All Entries in the "Hiking" Category
Gear Review: Leki Trekking Poles
I’ve always been a fan of walking sticks. Of course, when I grew up that meant hacking down a sapling that just happened to be the right size and then hauling a couple of pounds of wood around with you. That’s not very politically correct in our more enlightened days.
Hiking in the Oven
It was hot today; well over 100F with little cloud cover. I spend a lot of time outside under the Arizona sun, but today was a bit much even for me. The heat saps your energy. Your heart feels like it’s racing. Your throat is parched again two breaths after a drink. Every movement becomes [...]
A Night on Mt. Lemmon; or, Is Davis Spring Trail Just a Myth?
The worst thing about hiking in the desert is that water weighs 8.3 pound per gallon. Somehow I managed to take a 60 pound pack on a one night trip. To make matters worse, Saja and I ended up going cross country in some rugged terrain when the Davis Spring Trail vanished. It was time for the old map and compass…
Logan Bread Recipe; A Tasty Emergency Ration
Historically, I have been a freeze-dried food hiker with a generous supplement of noodles, cheese, and salami for my menu. Reading between the lines, I’ve been too lazy to prepare in advance. On the other hand, I love good food and very few packaged freeze-dried offerings qualify as good in my book. So recently I [...]
Something You Don’t See Every Day
I know this has absolutely nothing to do with camping, hiking, or really anything. Except it made me laugh, so I thought I’d share it. Found this posted at the Circle-K on Tanque Verde. Now maybe this is a pure bred animal; maybe she took first place at the country fair; or, maybe she is [...]
Taking Your Dog Hiking
OK, so you think it would be a good idea to take your dog hiking on Tucson’s trails, so you just take him with you next time. No big deal. Right? Maybe not a good idea. Here are three big things that you have to consider before you take your dog hiking: Conditioning Suitability (Breed, Temperament, [...]
Molino Canyon Day Hike
Molino Canyon is one of my favorite Tucson escapes when time is limited. The trailhead is just past the fee station on Catalina Highway, about 5 miles up the mountain. You can’t miss the parking lot. Once you arrive, you have three trails to choose from. The first is off to the west and [...]
Packing for a Desert Day Hike
So what do you carry for a day on the trail? I’m a bit of a boy scout so I tend to overpack and prepare for the worst. My basic philosophy is to assume that every day hike will turn into an overnight. Here is my basic kit (you can get most of this stuff [...]
Espiritu Canyon Trail
I’ve been looking for a dog friendly, backpacking trail into the Rincons, which is a bit of a challenge since dogs aren’t permitted in Saguaro National Monument. Tanque Verde Valley has some good camping areas but it gets too much traffic. After checking out the Rincon Mountains map I picked up from the Visitor Center [...]
Reddington Trail Run
Most of my running is done on the 49er’s golf course and washes. These are peaceful runs with plenty of trees and soft grass (Saja’s Note: and plenty of cool things to smell!), but they aren’t especially challenging unless you are into sprinting. Every runner needs a change of pace once in a while, and [...]
Butterfly Trail
I must confess that I don’t hike Mt Lemmon very much, which is criminal when you get right down to it since I only live a couple miles away, but as the summer heat hits Tucson the cool forest heights are pretty darn appealing. So last Sunday, I threw Saja and the kids in the [...]
