon to the original trailhead. This reduces the elevation gain to a piddly 5,700 feet, but increases the distance to about 20.5 miles.

Jeep road and power line

The combination of big elevation gain and hard bushwhacking make this route challenging indeed, but the hike is also spectacular and satisfying. The low elevation Sonoran landscapes are lavish, and Cargodera Canyon may surprise you with a few quiet trickles of seasonal water. Once atop Sutherland Ridge, the hiker is presented with spectacular views of the big peaks of the Pusch Ridge and the headwaters of Romero Canyon. The “window” in Window Rock is clearly visible from many spots along the brushy and rocky spine. This area is seldom visited and feels extraordinarily wild and primitive, with lots of bear scat scattered along the way.

High on the Sutherland Ridge

Reach the trailhead (32.42553 N, 110.90828 W, WGS84) by following North Oracle Road (State Highway 77) north from Tucson towards Oro Valley. Turn right (east) into Catalina State Park about 6.3 miles past Ina Road. Signs guide the way to the trailhead parking lot near the end of the road.

The Sutherland trail heads north from the parking lot. After 0.8 mile, turn left (north) at a junction with the Canyon Loop Trail; 1.8 miles later turn right (east) at the intersection with a jeep road and power line. About 2.7 miles later, a metal sign marks the spot where the Sutherland Trail leaves the power line road and soon begins climbing up the side of Sutherland Ridge. The next 4 miles are a thrash, first gaining the ridge top, and then working up the ridge until reaching the Cañada del Oro Trail where you turn right (east) and climb uphill to the junction with the Mt Lemmon Trail. Follow the Mt Lemmon Trail east for about 1.5 miles to the Mt Lemmon trailhead parking lot; or to complete the 20.5 mile loop down Romero Canyon, follow the Mt Lemmon trail west a few steps before turning south towards Romero Pass.

A Collared Lizard shows color in Romero Canyon

Season: Spring and fall. The high elevation section of this hike is subject to winter snow, which can limit vehicular access to the Mount Lemmon trailhead. The route has plenty of western and southern exposure, so it can be dangerously hot in the summer.

Water: Seasonal water can sometimes be found along the Sutherland Trail in Cargodera Canyon, and in Romero Canyon. Bring plenty of your own.

Difficulty: Very difficult. The one way trip from Catalina State Park to the Mount Lemmon trailhead parking is about 11 miles long with a whopping 6,300 foot elevation gain.

The alternate loop hike up the Sutherland Trail and down Romero Canyon is over 20 miles long and climbs 5,700 feet; a very long day of hard hiking.

The upper 4.5 miles of the Sutherland Trail is overgrown and difficult to follow. I suggest wearing long pants; shorts are not a good idea on the Sutherland Ridge. The likelihood of losing the trail is very high, so competency in cross country navigation is a must. A good map, with compass or GPS is recommended.

Notes: Catalina State Park requires entrance fees, and the trailhead at the top of Mount Lemmon is a Forest Service fee area.

Maps: Rainbow Expeditions Santa Catalina Mountains or Green Trails Maps Santa Catalina Mountains.

Click Map for larger image

We are so fortunate to be able to live and play in the magnificent Southwest! Our love and passion for our precious wild lands runs deep, so early this year the Summit Hut launched its “100 Days of Service” program to benefit non-profit outdoor, conservation, and environmental advocacy organizations in southern Arizona.

It’s a simple idea: each year the Summit Hut pays up to 100 days worth of regular wages to our 60 employees when they volunteer to provide services to a non-profit group partner. We are thrilled to help with any number of tasks: trail building, restoration projects, native species protection, invasive species control, office and clerical chores, and so on. 100 Days of Service has been enthusiastically embraced by our staff and the Summit Hut is genuinely gratified to be giving back to some great organizations that have worked so hard for years to preserve and protect our precious environmental heritage.

Moving boulders off the Arizona Trail

The Summit Hut currently has 100 Days of Service partnerships with Sky Island Alliance, Arizona Trail Association, Tucson Audubon Society, Rincon Group of the Sierra Club; and we are in the process of finalizing partnerships with several other groups.

We kicked this program off this past March, and Summit Hut volunteers have already given nearly twenty days of service; building trail and helping with a bullfrog control and inventory project. Eighty more days to give, we can hardly wait!

