Posts Tagged ‘Arizona’
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012
So a group of us went on a little ride yesterday on the Arizona Trail. There were four of us; John, Steve, Ken, and me. The plan was to get dropped off at Box Canyon near Kentucky camp, and ride North to Pistol Hill Rd. It would be about 40 miles, mostly downhill, through the super scenic Santa Rita mountains, under I-10 and across the foothills of the Rincon range. Not the most epic ride, but pretty intense. So we went off and soon realized that someone in our group would not survive a ride like that. I’m not into naming names, but in this case, it was John. He was having some troubles with the uphills, so we cut it short and had someone pick us up at Sahurita and 83. Still provided us the oprotunity to ride 21 miles.
We did take some photos, and a bunch of footage with the little contour camera so we plan on putting together a little video. Check back soon to see it.
Tags: Arizona, arizona trail, az trail, Biking, cycleing, Mountain Biking, Rincon Mountains, Santa Rita Mountains, trails, video
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Monday, January 9th, 2012
We got a call from a swimming coach asking if we could help plan, and guide, a bunch of crazed college kids from a swim team in Canada. They were down here in Tucson for a training camp, and these swimmers (and coach) had a rest day to kill. So after talking to them and getting an idea of what they were looking for, it was decided to take them out to the Finger Rock trail, located in the Santa Catalina Mountains.
We were expecting a little larger group than what actually showed up – we found out later that shopping was an alternate option. So we ended up having 8 guys as . . . em, the girls went shopping. They were good guys, complained a little as we got going, but soon started to enjoy the unbelievable scenery and the physicality of the trail. If you’ve ever hiked Finger Rock than you know, it’s really steep.
We had a good run of it, and after ahour and a half of busting it up hill, we stoped for a picture. Due to time restraints we had to turn it back and head home. Was a good hike though.
Funny side note, being from Canada and having some serious winters to deal with, all these kids wanted to work on their tans. This left a shirt that had to be dealt
with, and most of them tucked them into there pocket or held them in their hands. This seems harmless enough, but as they started going downhill, their shirts were flailing around and brushing up against all sorts of desert vegetation. Most notably the prickely pear cactus. After they got back down to the bus, they put their shirts back on and found out how annoying those spines can be.
www.swtrekking.com
Hiking – Biking – Tucson, AZ
Tags: Arizona, Cactus, Canyon, Finger Rock Trail, hiking, Mount Lemmon, Santa Catalina Mountains, sonoran desert, Southwest Trekking, tucson, www.swtrekking.com
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Wednesday, December 28th, 2011
Was walking the dog the other day over near Agua Caliente Canyon when I almost stepped on this little guy. Well, he wasn’t all that small actually, he was almost a foot long. And he didn’t have a tail, which leads me to believe that he must of gotten into a brawl with something.
I’m not sure what spicies of reptile this is, but when I find out I’ll let you know.
www.swtrekking.com
Tags: Arizona, hiking, Reptiles, tucson
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Thursday, December 22nd, 2011
Yesterday Southwest Trekking combined forces with the quiet and scenic Westward Look Resort by setting them up with some mountain bikes they can rent out to guests. Being reasonably close to Catalina State Park and the 50 year trail, and also by it’s close location to the Rillito River path, guests can truly do the sublime ride along paved paths or test their skills on the dirt and dusty.
We took some time to talk with the staff about the bikes, safety, and routes to recommend to guests. As arranged, Southwest Trekking will stop by once a week to look over the bikes and provide the necessary maintenance and love to ensure the bikes are working properly.
Currently we have 5 mountain bikes available at the resort, all with their water bottle cages, helmets, gloves and packs with spare tubes and patches. If things go well, we might toss in a few road bikes to the mix. If you find yourself and Westward Look and yearning for the skinny tires of a road bike, fear not, as Southwest Trekking would be happy to bring one up to the resort to rent.
Check out the resorts web page:
http://www.westwardlook.com/
and/or give ‘em a buzz at:
1-800-722-2500
Tags: Arizona, catalina state park, Mountain Biking, Rentals, Rillito River, Southwest Trekking, tucson, Westward Look Resort
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Monday, November 14th, 2011
Doesn’t happen often, but it does happen on a rare occasion. And today was one of those foggy days. As we were walking on the morning hike at the Marriott, when all of a sudden we were flodded with a dense layer of fog as it came rolling up the hills from the valley floor. And while it doesn’t last long, the dew collected on the spines of cactus does help hydrate the plants, as well as provide moisture to birds and animals. So luckily I had my camera, and was able to take a few photos of this rare occurance. All this fall moisture should help us have some colour in the spring.
