A Return to the Scene of the Climb...

...and Fall

I finally returned to the David Yetman Trail, a favorite hike that, while longish at around 13 miles, is not overly challenging or dangerous, and is well-trafficked enough to give a soloist some comfort. Plus, if one is really hoofing it, this hike can be completed in under 4 hours. My PeakFinder app shows both of the peaks on this hike I climbed last year: Bren Peak, on the right spurred me to hike Golden Gate on the left after a hiker on Bren said there was a direct—albeit unofficial—trail to the summit that makes short work of it. That was advice I decidedly should have ignored. 

Besides getting back in the saddle after being thrown by a mountain, I was also seeing if I could beat my previous solo hiking time from three years ago, which I did by 10 minutes. So I must be getting back in some sort of shape after my forced hiatus.

Perfect weather today in the low 70s. Quite a few hikers out on this Christmas day all of whom were doing shorter hikes from either trailhead as happens on a holiday outing.

The Bowen House, low hanging fruit and primary culprit in keeping the parking lot packed as it’s only a mile in from the trailhead.

These few clouds, leftovers from yesterday's rains, will shortly disappear.

Closed trail to Golden Gate Mountain. Next time I will take the hint.

My lunch of choice: Homemade peanut butter (chunky 

of course), homemade tart cherry jam from our own 

trees, Dave’s bread, and a bag of original Lays (thanks 

for the hiking hack, Misty!). 

I got too close to one of these chollas and a golf-ball size cluster broke off on my hand and proceeded to to do yet more damage as it rolled around while I tried to extricate it with a stick.

Hard to see, but it also caused some bruising. Chollas are pretty but best given wide berth.

 

Linda Vista Loop Trail+

Still biding my time and hiking short, safe hikes while I wait for my hiking partner's return. In addition to my training walks 3-4 times a week, which don't have any rock scrambles or much in the way of elevation gain, there are short hikes in the area like this one that provide better hiking fitness training. If I have an hour to kill, the Linda Vista Loop is 5 minutes from the house and has some beautiful views looking east to the Santa Catalinas. This postage stamp of a hike is also quite rocky in spots, so I also get a little practice in ankle twist avoidance, not an insignificant skill to hone. This short hike is listed at 2.6 miles. I added another half mile more to maximize the hour I allotted myself. 

Another hot day—over 80º—but the sun was lower in the sky late in the afternoon, so that cut the intensity of the heat. Saw two young hikers descending from Pusch Peak, which they hiked toward but didn't ascend. I hiked that bear once previously, in December, 2018 with my Canadian pal, Jack (Jacques) and some folks from the University of Arizona. That hike is a genuine challenge in its very steep grade (2,000+ feet of gain over 1.5 miles), and also a great way to cover oneself with Teddy Bear Cholla spines.

Pusch Peak center-right, like a corporate Dem.

Still pretty green from last month's rains.

Cañada del Oro Trail

I was hoping to get in a short 5-10 mile hike in preparation for my upcoming 15-miler, but it was too hot today (for me) at 82 degrees, so I opted for a short, yet cooling bike ride up to Catalina State Park. The Cañada del Oro Trail adjacent to the Cañada del Oro Wash proved just the ticket. This trail is only 20 miles long, but connects to the 130-mile Tucson Loop Trail (see below), which circles the city. They have a great interactive trail map here. The Cañada del Oro trail is accessible fewer than 100 feet from our winter place in Oro Valley, so it's quite convenient. This was not a day to set records, obviously, especially considering I am decidedly out of biking shape because of a several month layoff. But I aim to get my biking and hiking legs back this winter, and have already improved on the hiking front. And the shoulder felt just fine on today's short ride.

Data from my watch, not the AllTrails App as usual.

More of the Santa Catalinas.