Finally, October. Best month of the year. With permits acquired, I set off for the trip that was originally planned for June. The same time we had a heat wave.
Thursday morning, Tracy and I hit the road at 6:00 am with what would take just under an hour to get to the trail head. Fifty percent highway, fifty percent dirt road.
Temperatures at the Miller Creek trailhead are in the lows 40’s. Perfect. I was a bit chilled in a t shirt and shorts but knew well enough this was to my advantage. The Miller Creek trail is under 5 five-mile hike to Happy Valley Campground where I would make camp and stay for the night. The hike wasn’t too bad with just around 2000’ of elevation gain in total. The pack was moderately heavy as I was carrying over 4 liters of water which need to last me today and into the tomorrow. I had a good steady pace for the first hour or so.
Then I took a step. The unmistakable sound of a rattlesnake made me pause mid stride. The hairs on my neck stand up. Partially spooked because I don’t see it but also somewhat excited to actually come across one after all these years hiking out here. I makes some noise, duh they can’t hear, so I move so stones and sticks to get him (her?) to warn me again. And it obliged. Somewhere in front of me to the left. Scanning, scanning…There it was! Wrapped around and lounging on a chunk of dead wood partially obscured by grass. Threat located, I take some pictures, shoot a bit of video and make a wide berth around the trail to be on my way.
From here on out I have heightened awareness. All the rain has the trail very overgrown in places and I use my hiking poles to move the vegetation before I step. No more encounters the rest of the way.
I finally reach Happy Valley and see there is no fewer than 8 people in the camp. Crap. I did not expect that many people, I only thought it would sleep 6 or so per permit. I find out they are just day hikers, taking a break as they are going to Rincon Peak. We talk a while and they leave, I assume I would see them again as my plan had me going to Rincon Peak today as well.
I set up camp, eat some lunch, repack my bag with day hike supplies; water, snacks and the like and head out.
This hike is a bit tougher than the one to get to the campground. 2300’ of elevation gain in under 4 miles. The weather is great, and since we are now over 6000’ the desert is gone. Pines and alligator junipers. Cool air and nice breezes. The first mile clicks off and there is very little effort, that means the next 2 miles are even tougher than I thought. The elevation comes on. It is hard, no sugar coating it. I start catching up to the day hikers. Some of them look ragged.
I get to the top; I am finally on the peak I see from my backyard every day. The day hiker group finally makes it all up. I take some pictures of them and they start heading down. I hang out a bit longer enjoying the view from over 8400’ up. More than a half hour after the group leaves, I head down. The first half mile was very loose rock and dirt, I slip a few times, once going all the way down on my ass.
I start to catch up to the day hikers. Eventually passing them all again. As this hike was a bit more strenuous than expected, I drank a bit more water than I had anticipated, it’s a little bit of anxiety. I make dinner, clean myself up and change into warmer clothes for the night. After dinner the day crew finally comes by, wow have they slowed down. They still have 4 miles to go, it’s getting dark out. I make sure they have headlamps. They had mentioned they started the day on the trail at 5:45 AM. This will be over 14 hour hike by the time they get done. That is a long day.
I retire to the hammock, leaving the tarp off tonight, the night is perfect and clear. I start reading a book I brought when I hear pounding. I stick my head out and it looks like I have a campmate. Setting up a tent in the dark. I get out of my cocoon and grab my headlamp; I want to let them know I am here as they need to use the bear box. I also have to move a lot of my stuff as I took over the entire box and I need to give him some room. He says Hi, his name is Greg, and he expected me as the day hikers mad already made mention of me. We chat a bit, he eats dinner and I watch the full moon for a bit then back to bed.
I sleep great and wake up around 6:30. Make some coffee, eat some breakfast and break camp. Greg is doing much of the same. I hit the trail before 8. Today is about 7 miles to Manning Camp. The trail is called Heartbreak Ridge. Sounds ominous. In reality its about 2700’ up over those 7 miles, easier than either hike yesterday.
The only concern I have is the lack of water, I have less than a liter to get me to Manning Camp, a known reliable source. I figure I would ration it after certain time or length milestones. A sip here a sip there. The weather again is beautiful. 64 degrees sunny with a slight breeze. Its not a super hard hike but it has its moments. I decide to take a break when I spot a chair height log to sit on. Drop the pack, east some snacks, drink some water. About a half hour goes by and here comes Greg. Greg is a little older than me, (I find out later he’s 61) and we look very similar. Short mixed beard, glasses, similar build. Quite funny now that I reflect on it. We are both low on water and are hoping that Devils Bathtub spring is flowing so we can get some before the last hard mile to the camp.
I head out and eventually get to the spring. Its running! Not a lot but enough no be clear and not a stagnant pool. I filter 2 liters, drinking one right on the spot. Man, that is so good. Devils Bathtub is a very interesting. A smooth faced cliff side. I imagine it is awesome when the water is really flowing creating an 80’ waterfall to the pool below.
Greg shows up, he also takes the opportunity to fill up and relax again. This time I wait for him to finish and we hike the last mile and a half together.
