Just lookin’ for an excuse…
This is it. The end to my Arizona Trail flip/flop. It was only a couple of hours to get to the Canelo Pass Trailhead and the end of my through hike.
It was hard to leave the comfortable Stage Stop Inn this morning, but I finally hit the trail at 8:30 AM. I decided to spend one more night camping.
I asked if there were any restaurants open and there weren’t. Looked like freeze dried for dinner instead of a nice Thanksgiving dinner.
The day was focused on hitting 15 miles, which I did and then some. And! I went past the 700 miles mark. I can see the finish line.
Not only was there a campsite just outside the gate, but there was also trail magic. A cooler had all kinds of things like beer, fruit, cookies, toiletries, etc
This will be my last week. I’m in the home stretch. The plan is to stop at the Canelo Pass Trailhead. That is where I stopped my northbound hike in March.
I was on my way by 7:15 a.m. I’m headed to the Hampton Suites. There is a provisions box at the Vail post office, but I can’t access it until Monday.
I finished my descent into Saguaro National Park from Rincon Mountain, which I climbed the day before. The trail flattened out.
What a climb up the Rincon Mountains. I was hiking before the sun was even up. It was cold – near freezing. When sun came up, I started shedding layers.
I’m camped at the Italian Trap Trailhead. My navigation app says my hike for tomorrow is a 4,600 foot climb. Only the Grand Canyon beats that.
