Juniper Flats by Bike

As promised on Thursday, I did indeed ride my bike up to Juniper Flats yesterday, and picked a cold, blustery day to do it. Only 49 degrees at the summit, and quite windy. This was a much shorter climb than last month's Mt. Lemmon ride, only four miles versus twenty-six, but the grades were much steeper—over 20 degrees in parts vs. Mt. Lemmon's 4-5 degree average. And the steeper parts were gravel and I slipped and slid up in fits and starts with my slick tires.

The pass at the Divide where the gravel and grades begin.

Another dorky selfie, with a beautiful backdrop.

The descent on the two miles of gravel to the pass were treacherous and I rode the brakes all the way to Tombstone Canyon Road. There I was finally able to pick up some speed as is evidenced in the analysis below.

Tombstone Canyon to Juniper Flats

This day took me to Juniper Flats, a mountain atop which sit several radio and other towers. Not scenic itself, it does afford some beautiful views of the Huachucas to the west, the Mules surrounding, and the Chiricahuas way off to the east in New and old Mexico. 

Beautiful 60-degree day for a short 8-mile hike.

This hike is basically a walk up two roads: The fairly steep Tombstone Canyon Road up to the Continental Divide pass, then an even steeper ascent up the gravel Juniper Flats Road. This road is so steep in parts, it's a wonder one doesn't fall backwards off it. On my way down, I met a bicyclist straining his way up at 3 miles per hour, about my walking pace up. He gave me the foolish idea to try the same in a day or two which, if I do, will be posted here.

Juniper Flats is just behind that little hill between the trees in the distance.

This road up over the Continental Divide was built by prison labor in the early 1900s. Prison labor still figures heavily in Arizona economics; slavery isn't a thing of the past, it's just been repackaged. A tunnel rendering unnecessary this climb up and over the pass was dug underneath and was opened to traffic in 1958. Juniper Flats Road climbs up to the right.

The ugly radio towers of Juniper Flats.

Mural Hill in the background, center. A favorite hike of mine.

The Huachucas to the west. 9,500-foot Miller Peak to the left, which I've hiked several times, most recently in 2018 and 2016.

Looking southwest.

Not bad time for an ascent.

Bisbee tucked down into Tombstone Canyon.

The snow-capped Chiricahuas off in the distance.

Mount Ballard a great accessible day hikes.

Tombstone and Zacatecas Canyons

Starting a series of easy day hikes (or walks as they are on roads as much as trails) on smooth surfaces. This is simply a way to help my elderly body recover from all the the epic 15+ milers up craggy canyons in the mountains surrounding Tucson I've done the past couple of months. These will be low-mileage (6-10 miles) affairs with moderate elevation gain (1,000-2,000 feet). My knees, ankles, and hips will thank me. 

This day, my good friend and hiking pal, Ira Yedlin, and I hiked down Tombstone Canyon and then up Brewery Gulch and Zacatecas Canyon just beyond the water catchments. A fairly cool high fifties and mostly cloudy skies presided over the day.

This former water storage tank or catchment also known as the swimming pool, from a time when it served as an unofficial place for a refreshing dip. Now, it serves as a canvas for local scribblers with too much time and too much paint on their hands. At least they're not defacing Mother Nature's wonders like they continue to do on the ugly Shrine hill where they ejaculate their religiosity all over the place.

A collage I made in 2016 when I first documented and editorialized on the egregious defacement of Gaia on the so-called Shrine.

Ira.

Old CCC-era water catchment.