We reach Manning camp and it’s lovely. Sitting at 8,000’ it was originally built in 1905 by Levi Manning the then current mayor of Tucson, as his summer retreat. Eventually the US Forest Service took it over when they designated the Rincons as US Forest land and eventually National Park. To this day it’s still a working site. The best outhouses, horse corrals, ‘shower’ stalls, weather station and pumphouse for water. There are several forest service workers doing some post-burn fire research. All of these mountains have been touched by lightning or stupid people at one time or another.
First order of business was to set up camp and get water. The campsites are large. Greg and I share one, yet we are a hundred feet apart.
We head to the area to get water. They suggest to get it out of the pool at the bottom, but that’s full of leaves and such so I go right for the running water. It’s what Mike and I did last time we were up here. Here is where the adventure begins.
We are perched on a rocky slope, not super sloped but enough. I finished one liter through the filter and go to get the other empty bottle and bump it just right that it rolls down the slope and into the water flow. No big deal right, it will end up in the large pool 75 feet downstream. Nope. The stream up here has multiple pools with little waterfalls. It gets stuck floating behind one. Greg gets me a stick and I knock it out of there. It floats to the next ledge, where it gets stuck again. Except this time there is no easy way to get it. Its 8 foot down, at the top of a large pool. I climb up to the edge of this cauldron and think, “no big deal”, I will just take my shoes and socks off to wade to the next level. I test the depth with the stick I have. The stick is a good three foot long and I cannot touch the bottom (or see it). No good. I climb back down, out of this pool, which is also a challenge as its wet, slippery and I have to get hand holds to let myself down. I try to get the bottle from the top, take my shoes off and go in, way too slippery, I may not get out of here. I struggle to get back out, cutting my back on the log that is also stuck down there. I must have caused enough disruption to the water flow when I tried to get down as now the bottle has popped out and is floating in the pool I just came from. However, the flow is not strong enough to float it toward me. In fact, the wind was pushing it back. Greg tossed rocks from above trying to knock it to me and I keep reaching for it with my stick. Eventually I am able to get it as I climbed back up the slippery pool face. What an ordeal. First, I don’t want to be that guy that leaves his plastic trash to be lost in the wilderness for some one else to find and take care of. Second, that was a fourth of my water carrying capacity. I needed it. The water chore that should have taken 10 minutes took an hour.
Back at camp, I set up a mini pack as there is still plenty of daylight and I wanted to do a 5-mile loop to see a few more spots on this section of the mountain. First was Spud Rock. An outcropping and bald on the mountain. I approach and it looks pretty cool. I get closer and see there is a tree on top and the rockface looks scalable. Going up is always the easy part, coming down is always harder. I get to that next level and see to my right another section to ascend. I get up that. A flat spot but I can go higher. I finally get to the top. The view is stunning, better than that of Rincon Peak view. I take a bunch of photos and soak it all in.
I work my way down without much trouble. On to the next ‘waypoint’. Mica Mountain. The highest part of the Rincons. It’s underwhelming. It was a former fire tower and al that’s left is the concrete bases with no views. Just trees. I did find a geocache! Signed the log. Time to head back. I have about an hour before it starts to get dark, I did not pack a headlamp. Got back to the trail junction where the loop doubles back on the Arizona Trail. I look at the sign. Mike and I were here a few years ago. This is where we began the log decent down to Reddington Pass, where we slept on the side of the mountain. Where the trip began to unravel. Good memories.
I get back to camp with about a half hour before sunset. I change, start dinner and go up to a little bald that I thought was a old building. The forest service people up there correct me and let me know it’s a helipad! They also have beers?! They admit they have mules that carry their food and supplies. Lucky!
The sunset is gorgeous. I head back, eat my dinner and Greg starts a small fire. We hang out and talk. A few hours later we both head to bed. I don’t sleep as good as the previous night, but it was a great night. Perfect sleeping temperature with only occasional breezes.
Saturday morning, I eat breakfast make some coffee, filter a bit more water and break camp. Greg and I exchange contact info so we can share pictures and keep in touch. He goes one way as he has a permit for one more night and I am headed back down.
It’s a pretty trail with a ton of switchbacks. I make a stop at Spud Rock campground to see what it looks like for future camping opportunities. It has a big canvas tent for forest service gear and water.
Back on trail, I finally catch the Turkey Creek trail. I now have a nearly 7-mile hike with about 3300’ of elevation loss. Its brutal. Steep, rocky and loose. I nearly fall several times. My feet are taking a beating. I finally get to the Saguaro National Park border and sign the registry. Which, mind you, is a single metal post in the middle of absolutely nowhere. Cattle are here and there. I scare up a few, which run away from me constantly looking back to see it I am still there. Yep, still here.
I am hiking pretty fast now that most of the elevation is done. Cruising along, I almost step on a snake just laying across the trail. Not a rattler this time, but he isn’t moving. I toss a twig at it. He decides to move off. Very slowly.
I finally get to the Turkey Creek trailhead. Now I only have another 2 miles of dirt access road to get back to the Miller Creek trailhead. The scenery is striking and the hike goes quick.
Back where I started. 2 nights, 34 miles total and 8800 feet of elevation gain. Great weather, great scenery a great challenge. What’s next?
