Bear Canyon to Seven Falls

It's been over 25 years since I first hiked to Seven Falls and almost five years since I last did so. Any chance I thought I had to better my time from 2017 evaporated when I checked my AllTrails app back at the visitor center: 8.7 miles in 2:59. I lost almost 20 minutes from that last hike. I blame my ankle, which I injured December 4 descending Pontatoc Ridge in an attempt to better my previous hike of that trail. One would think that advanced age would nip such silly self-competitiveness right in the ole bud. But no. However, in a concession to common sense, I was wary of re-injury and the chilling effect of that apparently slowed me down by about two minutes a mile. 

I made a special effort to rise early and hit the trail by 7:30. This trail is always clogged with primates, but this being a holiday week, I expected a veritable family circus. Ran into one trail runner on the way out, and was passed by another. but that was it until the return. By the time I got to within 3 miles of the parking lot, the masses were out in packs.

Lovely morning light, captured nicely by my new iPhone 13 Mini. My beloved five-year-old iPhone SE finally gave up the ghost last week—yet another casualty of rapacious capitalism's planned obsolescence.

Another benefit of hitting the trail just after sunrise, is meeting fellow travelers like this little guy.

Not nearly enough of these smooth, sandy stretches.

This trail hugs the lower reaches of the canyon walls, with frequent crossing of the stream bed, sometimes via rock hopping. Mostly, though, the stream was a trickle.

Looking back toward Tucson.

This time of day, the trail is mostly in shadows as the sun arcs its way toward noon.

The beautiful Santa Catalinas.

First glimpse of the falls, or what would be falls if there were more water.

The pools are still mostly full from the last flow, however.

Nary another soul, very meditative.

Another view of whence I came.

Sunrise reflected.

Typical stream crossing.

Saw this sign as I approached the trailhead at hike's end. They really need signs to warn mountain lions of primate sightings.