Tags: Arizona, hiking, JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort, Rain, Southwest Trekking, tucson, Tucson Mountains
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Tuesday, July 12th, 2011
Thankfully the Santa Catalina mountain is still open to the public. So there is no excuse to not get your body up to the top and hop on a bike.
While the desert is unbearibly hot during the summer, there are still lots of higher elevation trails found in our beloved Catalina Range that provide users great outings at much more comfortable temps. 105 too hot down in the basin for? Then about 75 degrees in the shady forests on the top of Mount Lemmon? For me, the decision is easy. So here is a list of some of my favorit trails that you can ride this time of year that wont leave you completly cooked afterwards:
1. Mt. Lemmon trail to Aspin Draw – Great riding in the pines, intermediate to advanced. If you park at the Ski Slope Parking, you’ll have to do some riding on the road.
2. Butterfly Trail – A much more challengeing trail is around 8,000ft in elevation and north facing. Some of it goes through burned out forest, so it gets sunny, but still very rideable.
3. Green Mt to Bug to Molino Basin – Hands down one of my favorite rides. You can do any one of these sections by themselves, or link em up. If you want to be awesome, then park at Molino Basin and ride up molino and bugs, then the road up to green mountain. You’ll feel like a hero if you do, and then bomb down. Green is the most technical, then bug, and molino is the easiest. So you can choose your poision.
That’s the top three I will share, but we know many more here at SWT. So give us a ring, we’ll take you there.
Tags: Arizona, Biking, Mount Lemmon, mountain bike, Mountain Biking, Santa Catalina Mountains, Southwest Trekking, tucson
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Thursday, September 30th, 2010
Just a quick reminder that the snakes are coming out to fatten up for winter. This time of the year is really busy as the snakes are starting to prepare for their hibernation. I have already seen 4 rattle snakes this week, and we’re not even to the weekend yet. So if you are hiking or riding, keep your eyes open for the potential snake. Remember that they are cold blooded, and will be trying to stay warm through the cooler nights. So sometimes they’ll be coiled up on rocks or sunny bits of trails. They will also be hiding out in bushes and shrubs, so keep your hands and feet where you can see them. And if you happen to come across a snake, leave it alone! They won’t bother you if you don’t bother them.
Be safe.
www.swtrekking.com
Tags: Animals, Arizona, hiking, nature walk, Rattlesnake, Southwest Trekking, tucson, www.swtrekking.com
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Friday, September 24th, 2010
On Wednesday, we were treated with an unusual rain storm that hovered over the Tucson area. It’s rare to get these cooler rainy days, so it’s best not to waste them. The upper 2,000 ft. of the Santa Catalina Mountains were socked in with clouds and rain, and thats where I wanted to be.
I drove up the mountain to Molino Basin, which is where I parked my car and got on my bike. I started pedaling up hill, and didn’t stop until I was at the Palisades Ranger station. So after that 13.5 mile climb that covered almost 3,000 vertical feet, I was ready for the trails. Starting with some extreemly sweet single track riding off of Bear Wallow Rd., I was able to hook up with the Upper Green Mountain Trail, which in combination with the Brush Corral Trail, adds almost 7 miles of extreemly intense downhill riding. This drops you out at the General Hitchcock Campground which is pretty much the top of Bug Springs Trail. So I hopped onto Bug Springs, rode that 5 miles of absolute joyous downhill right into the Molino Basin Trail. After another 4 miles of sweet downhill single track, I was back at my car. Not too bad for 30+ mile ride. And most of it was in the RAIN and CLOUDS!!!!
www.swtrekking.com
Tags: Arizona, Mount Lemmon, mountain bike, Mountain Biking, Mountains, Southwest Trekking, SW Trekking, tucson
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Tuesday, September 14th, 2010
In an effort to better promote the Sunrise and Sunset Hike offered at the JW Marriott Resort and Spa, Southwest Trekking has been making an effort to take out the resort staff on the hiking trails in the Tucson Mountain Park. With the Lorane Lee Hidden Canyon and Bowen Trail heads literally 200 yards from the front door, the JW Marriott Resort and Spa has some of the best on site hiking found in Tucson.
