Miles 119-184 on the Arizona Trail

Colossal Caves to Summerhaven

I felt good after a long break and hiked about 4 miles to a nice camp next to a bunch of cacti. The weather looked good, so I risked cowboy camping. I think this was actually my first time cowboy camping alone. It went well. I didn’t wake up to snakes, scorpions, or rabid bunnies (last year in this area were a number of rabid animal attacks). I did hear a pack of coyotes often and the full moon was painfully bright. I didn’t get up when my alarm went off. I stayed in bed for an extra 15 minutes.

Eventually I packed up and was on trail. It was super easy walking. I made it to the stream in good time and filled up for the climb. I was planning on hitting the first camp in Saguaro National Park for lunch. I filled up, dug a cat hole while waiting to filter, and put on some sunscreen. Shortly after leaving, I met Greg and Adrian who had camped with Charm. Nice guys who were taking it easy due to an ankle injury. I entered Saguaro National Park immediately after!

Moving up the mountain I met another guy, Adventure Sauce, and we leap frogged a bit. Not too far up the climb I came upon Charm heading back down. Her cough was getting worse the more she climbed. Exertion, heat, and altitude aren’t a great combination when sick. She decided to head back to Vail to spend a zero day with a local who hosts hikers for a reasonable price. I kept going for a little bit having a mental debate on what to do before deciding to head back with her. I could use a day off too. My feet were better, but not good. We took a side trail to a trailhead where we were picked up at noon and brought to Safeway. We grabbed a bunch of food for our day off and headed to the house. At the house, we got showers, laundry, a leg massage machine, foot baths, a hot tub, and a place to sleep. It was a nice set up. We relaxed the rest of the afternoon, occasionally chatting with the other hiker taking a zero day, Firefly. 

The next day was much the same. Lots of relaxing. I was looking forward to being on trail again, but I knew this would be good for my body. Every full hiking day was at least 20 miles. In the afternoon we went to Starbucks and sat outside with drinks then to Safeway again for one more meal. We were picked up again with a section hiker Crayon, who would be staying the night too. At the house we ate and relaxed. The hot tub called us in the evening, then bed. 

We planned to head back to trail midday. Our host had to be somewhere a little after 1400, so we agreed to be dropped off on her way. A full morning of relaxing as well. Eventually it was time to hit the trail and we loaded up our packs. We walked the easy two miles from the trailhead back to the AZT in Saguaro National Park. Very shortly after turning onto the trail we came across an Arizona Trail Association volunteer. He had popsicles! We each took a strawberry popsicle and ate it while talking to him about our upcoming climb. We climbed up to the first backcountry camp in Saguaro NP. We had purchased our permits online so we would be good to go. The trail was beautiful looking out over fields of Saguaro cacti. They are massive. They can reach up to 50 feet tall and we saw some that were close. The sunset was beautiful as well and very visible in the exposed climb. We hit Grass Shack camp around 1830. There were three other hikers there that we met in Patagonia. I chatted with one, Lookout, for a bit while pitching my tent before he retired for the evening. After dinner, we retired to our tents as well where I read, journaled, and slept.

I got up at the usual 0530 and was packed up and hiking by 0600. The morning was pleasantly cold. Perfect for climbing the rest of the mountain. We had about 5000’ of climbing instore. It was nicely graded and smooth going. At the water, I took a short break to load up. There wouldn’t be anymore until late afternoon. I kept hiking until I reached the second camp, Manning. I signed the trail log and used the facilities. Charm caught up and we hiked out together. The trail to the top of Mica was very close. We went on the side trail to the summit. A mere 0.1 mile up. There wasn’t a view but we got pictures with the signs. 

Next would be the descent. We had a long long way to drop. Halfway or so down, I stopped for lunch. Charm joined me for some of it before heading to water. I spent an hour relaxing and eating before continuing down.

