Monsoon Loop Via Slingshot and Mosaic Trails

Rain and cooler weather this week scotched my plans to hike Mount Wrightson via the Figure 8 Loop, a hike I did about three years ago. I didn't want to chance getting caught in deep snow like I did on Sutherland, also about three years ago (perhaps my most scary and epic hike ever). So this left me to find some shorter hikes I could do in-between rains. This afternoon was cool (low sixties) but the sun did manage to make an appearance. So I went searching for a short hike, something in the five mile range. I stumbled on the many trails in the Painted Hills Trails Park. Here I figured I could piece together a respectable loop, which is what I did. 

The route I chose combined the Monsoon Loop via the Mosaic Trail with the Slingshot Trail. To give myself a little more elevation gain, something sorely missing in these trails, I also hiked to the top of the Bactrian and Recoil summits (more molehills than mountains). 

The map from which I operated. I immediately had to turn off AllTrails' off-trail warning as I almost immediately went off the Mosaic Trail and onto the Slingshot (dotted blue line above right).

This area is rife with saguaros and is in fairly close proximity to Saguaro National Park West.

About 2 miles in I climbed to the top of Bactrian Summit (2780 ft.). Not much of a hill, but nice views of the Santa Catalinas and Tucson's horrendous sprawl.

After descending Bactrian Summit, I noticed there are actually two summits, two humps, hence the name.

Recoil Summit had a cairn marker just so you know it's a summit. Similar views to Bactrian. Might have called it Dromedary Summit, just for symmetry.

After the hike, I thought I'd check out a craft beer store on this side of town in the outside chance they'd have my favorite beer in the whole wide world. I was shocked to find out they did and so bought their last two six packs. Bell's isn't that well known in Arizona. and lucky for me, the folks down here don't know what they're missing (or perhaps it's the rather steep price).