Southwest Trekking offers a complementary one hour Sunrise (departing at 7:00am) and Sunset (departing at 5:00pm) Hike to all guests staying at the resort. Depending on group size and ability, we will either hike the Bowen or Lorane Lee Hidden Canyon trail. Both hikes offer stunning views of the amazingly rich Sonoran Desert and a knowledgeable guide to explain the unique fauna and flora found in the region. The morning hike allows guests the chance to start their day with some fresh air and exercise, while the Sunset Hike offers a chance to view the setting sun in a truly scenic setting.
This morning, I had the opportunity to take Steve, the concierge from the JW Marriott Resort and Spa, out on the morning hike. Steve was ambitious and I was itching to get in a little walk, so we were able to make it out to the stone house located 1.5 miles in on the Bowen Trail. It was Steve’s first time seeing the stone house, and I’m quite sure he was as impressed as I was the first time I saw it. We had a nice morning exchanging interesting facts about the city of Tucson and the Sonoran Desert while strolling through some of the most amazing stands of Saguaro Cactus found in the area. It was an eye opener for Steve as to how accessible and immense the trail system is out in the Tucson Mountain Park, and how diverse the vegetation is along the entire hike.
Unfortunately we didn’t get to see any animals this morning, save for a few trail runners and one dog, but it’s not uncommon to spot some Javalina, Mule Deer, and coyote on the trails in the early morning. Steve mentioned that he could now understand why having a guide was important and beneficial to the guests; not only do we know where we are going, but we can also explain some of the interesting characteristics of the Sonoran Desert. This was the whole reason for taking the staff out on the trails, so they could actually know how amazing the hiking is located at the JW Marriott Resort and Spa. I took this as a success.
As more and more hotel staff start joining us on the morning hikes, I’m sure we’ll see the popularity of the hike go up. And the reason is simple, once you get to experience this amazing desert, you can’t stop talking about it. If you are staying at the JW Marriott in Tucson, I encourage you to join us for one of our complementary hikes. It’s also important to remember that there is amazing mountain biking right out the front door of the hotel as well. If you ride, or want to ride, talk to a Southwest Trekking guide when you check in for more information.
www.swtrekking.com
Tags: Animals, Arizona, Bowen Homestead, Flowers, guided, hiking, JW Marriott, JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort, Lee Gensner, Mountain Biking, nature walk, Saguaro Cactus, sonoran desert, Southwest Trekking, Starr Pass, Sunrise Hike, Sunset Hike, SW Trekking, tucson, Tucson Mountain Park, www.swtrekking.com
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Wednesday, September 8th, 2010
It’s finally starting to cool off in the Southwest. 105 degree days are now replaced with 90, and the evenings are drying up and cooling off. Soon, we will be in our fourth season, fall (some might not know this, but the Sonoran desert really has five distinct seasons; spring, summer, monsoon, fall and winter).
As our temps start to fall and the rain stops falling, certain animals will start preparing to hibernate. One such creature is the Rattlesnake. They will be trying desperatly to fill their bellies to capacity, and prepare for their long hibernation. These reptiles will be especially active during the evening and into the night as they hunt rabbits, rodents and small antelope squirles. So watch out!
Rattlesnakes can only strike if coiled up, and can usually strike about 2/3 of their body length, which means an adult snake about 5 ft. long will be able to strike just under 3 ft.. Most of the time the snake will be trying to ‘flee’ from you as they percive us as a threat, but they do sometimes coil and rattle their tails as a warning. If they do this, and you still can’t stay a few feet away from the snake, then I question who is to blame?
A few things you can do to avoid any unpleasent encounters are rather easy: 1. Don’t try and handle any snakes you see, 2. Don’t stick your hands where you can’t see then like in bushes or holes, 3. Look where you feet are going and see whats on the other side of a rock or tree before you blindly place your foot there, and 4. Don’t try and handle any snake you see.
Just be on the lookout and you’ll be fine. Let the snakes be.
Happy Trails.
www.swtrekking.com
Tags: Animals, Arizona, awareness, Happy Trails, hiking, nature walk, Rattlesnake, sonoran desert, Southwest Trekking
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