Around 1500 I hit the cache. It was empty. The FarOut comments mentioned a rain catch on the cow tank symbol so I went to the tank about 0.2 mi off trail. The water was disgusting. Many cows stood in it and they were relieving themselves into it. I started clicking on different icons until I found one that actually mentioned where the rain catch was. Back on trail. Ugh. I headed back and found it about 0.2 from the cache. I filled up and sat in the shade of the tank for a bit.

Charm rolled up shortly after. I was surprised to see her. Apparently she made a wrong turn somewhere and did extra miles too. We hiked out together to go the last few miles to camp near a dry ish stream. The sun was hot, but my umbrella was put to good use. We got to the dry stream which had a couple very scummy puddles. No thanks. I had carried out plenty to get me through to the water that we’d hit around noon. We found a nice spot to cowboy camp. I could not sleep. I had caffeine too late in the afternoon and the wind always has me worried about branches falling. I got up around midnight to pee and when I got back in my quilt and liner, I felt something stab me. I thought it was a piece of one of the many prickly plants around, I already was scratched mere hours earlier, so I scooped it up and threw it out. A few minutes later the spot hurt a little more so I looked at it and it had a welt. It looked a lot like a wasp sting or bite. I slapped some antibiotics ointment on it and went to sleep.

The spot was still sore the next morning, but not swollen or red so I didn’t think much of it. I packed up as usual and gave Charm a little extra water I had. We were so lucky to have the weather we did for this upcoming climb. It was cloudy and the morning started cooler. We did a small 1000’ climb and descent to the highway where there was a cache we anticipated being empty. It was full! We sat in the shade and drank a bunch and stocked up for the next dry stretch. This area has the most questionable water so far. I don’t mean quality, but whether water even exists. The streams are drying fast especially with basically a no snow winter.

We did a few small ups and downs before stopping for lunch. It was cloudy so we didn’t need a shady spot but that didn’t mean it wasn’t still hot, just no direct sun beating us down. The cloudy skies meant more humidity and my thermometer read 92 while we ate. I wasn’t feeling great. It was a struggle to get down lunch, but I did with some water loaned from Charm. Another mile up trail we crossed a stream that was actually flowing. We chugged water and refilled our bottles. We needed it to last all the way up the mountain to where we hoped to camp, only about 10 miles, but all uphill for about 4,000’. We hiked separately, but not far apart. We basically go the same pace. The exposed canyons soon turned up a wooded reentrant where we walked along trees for a while. The temps cooled as we went higher. So nice. After the reentrant, we popped back out onto the mountainside to stunning views of the peaks we already went over or around. I stopped for a break where Charm caught up and told me she saw a Gila monster. I’m so jealous. I either missed it or it came out after I went by. The video she took would mean I’m blind if I didn’t see it, but I do have a habit of missing mile markers so it’s possible. My only saving grace was it was sitting on a rock that looked like the one I took a break on shortly before. So maybe I’m not blind. We climbed the rest of the mountain together. It got pretty steep and turned into a class 2 scramble. Nothing difficult for us, but a lot more vertical. Our pace slowed to about 1.5 mph as we went up and up and up. We were rewarded with some great views on both sides of the mountain.

Eventually we reached the top of our latest sky island. Sky islands are isolated ecosystems. The plants and wildlife can’t go from one mountain area to another due to the intense desert in between so they developed independently of each other. The mountains here look like they are pulled up from nothing. It’s flat flat flat desert and wham, giant 9000’ mountain. Not many areas we’ve seen seem to have foothills so far. The top of the mountain felt like we were in the Sierra Nevada again. It was stunning in a different way from the desert. Softer (literally, only saw 2 dead cacti). We reached camp by the stream later than we thought but were proud of our efforts. 6900’ of climbing in 22 miles also with 3700’ of descent. This might be my biggest concentrated climbing day. On the PCT I had 7500’ ascent days, but over 27 miles. I stuck my feet in the stream. They had a bad rash again. We both pitched tents, did the wrong thing and ate in our tents, then sleep. We did agree to sleep in though. Not a big rush to go the last 5 miles to town. 

