Ram's Canyon Oro Valley to Walter's Cascade

One way to make hikes a little more exciting is to introduce some uncertainty or even a little danger to sharpen the senses and the mind. Not like the scariest hike I've been on, the infamous 24-mile hike from 2019 that we finished six hours and six miles over budget, but more like today...by simply going off route for a few miles, without a proper map. But it wasn't all that bad, and actually felt more like an accomplishment than a stupid stunt. 

Today, I struck out on the Ram's Canyon Trail in Oro Valley, as opposed to the one in Catalina State Park, that is really the same canyon and same trail, but not fully marked as such. I simply extended my hike a few miles past the water tanks I hiked to last time, and continued on to the Walter's Cascade Trail which I hiked to a couple of weeks ago starting in Catalina State Park. This extension made for a nice little 6.5 miler, with modest elevation gain, and a water feature as a destination. This is a hike well worth repeating, with the added bonus that it's close to the house.

Saw three people on the trail, a solo hiker on her way to Walter's Cascade, from Catalina SP, and a young couple just starting out from Oro Valley as I was finishing up. Temps we unseasonably warm, topping out at 78º with no wind and clear skies. I waqs a little perturbed to see poppies in bloom as well as ocotillo.

The trail starts out on an abandoned road next to a housing development, but quickly drops down into a wash and on up into the hills.

The gap in the fence demarcating the border between Oro Valley public land and national park service public land. It is through here one can access Catalina State Park.

The water tank I noticed on my first two hikes up here from both directions.

Bloomin' occatillo!

WTF!?

Walter's Cascade

The Tortolita's in the distance.

Agua Caliente Hill Trail

Another strenuous hike to numb our brains to the idiot ICE-capades invading our cities and endangering our children and their parents, GD nefarious numbskull Nazi cowards these fascistas are.

Haven't hiked this one in a few years, and man is it an ass-kicker. While only a bit over nine miles, it has substantial elevation gain (almost 3,000 feet) and the final two miles are especially challenging. The last half mile is vertical scree similar to the talus on Golden Gate Mountain wherein I met my Waterloo almost a year ago, but we'll have to forget about that, or at least repress it.

Not sure I'll do this hike again (I've vainly said that about other hikes in the past), partly because it's almost an hour to the trailhead, but mostly because of the rockiness throughout, but especially in the last two miles. Plus, the steep slippery scree the last half mile really gave me flashbacks, and not in a good way. Hiking the two miles down from the summit on the return I was especially careful and slow—like a doddering old retiree.

Few people out today, especially early on. Misty and I left the trailhead shortly before 8:00 am, with temps in the low forties. As we climbed, so did the sun, and we managed to doff our jackets after about a half hour, some 1.5 miles in. Mostly sunny skies throughout the day, and 71º by hike's end. Kind of a perfect day. The highlight was all the kids walking up Oracle Road holding signs protesting coward-ICE thugs in our city and schools; apparently, schools were closed to allow it. Good for the schools.

Just needed to hike up to the sun starting out.

A PeakFinder app photo from my previous trip up here four years ago, a solo hike in preparation for my epic Grand Canyon solo backpacking Rim to Rim to Rim trip in May of 2022, when I was in my 65th year.

An anomalous flat, sandy section of trail. Maybe 1 mile of that in total on this hike.

The summit.

Our one and only false summit.

Cute little Teddy Bear Cholla. Do not hug.

Cañada del Oro Ridge & 50-Year Trails Loop

I have been amping up my hiking to stay sane amidst the rampant fascism on display in Minnesota; January has been a busy time on the trails because of it all. Obergruppenführer Greg Bovino's departure from Minneapolis is good news, but we have yet to round up the ICE thugs who murdered two innocent residents of that fair city. I hope we survive until the mid-terms.

Today, I recorded my first 4mph hike over 5 miles. But it really doesn't count for much because of the minimal elevation gain, despite the rockiness of some of the trails. Still, good to know I can still rattle along with these short legs.

Finally returning to warmer weather after a week in the fifties and sixties. Today, while it was overcast, it did manage to get above 70 degrees, albeit just barely. Warmer weather lies ahead for our Friday hike up Agua Caliente Hill on the east side of Tucson, where the Rincons meet the Catalinas. Looking forward to it.

Saw several other folks on the trails today, probably because these trails are all close to the campgrounds at Catalina State Park, and they're quite accessible.

The hike begins and ends on the broad and flat Bridle Trail.

Looking down at the Cañada del Oro Wash from the Cañada del Oro Ridge Trail, which makes up the western half of the loop.

The Bridle Trail comes off the loop to the parking lot like the end of a lasso, and it's broad enough to drive a wagon train on.