Snow over Arizona – Saguaro via Tanque Verde
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Views first – Moon getting fuller throughout the day above, Tucson from the trail below using my new iPhone 6s Plus:General conditions: Hiked up Tanque Verde to Juniper Basin for a quick overnighter and found quite a bit of snow last weekend. Â It is melting fast so no guarantees.
Hiking temperature: mid – 60’s
Camp temperature at 7000 ft : cold around 32°F (water almost froze)Specific: Arizona seemed the best place to take a quick MLK holiday but Saturday was spent getting to Tuscon, cutting my hiking time down.  Trail itself: Pretty views going up from the desert floor but mostly looking at the trail going uphill into the grasslands and forests. The rangers told me a group of 3 headed up before me, but I passed them on the trail though they were younger … found out later they had military packs but UL hammocks with no tarps (btw … this area requires permits)
Most of the time rocky but my new Oboz Sawtooth shoes were fine (testing those out after a shoe saleswoman recommended them).
There was some standing water and then flowing water. More unmelted snow that’s probably still supplying the creeks. The campsite had even more snow, so watch that first step. There was so much snow I couldn’t just set up my tarp anywhere but found a cleat patch albeit slightly soggy. Placing the stakes where there was enough to keep them in was a scream.
Snow on the trail:
More snow on the trail:
May make out snow throughout Juniper Basin in between trees
Snow fed creek almost 1 mile from before the previous picture was shot
Snow fed creek right next to campsites
After setting up, I found other unpermitted campers from Canada(2 young coed cpls with mix of backpacking and a car-camping tent, … but strong backs to carry it, so that was their biz) but they had come from above mentioned 10-12 inch snow … figure since they were Canadian, they knew their snow (unless there’s a desert up there they are keeping secret). I was outfitted for the desert, so glad I passed on ascending. The campers I passed made it about sundown and deployed basic hammocks which was interesting. I fell asleep about 10 pm until 6:30 ish. That morning the ground was frozen so I hurried in breakfast and packing to take advantage of the frozen mud to ease cleaning. One of the campers in military garb only brought a 50°F sleeping bag, so he deployed some space blankets which were loud (though I had a dream about crinkly potato chip bags!). He was still alive so guessed it worked. I returned the way I came in, enjoying the freedom before returning to work (and “In n’Out” in Tucson).
All-in-all kind of crowded due to more hikers coming down lower to escape the snow above at Douglas Pk and me having to find a snow-free spot for the tarp. The rest of the campers had full-tents in the snow or hammocks over the snow, so any overcrowding was their fault. That said, I gained a healthy respect for hammocks.
Views first – Moon getting fuller throughout the day above, Tucson from the trail below using my new iPhone 6s Plus:
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