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…
Category: Activities
You’ve Been Warned!
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…
Banff Film Festival and Pima Trails Association
This past Friday evening, March 27, the Summit Hut hosted the Banff Mountain Film Festival for the 11th consecutive year in Tucson. Nearly 1,000 people filled the historic Fox Theatre to watch 7 films which ranged in length from 3 to 55 minutes. My favorite film of the night was Patagonian Winter, the story of…
The Miracle
Milagrosa means “miraculous” in Spanish and indeed, it is a little miraculous to find such a pleasant loop hike tucked away in the far northeast corner of the Tucson valley. The hike dips in and out of both Agua Caliente Canyon and La Milagrosa and cruises ridge tops on both sides of the canyons as…
Pontatoc Trails
What’s not to like about the Finger Rock trailhead at the end of Alvernon Way? Quite literally at Tucson’s backdoor, this trailhead offers convenient access to one of the more spectacular portions of the “Front Range” of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Pontatoc Canyon left, Pontatoc Ridge right In addition to the popular Finger Rock Trail,…
Agua Caliente Hill
Arizona peak baggers can be forgiven if they sometimes overlook Agua Caliente Hill. Bagging a “hill” doesn’t sound quite right, and Agua Caliente does look a little insignificant when viewed from many places in the Tucson valley. Located on the far east side of the Tucson valley, Agua Caliente Hill is the high point sandwiched…
Elephant Head Pilgrimage
Cruising along I-19 from Tucson towards Nogales, I often risk becoming distracted and taking my attention off the important task of driving safely along the interstate. The problem is not a preoccupation with the car stereo, jabbering away on a cell phone or texting messages. Nope, the issue along this stretch of highway is Elephant…
Little Rincon Mountains
The Little Rincon Mountains lay just east the Rincon Mountains, separated from their much larger sibling by Ash Creek and Happy Valley. These “little” mountains offer a wonderfully scenic hike up a rugged, unnamed canyon, through a maze of spectacular granite rock formations, to a perched valley called Hidden Pasture. Hidden Pasture is tucked between…
Blackett’s Ridge: Because It Is So Good
It is popular, sometimes even crowded, but that’s only because it is so good. The Blackett’s Ridge Trail packs a great punch: it is imminently accessible, as scenic as they come, short enough that you don’t have to plan your entire day around it, and challenging enough to provide a very rewarding workout. Blackett’s Ridge…