When it’s time to cool off, the Wilderness of Rocks is a popular destination for Tucson area hikers. At an elevation of over 7,000 feet, the Wilderness of Rocks stretches across a broad, rocky bench perched beneath the high summit ridge of Mt. Lemmon. The headwaters of Lemmon Creek gather here, and the small stream almost always shows water. Shaded in most places by trees and cliffs, this riparian zone can be a delightful reprieve from the hot deserts far below.

The loop hike described here begins almost from the very top of Mt. Lemmon. Heading west from the trailhead, the route works down Mt Lemmon’s broad summit ridge, and then turns south onto a prominent spur ridge which shows great views of Oro Valley, the headwaters of Romero Canyon, and the high peaks scattered along Pusch Ridge.

Weathered formations in the Wilderness of Rocks

Once in the Wilderness of Rocks, hikers wander among stately stands of Ponderosa pines, fern gardens and untold numbers of gleaming white rock formations and gargoyles. It’s great hanging out beneath the tall pines that line Lemmon Creek’s shallow pools.

Lemmon Creek

Finish the loop by hiking up the Lemmon Rock Lookout Trail. This steep section climbs 1,800 feet in under 2.5 miles, a tough climb! Watch for rock climbers on the long 400 foot south ridge of Rappel Rock, easily seen from several sections of the trail. No surprise, the Lemmon Rock Lookout Trail ends near Lemmon Rock Lookout, a small building listed in the US National Register of Historic Places and which is still staffed from May through September. The short side trip to the lookout with its fantastic views of the Catalina Mountains and much of southern Arizona is very worthwhile.

Lemmon Rock Lookout

Reach the trailhead (32.44036 N, 110.7858 W, WGS84) by following the Catalina Highway from the Tucson valley towards the small settlement of Summerhaven. Just short of Summerhaven, turn right (west) onto “Ski Run Rd”. Continue on Ski Run Road past the ski facility through a gate (often closed during winter months), and on up the narrow winding road to the trailhead parking lot near the top of Mt Lemmon.

The Mt. Lemmon Trail #5 leaves the west side of the parking lot right next to a fenced electrical facility, crosses a dirt road and then joins an old jeep trail heading west along the broad summit ridge. A few tenths of a mile later, the junction with the Lemmon Rock Lookout Trail is reached, which marks the beginning and end of the loop route. Clockwise or counter-clockwise? The route is described in a counter-clockwise direction above, but take your pick.

Season: Spring, summer and fall. The trailhead is closed to vehicular access for much of the winter, and snow often obscures many sections of the route. This hike can be quite warm on the exposed ridges during summer months.

Water: Water is usually present in Lemmon Creek, though the flow can slow or cease in the driest months of the summer. If you do collect water, purification is recommended before using. Make sure you have plenty of water for the more exposed hiking getting into and out of the Wilderness of Rocks.

Difficulty: Somewhat difficult. About 8.5 miles long with a 2,000 elevation drop and then gain. Some sections of trail can be hard to follow, so map and compass/GPS are recommended.

Notes: The trailhead is in a Forest Service fee area. The area was impacted by the 2003 Aspen Fire.

Maps: Rainbow Expeditions Santa Catalina Mountains, Green Trails Maps Santa Catalina Mountains, or National Geographic Arizona digital map software.

Click Map for larger image

Even when bears are not a threat to the outdoor traveler’s food, mice, rats, ringtail cats, and other small mammals can be relentless in their effort to dine on back country food stores. Garbage and empty food wrappers also attract the attention of hungry critters. This is especially true at often-used campsites. And perhaps just as bad, these animals can cause significant damage to packs, tents and other gear as they energetically chew and gnaw their way to the food.

What to do? Metal or hard nylon cans are heavy, bulky and difficult to pack. Fiber reinforced bags can succumb to sharp teeth given enough time. In arid areas like the Grand Canyon there are often no trees large enough to successfully hang food bags out of reach.

Check out the chew resistant Outsak™. Made of stainless steel mesh, the Outsak™ is flexible, reasonably light, and very packable. The webbing backed loop closure is animal resistant yet easy to open. It is outfitted with a sturdy grommet to facilitate hanging from trees or overhangs.

