Upper Javelina Trail in the Tortolita Mountains

Sun on a hiking day is always a welcome sight

We returned to the Tortolita Mountains this week to hike the Upper Javelina Trail.  Many of you will remember our hiking the Wild Burro and Lower Javelina Trails  in December - if not there is also a blog post  on that hike.  That is the infamous hike where I was attacked by a jumping cholla cactus.  I am amazed that I agreed to return to the site of such trauma for me so soon, but such is life.  The Tortolita Mountain range boasts some 29 miles of trails, which includes classic Sonoran Desert terrain, rugged ridges, diverse wildlife, historic ruins and signs of prehistoric inhabitants.  The Upper and Lower Javelina are very good trails for visitors and novices – not that it is an easy hike, it is quite moderate,  with a lot of climbing – but it is very well marked.  It has brown markers with arrows along the trail showing the way.  We hiked a total of about 6 or so miles with the combination round trip of the Wild Burro and Upper Javelina Trails.

We started at the Wild Burro Trailhead at the parking lot and followed the markers to the junction of the Upper Javelina Trail.  The trail lead us up and around the Dove Mountain Golf Resort where we were able to view Baboquivari Peak, Picacho Peak and Mt. Lemmon.  We were also able to see Twin Peak.  It is no longer Twin Peaks – which has streets, schools and parks named after it – because a construction company has mined one of the peaks into oblivion because of the limestone it held.  I’m sure the other peak is destined for the same fate.  Kind of sad, but I guess that’s what you call progress….

This blog will be relatively short because we just were at Dove Mountain in December – different trail, but many of the same views.  Thankfully, we had none of the trauma/drama that went along with the December hike.

The weather was a little on the cool side so we were all pretty bundled up and as crazy as it seems, we never peeled off too many layers.  It would feel nice and warm in the sun and suddenly we would round a corner where there was mostly shade and we were chilled again.  It was clear and sunny and we had a marvelous time.  George had other obligations so he wasn't with us on this hike, but I was missing him with his little coffee candies about halfway in.  I was yelling “Who has the energy drops?  Who has the candy?”  My pleas went unanswered…. 

As we hike, some of us try to compare the difficulty of one hike to another.  I am finding this increasingly hard to do because every single hike is different.  The guides may indicate the mileage is comparable, or the elevation gain is about the same, but they can never tell you the terrain differences.  I believe in the hike to Seven Falls in the Sabino Canyon the elevation was about the same as this one, but we were very winded in a couple of areas here on the Upper Javelina that I can say didn't happen to me at Seven Falls.  I felt that the elevation gain was more concentrated on this hike.  That being said, once we made it to the summit of the trail, coming back down was much easier.  It amazed some of us to see trail bike tracks occasionally.  The trail is very tricky and has some close edges where there were some pretty dangerous drops.  I just couldn't imagine how bikers were able to manage it.  I guess that's why this blog is called the Novice Hiker and not the Novice Biker.

 The one thing that never changes - although it constantly evolves - no matter what mountain or what trail we are on, it the beauty of the trails.  Whether we are 30 minutes or 2 hours from home, once we are on the trail we are transported to another time another plane.  It is hard to explain, but the 3 or 4 hours we are out there in the wild completely dependent upon each other is a feeling like no other.

Even when civilization intrudes like this:  

Dove Mountain Golf resort

Somehow, coming around a bend in the trail around the mountain and seeing this big resort brings you back to the here and now.  No more dreaming of ancient Hohokam men cutting petroglyphs into the side of rocks or the women grinding corn on the stones.  

Ah, but I wax poetic.  After all, it's just a Wednesday morning hike....

Heading home again, home again, jiggety jig

Until next time....see you on the trails!

Saguaro National Park West

Beautiful view of mist in the mountains 

Our hike this week took us to beautiful Saguaro National Park West in the Tucson Mountains.  Ten enthusiastic, overly bundled hikers (our temperatures here in Tucson had been below normal for 4 days and we had no idea what to expect up on the trails) met at the community center and started out at 8:30.  The weather was a little chilly, but beautiful Arizona sun did not let us down.  The morning was gorgeous. 

We got off to what we thought was a good start when JoAnn realized she had not placed her park pass on her windshield for the park rangers.  Not a huge problem because we had good old Jim to run - and I do mean run - back to the parking lot to put it in place. 

Run Jim, Run

We began our morning at the King Canyon Trailhead heading for the Gould Mine.  The Gould Mine was one of four mines of some consequence in the Tucson Mountains: Old Yuma, Gila Monster, Mile Wide, and Gould mines.  Sometime around 1906 S.H. Gould filed on nineteen claims for the Gould Copper Mining Company. As was the case with other mining companies, Gould encountered financial problems with the onset of the 1907 depression, but he succeeded in obtaining operating funds by taking a mortgage with the Pioneer Smelting Company from nearby Sasco. A thirty-five foot wide vein of copper was found at the 100 foot level. At the 200 foot level that vein broadened to a width of sixty feet. Unfortunately, an assay reported only three to four percent copper content in each ton of ore. Financial difficulty beset the Gould Company by the end of 1908 and it managed to survive only for a few more years by shipping excavated ore which had been stockpiled at the mine. It probably ceased operations sometime in 1911. In early 1915 the company was forced into bankruptcy and its claims were sold at a sheriff's auction. They were purchased by Douglas Gary of Tombstone who made no immediate attempt to operate the mine. For all the effort and investment only 45,000 pounds of copper with a value of $9,000 had been taken from the mine.

Copper mine desperadoes - LaNeta, Connie, Gina & me

We were able to see what was left of some of the buildings used for storage and shelter.  

JoAnn & Jim surveying the mine entrance

So how much barbed wire is needed?

There were barbed wire fences surrounding dangerous areas, such as the actual mine entrance, but of course that was meant for everyone except our adventurous Jim who spotted ringtail raccoons down in the shaft.

It took quite a hike to get to the mine and I was wondering if the men had to hike up to the mine every day or if they camped at the mine.  I found one picture online which showed the mining camp and it seemed to be at the base, not near the mine. 

Oh well, on with the hike….

Hi Ho Hi Ho it's on the trail we go....

I sometimes get caught up in the historic significance of the area, and fail to mention the beauty of what we see as we are hiking through the park.  The saguaro cactus that sometimes tower above us so high I can’t even figure out how to get the whole thing in the photos.  My good friend George told me last week, that I need a bigger camera.  L  Along trail we saw many different types of cactus, and we noticed a family of javelina on a lower trail from us.  Thank goodness, they were also downwind. 

Gordy measuring up to a saguaro - he lost

We proceeded from the mine past the Mam-A-Gah picnic area to the Sendero Esperanza Trail and from there to the Hugh Norris Trail.  The maps our leader JoAnn gets from the National Park Service are usually pretty accurate as far as the mileage of the trails and the elevation gain on each hike, but we had varying opinions on the distance of this one.  We all felt the total hike was more like 5 ½ or 6 miles rather than the 4+ miles the map was telling us.  Several of the group actually stayed behind when we stopped to take water and rest a little.  Being the novice hiker, I always push myself to keep up, so I made it to the saddle we were aiming for as a turn-around point.  I tell you, I was very glad that the trip back would be mainly downhill though.  OUCH!  My legs…. Anyway, enough with the whining! What are we hikers or cry-babies?  We made it to the saddle, and then doubled back, picked up the couple of people that had waited at the bottom, and trekked back to the Mam-A-Gah picnic area for MY favorite part of the hike….lunch.   

If you look real closely...saguaro are the supports 

After lunch, JoAnn located a shortcut that took us past a huge wash that probably looks more like a lake during monsoon season.  We didn't go into the wash, but those in the group that had been on this particular hike previously mentioned that there are petroglyphs on rocks along the wash.  It is just amazing that when you least expected - a petroglyph pops up.  Kind of like when my kids were young and their friends always seemed to show up right at dinner time.... Well, this hike was fantastic.  Wonderful weather, no mishaps, a lot of history and great fellowship.  

We retraced our steps past Gould Mine and took the loop trail back to the parking lot.  The total mileage again in question.  Boy, that hot tub is going to look good this evening.

Judy and Barb doing a few wardrobe adjustments?

See you on the trails!


Wild Burro Canyon in the Tortolita Mountains



Beautiful, ancient tree by the side of the trail

Our hike this week has to have been one of the most exciting so far.  Our group of 10 hikers met at the Community Center at 8:30 a.m. and once again we had beautiful blue skies and moderate temperatures .  Our destination was Dove Mountain, in Marana. Dove Mountain is a part of the Tortolita Mountain range boasting some 29 miles of trails, which includes classic Sonoran Desert terrain, rugged ridges, diverse wildlife, historic ruins and signs of prehistoric inhabitants.

 

We started at the Ritz Carlton Trailhead, and would be hiking in the Wild Burro Canyon.  And yes, this is the same Ritz Carlson which is playground for rich and famous pro golfers.  Each February, the top 64 players in the world compete on the Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain.  

Getting started

 

We hiked the Picture Rocks area several weeks ago, but this area of the Tortolitas also has petroglyphs, or rock carvings, the work of Ancient Indians, known today as the Hohokam.  Their geometric designs and figures of animals and people onto rock surfaces endure today, but we didn’t find any on this hike.

Wikipedia picture

By all accounts this was a fantastic hike.  We were able to locate a few crested Saguaro cacti.  These are called crested because of a relatively rare condition of abnormal growth in which the growing tip becomes elongated vertically to the direction of growth, thus producing flattened, ribbon-like, crested, or elaborately contorted top.  I have included a picture of one so you get an idea of what they look like. 

We were able to identify tracks of jack rabbits, and possibly bobcats or coyotes.  Your imagination can really run wild in the desert…

After completing the Lower Javelina Loop, we stopped for a break at before heading back to the Wild Burro Trail and enjoyed climbing around and trough the ruins of a line shack.  A line shack was a small cabin built on the open range where cowboys could take shelter while tending cattle or other duties associated with working on a large ranch.  

Well, needless to say, everything was joy–joy, love-love, happiness- happiness, etc., etc., until we started back to the trail....

 

Calamity Me?

Lovebirds in an empty nest? LaNeta & Gordy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yep, it was all fun and games until a jumping cholla cactus decided to join us, and I do mean JOIN us.  One decided to piggyback a ride with our group ON THE PALM OF MY HAND!!! 

This was possibly the worse continuous pain I have felt since getting a rose tattoo on my back in 2008.  It radiated pain from my palm, up my arm, and to every nerve ending I wasn’t using at that particular moment.  Horrid!  Thank God for level headed hiking members.  LaNeta had lovely, pink jeweled piece of medical equipment (her description) a utility knife with a pliers attachment and Jim took total control of the situation. 

With a cool head and steady hand (even with me pounding on his shoulder every time he yanked one of the spines free) he soon had me free of the offending hitchhiker.  JoAnn pulled out the bactine and with several pats on the back, and kisses to make it all better from fellow hikers, we were on our way.  I kept my hands directly in front of me for the rest of the trek down Wild Burro Trail to the trailhead. 

This was a pretty moderate hike, with the round trip probably a little over five miles with 150 feet elevation gain.  Not-withstanding the little hitch in our get-along with the cholla toward the end of the hike...a good time was had by all. 

  

Our protectors on the trail for this hike: George, Gordy, and Jim

Of course, there was a time or two they let their guard down...

Jim relaxing along the way

 

George taking five







JoAnn, our fearless leader



Until the next time....see you on the trails!