Karen Gray Ten hikers set off for Mt. Lemmon to hike Aspen Loop and Marshall Gulch trails. As it was Oct. 24, they were hoping to see some nice fall foliage. They hiked up the Aspen side—the hard way—and enjoyed some nice views and a little bit of color while doing some heavy breathing. Many…
Elisabeth Wheeler On Oct. 12, the SaddleBrooke Hiking Club participated in the statewide Arizona Trail in a Day’ hike, an event designed to promote our 800+ mile hiking trail that spans the state from the Mexico border north to Utah. Karrie Kressler, Community Program Coordinator of the Arizona Trail Association reports the following results of…
Elisabeth Wheeler Thirteen intrepid SaddleBrooke hikers took on the Animas Mountain loop trail, north of Durango, CO on Sept. 26, the second day of the club’s fall tour. With 1,500 feet of elevation gain, the Animas Mountain trek provided panoramic views of the Animas River Valley and the beautiful San Juan mountains. Hiker Seth Basker climbed…
Ruth Caldwell On Oct. 10, ten SaddleBrooke hiking club members, with guide Ruth Caldwell, hiked the Wildhorse Loop Trail up to Garwood Dam. The day was beautiful—sunny with temperatures in the 70s. The group headed south from the Speedway entrance toward the site of the old Bar G Ranch where a dam was built by Nelson…
Little Molas Lake —Colorado Trail Elisabeth Wheeler The Colorado Trail elevation at Little Molas Lake is 10,900 feet. On Sept. 27, the last day of the club’s Durango trip, five hikers enthusiastically made the 8.5-mile round trip venture to 11,800 feet of elevation on the Colorado Trail. Hikers, led by veteran hiking guide Elisabeth Wheeler,…
Michael Caryl The SaddleBrooke Hiking Club announces their November program entitled “Day Hiking the Long Trail of Vermont.” The club’s trail guide, Aaron Schoenberg, will report on his experiences on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at the SaddleBrooke One Activity Center at 4 p.m. The Long Trail is the oldest long-distance hiking trail in America. It was…
Elisabeth Wheeler SaddleBrooke hikers went on a “search and destroy” mission to remove catclaw bushes growing on the southern end of the Oracle Passage of the Arizona Trail on Oct. 16. Catclaw, an aggressive bush that grows quickly, can cut the arms and legs of hikers and cyclists who travel the trail. In addition to the trimmers, two…
Lynda Green On Sept. 11, hiking guide Michael Hovan led a group of trekkers on an evening trip to Oracle Park to witness the near-full moon rising over the Galiuro Mountains. Hovan, a recent addition to the Hiking Club’s stable of accomplished guides, has added several moonlit ventures as well as his popular dog-friendly hikes since…
Laurel Parrott Those of us who are lucky enough to travel around Arizona by car or motorhome revel in its mountains, canyons, deserts, and forests. Such amazing scenery to behold outside our windshield! Those who travel by foot, bicycle, or other non-motorized means have the same reactions while getting out directly into the landscape. Since…
Elisabeth Wheeler Is it possible to complete the whole Arizona National Scenic Trail in a day? Not by one individual, but if hundreds of hikers, bikers and equestrian riders travel on every segment of the 800-mile trail on Oct. 12, it can be done. If successful in this effort, it will be the first time…