Outsak™ bags are offered in three sizes, with weights ranging from 8 to 10.5 ounces. The small size, at 18 x 14 inches is pictured here. Prices range from $32.99 to $44.99.

These bags are extremely useful, but should not be considered fail proof. Though the steel mesh offers a lot of protection at a reasonable weight, the bags are none-the-less vulnerable to many animals, even small ones given plenty of time. Bears certainly have the strength to tear them apart, and so may coyotes and other large mammals. Ravens can defeat the mesh by virtue of their strong beaks and persistent intelligence. (The manufacturer recommends hiding the sack or stacking heavy rocks around it when ravens are a threat.)  And don’t forget tiny animals like ants, which can simply crawl through the protective mesh.

I’m not sure there is a totally foolproof and lightweight answer to the problem of protecting food from animals in the outdoors, but the Outsak™  is one of the most practical solutions for keeping small animals away from food that I know of.

Loop hikes are wonderful. It can be exhilarating to take in a big sweep of country without retracing steps. You usually see more and get to enjoy a feeling of fresh discovery the entire way.

A few years ago I stumbled upon a great loop hike which starts in the bottom of Madera Canyon and passes through Baldy Saddle, just below the top of Mt Wrightson.

Rising to an elevation of 9,453 feet, Mt Wrightson is the high point of the Santa Rita Mountains and also the highest of the peaks surrounding the Tucson valley. The vast majority of visits to Wrightson’s summit are made hiking the very popular Old Baldy and Super Trails which start at the end of Madera Canyon Road.

Arizona Gray Squirrel near Bog Spring

The loop hike described here is a more demanding way to reach the top of Mt Wrightson, but is very scenic and visits some less travelled areas of the Santa Ritas.

Find the trailhead (31.72681 N, 110.8803 W, WGS84) on the east side of Madera Canyon Road just past the turnoff to Bog Spring Campground. Marking the turn into the parking lot, a sign declares “Madera Trailhead, PICNIC AREA”. In the parking lot, the trailhead is conveniently marked with another sign: “BOG SPRING TRAILHEAD”.

Mt Wrightson from the Four Springs Trail

Early on, the route passes the lovely sycamore grove at Bog Spring, then climbs and traverses to Kent Spring and the beginning of the Four Springs Trail. Above Kent Spring the Four Springs Trail enters some of the vast area that was ravaged by the 2005 Florida Fire. The trail traverses the head of Florida Canyon past the seasonal water seep at Armour Spring, in an area where the devastation was particularly intense.

Burn near Armour Spring

The Four Springs Trail is followed all the way to the Crest Trail, which runs 3.2 miles south along a high crest ridge to Baldy Saddle and the base of Mt Wrightson’s summit pyramid. From Baldy Saddle, you might as well scamper up to Mt Wrightson and back before following the Old Baldy Trail down to Josephine Saddle and on to the trailhead at the end of Madera Canyon Road. To close the loop, walk about 1.3 miles along side Madera Canyon Road to the original trailhead.

Season: Though this hike can be done year round, there are seasonal considerations. Winter snow and dangerously slippery ice can impede or halt progress altogether at the high elevations, especially on the summit dome of Mt Wrightson. During summer months this hike can be very hot in the lower elevations, so early starts and an ample supply of water are recommended.

Water: There may be seasonal water at or near Bog Spring, Kent Spring, Armour Spring, Baldy Spring, and Bellows Spring; but as always, bring plenty of your own.

Difficulty: Strenuous. This hike is long and hard. There is a 4,600 elevation gain. According to my GPS odometer, the loop is 17.5 miles long, but a Forest Service map at the trailhead suggests a mileage closer to 16.3 miles. No matter, this is a hike for those in good physical condition, and one should allow a full day to complete it. I recommend bringing along a map of the route.

Note: The trailheads are in a Forest Service fee area.

Maps: Green Trails Maps – Santa Rita Mountains.

Click Map for larger image

Check out this pair of warning signs, displayed back to back on a sturdy wood post near a popular southern Arizona trail head. Many thanks to "The Curmudgeon" for a hearty laugh, and thought provoking warnings.

Leaving the road head, this sign with its dire warnings is prominently displayed as you head into the back country:

Leaving the back country, as you approach the road head, this sign with its somewhat different set of dire warnings is prominently displayed on the back of the same sign post: