Day 5 | March 26, 2022
21.5 Miles

My body felt clean and refreshed when I woke up, and Aladdin and I hiked out of town after breakfast.

Our day was spent climbing up and over the Santa Rita Mountains, a rugged sky island range with steep slopes and granite peaks. Mount Wrightson, the high point of the range, rises to an elevation of 9,453 feet and has a distinctive pyramid peak that can be seen throughout much of this section.

A gradual climb took us through the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains to Temporal Gulch Trailhead.

We followed Temporal Canyon Road (FR 72) north toward Walker Basin.

At Upper Walker Tank, we filtered water from a rock pool with unidentified creatures living in it.

Eventually, the dirt road turned into a singletrack trail and the climb steepened, gaining over 2,000 feet in seven miles, taking us from a grassland ecosystem through oak savannah, and up to an oak-pine forest on the edge of the Mount Wrightson Wilderness. 

I immediately noticed the fresh scent of pine as soon as we reached the wilderness boundary.

We crossed a saddle and descended into Casa Blanca Canyon, on the north side of the Santa Rita Mountains. My body felt strong as I sped down the rocky, singletrack trail.

I listened to music and danced across switchbacks while filling my cup with scenic mountain views. Eventually, the trail leveled out and we set up camp just before sunset in Gardner Canyon.

Day 6 | March 27, 2022
20.8 Miles

Aladdin left early and I stayed at camp to wait for the sunrise. 

I spent the morning hiking through the northern foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains.

It was a privilege to pass a family of wild boars enjoying their breakfast. 

I crossed canyons and followed scenic ridgelines with Mount Wrightson's pyramid peak dominating the landscape in the south.

By late morning, I had arrived at Kentucky Camp. There are a number of buildings that make up Kentucky Camp, which was built in 1904 as a base of operations for the Santa Rita Water and Mining Company. Since then, it has become a historic site that is maintained by the Forest Service and volunteers. 

I entered the compound, and looked up when I heard what sounded like a human rendition of the mountain chickadee’s  3-note, descending song.

“Cheese-bur-ger!” (if you don’t know what I mean, click here)

It was a familiar sound, one that my trail family and I used on the Pacific Crest Trail to call for one another. Hearing it made me smile and I knew right away who it was. I looked up to see Aladdin waving from the porch of the Kentucky Camp cabin.

Together, we sat on the porch with some other hikers. Aladdin and I shared an apple while we waited for our phones and battery packs to charge in a nearby outlet. We met a hiker named Jim and talked about everything from backpacking gear to psychedelics.  

After a couple hours Aladdin was the first to leave, followed by me, and Jim some time later. 

The trail continued across a rolling terrain of golden grasslands and scenic dirt road ridges. 

"Cooper's Trail Magic" was a pleasant surprise at mile 83. There were a bunch of coolers with snacks, drinks, and first aid supplies. I sat under a tree and started to snack when a white truck pulled up and out came John “Cooper's Dad” and his dog Cooper. Cooper’s Dad is a trail angel who drives 45 minutes from Green Valley every day to refill the coolers with food, drinks, medical supplies, toiletries, fruits, veggies,  and a trash bag. He was a humble man and a little shy. He doesn’t like to be called by his first name, just “Cooper’s Dad”. 

Cooper, an old golden retriever, pranced around the parking area and came over to sit in the shade with me. Cooper’s Dad pulled a lounge chair out of his truck and set it up nearby. 

“Here, why don’t you enjoy a real seat.” 

I smiled and got up from the ground. 

"This is an impressive display of trail magic, and I appreciate it very much. Why do you do this?" I asked.

"It gives me something to do," he said, his hands moving swiftly to restock the snack bin. "Being retired, I need something to keep me going, and trail magic gives me that sense of purpose. Plus, Cooper here loves hiking." As he mentioned Cooper's name, the dog's ears perked up, seemingly aware of the conversation.

"Well, thank you very much!" I said, sincerely grateful for his kindness.

"You're welcome," he replied with a smile. "I'm glad you're enjoying it."

Cooper wagged his tail and joined his dad as they headed out on their daily hike, embracing the beauty of the trail and the adventure that awaited them.

After Cooper's Trail Magic, the trail continued through the rolling hills.

Aladdin was taking a siesta at a water tank two miles ahead when I caught up with him. He looked worn out, a combination of fatigue and the scorching heat. Undeterred, we pushed forward, navigating the undulating trail that meandered through canyons. Although the terrain itself wasn't overly difficult, the unrelenting sun, absence of shade, and monotonous beige landscape added an extra layer of exhaustion to our journey.

We set up camp just before sunset on a flat, scenic spot with views of distant mountains. 

As we ate dinner, we shared our unique trail traditions. Mine was a pre-dinner gratitude practice. Aladdin was a little skeptical at first.

"I'm an atheist and I don't feel comfortable with blessings."

"I understand and I don't see this as a religious practice," I assured him. “For me, it's just a simple habit to get grounded and become more aware. I find it helps me strengthen my positive emotions, take less for granted, and deepen my experiences. It's just a moment to think about and say out loud a few things we're thankful for."

“OK, that makes sense. Let’s do it!”

Once we got started, the abundance poured out: Cooper's Trail Magic, strong bodies, the chance to be out on a thru hike, the clear skies, the sunshine, and so on. We both realized just how much we had to be grateful for in that moment. 

After that, it was Aladdin's turn to share (and thankfully his tradition did not require us to wait any longer before eating). Aladdin's trail tradition was sharing music. As we ate, we took turns playing the songs we listened to the most throughout the day. It was a great way to connect and tap into someone else's experience. Not to mention, I was in need of new music and added almost all of his songs to my hiking playlist.

Day 7 | March 28, 2022
23.3 Miles

The morning began with a spectacular sunrise. 

Aladdin packed up quickly and left early, while I took my time, leaving at my own pace not too long after.

The beautiful sunrise was followed by a cloudy day. Even though rain was predicted for the next day, it was gray and drizzly most of that morning. 

The terrain was up and down over rolling hills, and across several ridges and sandy washes. Cacti lined the trail and distant mountain views dotted the landscape.

My legs were pink and inflamed from sunburn and they hurt as I hiked.

There is more to worry about in deserts than just the sun. I proceeded with caution past prickly plants and snakes.

I reached the water source at Twin Tanks and took a much needed coffee break.

Boosted by caffeine, I reached the 100 mile milestone and celebrated with whiskey.

A variety of cacti lined the singletrack trail as I continued north through rolling foothills. 

At the Sahuarita Trailhead, I met Tuna and Irene. Irene was doing her first thru-hike, while Tuna had hiked the Appalachian Trail. On the first day of the AZT, they shared a ride to the trailhead and have been hiking together ever since. 

Eventually, I caught up with Aladdin and we followed the trail through sandy washes, dirt roads, and culverts under the highway.

We continued to hike towards the Rincon Valley.

As we neared Cienega Creek, a lush riparian corridor with a perennial stream, the otherwise beige landscape took on a little color.

In the distance, the sun's rays cast a fan of light, accentuated by the clouds.

After hiking beneath the Cienega Bridge, we saw our first saguaro. 

It was a beautiful evening as the sun set over the valley, and the mighty Rincon Mountains beckoned to the north.

It was time to start looking for a campsite, but every corner seemed to hold a certain allure, making it difficult to settle. Just as we were about to climb a short incline, we stumbled upon a nice flat spot.

“What's wrong with this spot?” Aladdin asked with sincere curiosity.

I turned around to take a look. There was nothing inherently wrong with it, but an innate desire to find something better nudged me forward. Despite my best intentions, I often sabotaged myself in the pursuit of the perfect camping spot.

“You stay here, and I'll just venture a little further to see if there's a primo spot up ahead,” I said. Aladdin raised an eyebrow, but before he could reply I took off down the trail.

I trekked about a mile, but my search yielded no results. Suddenly, Aladdin emerged from seemingly nowhere, a knowing smile on his face. "I had a feeling you wouldn't be able to resist exploring further," he remarked playfully.

We continued hiking along a ridge, passing beneath power lines until our eyes caught sight of what appeared to be a restaurant, bar, or campground in the distance. Although we couldn't discern its exact nature, it became our destination.

It was getting dark, so we put our headlamps on and hurried down the singletrack. 

During the descent, I went too fast and fell. Embarrassed, Aladdin helped me up and we both laughed,  “Always gotta go for that PRIMO site.” He said, and a new nickname was born. 

As we descended further, signs for La Posta Quemada Ranch came into view. We arrived at an empty parking lot and then continued towards a picnic area that seemed perfect for camping. Uncertain if camping was allowed and with no one around to ask, we weighed our options. It was getting late and we were both hungry. Then the wind picked up and a few drops of rain started to fall so we decided to take our chances and set up camp.

Careful to be inconspicuous, we pitched our tents and settled in for the evening. From the comfort of our separate shelters, we talked and enjoyed a meal as the rain pattered against the tent fabric.

After dinner, our focus shifted to a flickering light emanating from a nearby bathroom. Its eerie glow evoked scenes from a horror movie. Undeterred by the potential spookiness, I gathered my toothbrush, unzipped my tent, and boldly made my way towards the bathroom. In a playful tone, I advised Aladdin to listen for my potential screams as I embarked on this brave endeavor.

"Good luck, Primo!" he called out and we both laughed as I hurried off.

Day 8 | March 29, 2022
10.5 Miles

We spent most of the morning at Colossal Cave Mountain Park seeking shelter from the rain. I was planning to stop by anyway to pick up my resupply box, and when we saw the covered area with benches and tables, we decided to stay to wait out the storm. The sky was patchy, with dark clouds sporadically rolling over and dumping heavy rain.

Aladdin and I joined two other hikers, Shade and Studio, who were already seated at a table for four. The four of us spent several hours eating snacks, drinking coffee, and watching tourists enter and exit the cave tour.

When the snack shop opened and we switched from coffee to beer; we were not in a hurry to leave. Tuna and Irene were among the others who began to trickle in. 

Having spent six hours on the patio, we decided it was time to hike. The four of us (me, Aladdin, Studio and Shade) hiked out together.  

In less than an hour, another round of heavy rain rolled in. This time we waited it out under a covered table at La Sevilla Picnic Area.

About 30 minutes later, the rain had slowed down, the temperature had dropped, and we were beginning to feel cold. We had to keep moving.

A vast landscape of desert scrub, tall saguaros, and distant mountains awaited us in the Rincon Valley.

The hike that evening was one of the most beautiful yet. The Sonoran Desert landscape glistened with moisture brought by the rain as we hiked across gentle rolling hills. The sky filled with pastel hues and, as the sun set, its rays reflected off the wet shine and cast a rainbow across the entire valley. I was in awe.

We camped right outside Saguaro National Park. Aladdin and I introduced our camp traditions to Studio and Shade, and the four of us shared gratitudes and listened to each other's songs while we ate.