Sun Series LbNA #69672
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Add Location| Owner: | Wisconsin Hiker  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Feb 18, 2016 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Tucson |
| County: | Pima |
| State: | Arizona |
| Boxes: | 7 |
| Found by: | Wisconsin Hiker (7) |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Jan 12, 2021 |
| Status: | FFFFFO |
| Last edited: | Mar 5, 2021 |
Last found/checked: 12-JAN-21
Location: aL asorgaliM / augA etneilaC Canyon Loop
Driving Directions: Drive north on Catalina Hwy. (this is the road that goes to Mt. Lemmon). Turn right on Snyder Road. Drive approximately 1.3 miles and then turn left on N Avenida de Suzenu. Drive approximately .3 miles and park your car on the dirt shoulder near the end of Avenida de Suzenu.
Hike Distance: Approximately 6.5 miles roundtrip (~1,000 ft elevation gain)
Terrain: Rocky trail with some loose areas. Trekking poles are definitely recommended. Some water crossings may be necessary, but rocks are in place to help keep your feet dry.
Note: Bring lots of water along on your hike because it can get hot on the open trails. Although we never saw any, you should be alert for snakes and scorpions. Also be careful of the cactus – we can verify that they do tend to “attack” the unwary!
Like many others that live in the Midwest, we head south in the winter months to seek the sun and warmer temperatures. Now that both of us are retired we were able to start the year of 2016 by spending time in both Florida and Arizona where there is plenty of SUN! I created this series to celebrate many “fun in the sun” activities. You will need ORANGE and BLACK ink for the stamps. Each box contains two stamps, so please be sure both stamps are put back into the box and then replace all boxes so they are well hidden from the casual hiker. Thank you!
Clues:
Enter through the gate onto Horsehead Road heading east (it is OK to walk on this private association road). Walk straight down Horsehead Rd, with paved and unpaved sections, until it ends at a row of boulders lining the right side of the curve with an old gate behind them. Go through the opening on the right side of the gate.
Walk up and over the hill (you may need to do a little rock hopping to cross some shallow water before the hill). As you start down the hill on the other side, with the stone house at your back, take the left fork going up the canyon wall. Do NOT cross the wash up ahead.
Climb up until you eventually reach a green metal gate with a wire up above your head, attached to 2 posts which are part of the gate structure. Stand on the rock between the posts, stretch your arms high and take a deep breath. Then take a bearing of 200° and walk ~25 steps to a small no-arm saguaro. “Yoga on the Beach” can be found under some rocks to the right of the cactus. (We had fun doing this activity in January while we were in Florida.)
Continue on the trail for approximately 30 minutes until you reach a tall rock face on your right. [Note: not the first one you come to, but the second one.] There will be ocotillos at the base of the cliff and numerous sotols/yuccas on the left side of the trail. Look for a 5 foot tall “tombstone” rock at the left edge of the trail, just past a yucca and prickly pear. There is also an agave growing out of the rock wall across from the tombstone. “Tropical Relaxation” is under the tombstone on the left side. (This is one of our favorite activities.)
Continue along the trail until you reach a split where the left fork will take you uphill and the right/straight trail will stay along the edge of the canyon. You’ll want to make the right decision here! The trail will soon pass through a wide break in a barbed wire fence. Continue on until the trail curves to the left. There will be a rocky hillside on your left and a steep canyon on your right. Just before you begin to descend, you should see a tall 2-arm saguaro with a palo verde on your left. “Surf’s Up!” is behind the largest rock between the saguaro and the trail. (We have never surfed, but do enjoy playing in the ocean waves.)
You’ll have nearly a mile to walk until you reach the next box. Follow the trail as it descends and then turn right to follow the wash at the bottom. Just after you pass over some large white rocks, watch on the left bank for the trail to continue upwards. It will be a long slog up and around. When the trail finally levels off, you’ll see a 3-arm saguaro on the right. Stop when you are adjacent to it and then take 28 more steps along the trail. Next take ~12 steps to the right to reach a flat rock with a small bush on the west side. “Easy Rider” is nestled between the bush and the rock, under some rocks. (My parents both rode motorcycles.)
Continue on the main trail and take a right when you reach a fork. Wind your way down past a water hole with fallen posts on each side of the trail. Just after the water hole (tanG Tank?) step up a rock “step” on the trail and take 10 more steps. “Home on the Range” is in grass on the right side, between split rocks and under a flat rock. (Maybe you have seen some cowboys riding the trail today?)
Only .5 miles to the next box! Continue on the trail and it will start descending. When it makes a right turn to face the canyon walls, watch for a palo verde on the left. Take 12 more steps to a sandy spot. “Music Soothes the Soul” is on the right, nestled in rocks near the top and behind a prickly pear. (We have a large music collection and we enjoy listening to a wide variety of music.)
Continue on the trail until you can see the boundary gate. Look on your left for a rock pile fronted by an ocotillo. Look under the last rock, near a bush on the right side to find “Floating on the Breeze”. If you miss the rock pile, it is approximately 43 steps back from the gate. (I’ve been parasailing in Mexico.)
Continue on the trail. It will get quite rocky and you’ll need to descend a series of steep switchbacks until you reach the wash again. As you reach the lowest area, you'll come out at a pool in the wash below the abandoned house you saw when you started out. After crossing the wash, climb the hill to rejoin the trail you started on. Turn left (west) on the trail toward the gate near Horsehead Rd./Wentworth, and travel back down the paved/dirt road to your car.
Status reports on the boxes would be greatly appreciated.
Hike length: 5-8 miles
Location: aL asorgaliM / augA etneilaC Canyon Loop
Driving Directions: Drive north on Catalina Hwy. (this is the road that goes to Mt. Lemmon). Turn right on Snyder Road. Drive approximately 1.3 miles and then turn left on N Avenida de Suzenu. Drive approximately .3 miles and park your car on the dirt shoulder near the end of Avenida de Suzenu.
Hike Distance: Approximately 6.5 miles roundtrip (~1,000 ft elevation gain)
Terrain: Rocky trail with some loose areas. Trekking poles are definitely recommended. Some water crossings may be necessary, but rocks are in place to help keep your feet dry.
Note: Bring lots of water along on your hike because it can get hot on the open trails. Although we never saw any, you should be alert for snakes and scorpions. Also be careful of the cactus – we can verify that they do tend to “attack” the unwary!
Like many others that live in the Midwest, we head south in the winter months to seek the sun and warmer temperatures. Now that both of us are retired we were able to start the year of 2016 by spending time in both Florida and Arizona where there is plenty of SUN! I created this series to celebrate many “fun in the sun” activities. You will need ORANGE and BLACK ink for the stamps. Each box contains two stamps, so please be sure both stamps are put back into the box and then replace all boxes so they are well hidden from the casual hiker. Thank you!
Clues:
Enter through the gate onto Horsehead Road heading east (it is OK to walk on this private association road). Walk straight down Horsehead Rd, with paved and unpaved sections, until it ends at a row of boulders lining the right side of the curve with an old gate behind them. Go through the opening on the right side of the gate.
Walk up and over the hill (you may need to do a little rock hopping to cross some shallow water before the hill). As you start down the hill on the other side, with the stone house at your back, take the left fork going up the canyon wall. Do NOT cross the wash up ahead.
Climb up until you eventually reach a green metal gate with a wire up above your head, attached to 2 posts which are part of the gate structure. Stand on the rock between the posts, stretch your arms high and take a deep breath. Then take a bearing of 200° and walk ~25 steps to a small no-arm saguaro. “Yoga on the Beach” can be found under some rocks to the right of the cactus. (We had fun doing this activity in January while we were in Florida.)
Continue on the trail for approximately 30 minutes until you reach a tall rock face on your right. [Note: not the first one you come to, but the second one.] There will be ocotillos at the base of the cliff and numerous sotols/yuccas on the left side of the trail. Look for a 5 foot tall “tombstone” rock at the left edge of the trail, just past a yucca and prickly pear. There is also an agave growing out of the rock wall across from the tombstone. “Tropical Relaxation” is under the tombstone on the left side. (This is one of our favorite activities.)
Continue along the trail until you reach a split where the left fork will take you uphill and the right/straight trail will stay along the edge of the canyon. You’ll want to make the right decision here! The trail will soon pass through a wide break in a barbed wire fence. Continue on until the trail curves to the left. There will be a rocky hillside on your left and a steep canyon on your right. Just before you begin to descend, you should see a tall 2-arm saguaro with a palo verde on your left. “Surf’s Up!” is behind the largest rock between the saguaro and the trail. (We have never surfed, but do enjoy playing in the ocean waves.)
You’ll have nearly a mile to walk until you reach the next box. Follow the trail as it descends and then turn right to follow the wash at the bottom. Just after you pass over some large white rocks, watch on the left bank for the trail to continue upwards. It will be a long slog up and around. When the trail finally levels off, you’ll see a 3-arm saguaro on the right. Stop when you are adjacent to it and then take 28 more steps along the trail. Next take ~12 steps to the right to reach a flat rock with a small bush on the west side. “Easy Rider” is nestled between the bush and the rock, under some rocks. (My parents both rode motorcycles.)
Continue on the main trail and take a right when you reach a fork. Wind your way down past a water hole with fallen posts on each side of the trail. Just after the water hole (tanG Tank?) step up a rock “step” on the trail and take 10 more steps. “Home on the Range” is in grass on the right side, between split rocks and under a flat rock. (Maybe you have seen some cowboys riding the trail today?)
Only .5 miles to the next box! Continue on the trail and it will start descending. When it makes a right turn to face the canyon walls, watch for a palo verde on the left. Take 12 more steps to a sandy spot. “Music Soothes the Soul” is on the right, nestled in rocks near the top and behind a prickly pear. (We have a large music collection and we enjoy listening to a wide variety of music.)
Continue on the trail until you can see the boundary gate. Look on your left for a rock pile fronted by an ocotillo. Look under the last rock, near a bush on the right side to find “Floating on the Breeze”. If you miss the rock pile, it is approximately 43 steps back from the gate. (I’ve been parasailing in Mexico.)
Continue on the trail. It will get quite rocky and you’ll need to descend a series of steep switchbacks until you reach the wash again. As you reach the lowest area, you'll come out at a pool in the wash below the abandoned house you saw when you started out. After crossing the wash, climb the hill to rejoin the trail you started on. Turn left (west) on the trail toward the gate near Horsehead Rd./Wentworth, and travel back down the paved/dirt road to your car.
Status reports on the boxes would be greatly appreciated.
Hike length: 5-8 miles