I woke up way earlier than I wanted with my side in pain. It was the possible bite/sting spot. I prodded the area a bit which intensified the pain. That’s not good. An area the size of my palm above my left hip was not doing well. It was firm to the touch and incredibly sore. I shined the headlamp on it but it barely looked like anything. A tiny boil and a faint hint of red. At least it’s not infected yet. I thought harder what it could be. I don’t think it was a spider. Whatever I grabbed was more prickly. Maybe a wasp, possibly a scorpion, or my initial thought of a plant that I had a reaction to. The wound was rubbed all day by my pack  so it’s hard to narrow down the symptoms. I also felt nauseated, but that could be because I didn’t eat enough, drink enough, electrolyte enough, too much exertion in the heat. Too difficult to determine if it’s connected. My best course of action would be to stay in town and see if it felt better. On the hike to town, I heard someone calling out “Porcupine, is that you?” It was Shiho! I was excited to see her again. She was just finishing up her section hike and was taking a different trail to town that took her up towards Mt Lemmon. We said goodbye and good luck and I continued to hike. At times, I felt like I had been transported to NorCal or Colorado. The terrain was so similar to both, tons of pine and aspen. It was difficult to believe I was in southern AZ. I got to town just after 0830 and picked up my resupply from the post office. I met Charm at Beyond Bread for breakfast where I had a quiche, side salad, and ice tea. She had an egg sandwich, latte, and Dr Pepper. Eating was easier than yesterday, but I still felt off. I told Charm my plan to stay in town. This would be our last day together unless I speed up a lot. We hung out and eventually went to the general store where she got a resupply and I got some post cards. Then we hit up the Cookie Cabin. We each got a slice of pizza and split a giant cookie with ice cream. I said goodbye to Charm at the edge of town and went back to check into my room.

It was pretty fancy. It was also pretty expensive. I showered and did my laundry. I washed my cook pot, spoon, water bottle, and charged electronics. I spent the rest of the afternoon talking to my husband and lounging in a heavy robe under the covers. Either I was feverish being so bundled up and cold in 70 degrees or too well adapted to the heat. I can hope for the latter all I want, but more it was likely the former. I mustered the strength to drink some LMNT and then another cup of water. I knew I was dehydrated. I had way too much food in my resupply so I heated up a Thai red curry meal. It was terrible. I was hoping it’d be better than that company’s green curry meal which I also hate, but I was wrong. Luckily I can throw it away and not have to pack it out. Instead, I ate my spare bag of mashed potatoes. They go down easier anyway when not feeling well. After potatoes, bed. Check out was at 11 so I could rest all morning. 

I slept okay. It was nice having a comfy bed. My side still hurt, but not as badly. I went down to breakfast at Beyond Bread again and had another quiche with a mocha. Back in my room I climbed back in bed for more relaxing. While writing, the spot on my side flared up unprompted to intense pain. I got pretty worried so I began thinking of contingency plans. I was planning to hike out around 11, but maybe reaching out to a trail angel to drive me to an urgent care would be a better idea or even staying another night. I ended up decide to stay another night to be on the safe side. If it’s serious, I won’t begrudge the loss of money if I have to go to urgent care later and if not, I get another 24 hours to repair (and acclimate being at 8,000’). I hung out in my room until check out. I had to switch rooms. The lodge was fully booked, but they had someone leaving a day early so I could move to that room. Maybe it’s a sign I made the right choice, with the hotel being fully booked a mere 5 minutes before I asked. I checked out and headed to Sawmill Run for lunch. My new room should be ready around 1400. I sat in the lobby for a little while then grabbed ice cream at the general store. Back in the lobby, the woman at the front desk subtly waved me over to hand me the key to my room. She didn’t want other guests seeing me go in early, but since I had already stayed one night and was simply moving rooms, I could. I spent the afternoon in bed reading. Around 1730, I got up and went to the general store to pick up dinner items: frozen burrito, salad, and ice tea. The rest of the evening was spent the same way, relaxing and reading. Occasionally my side would flare up to a pretty intense and worrying pain, but it was less and a shorter duration than before. I’m half convinced now it was a brown recluse based on the look, though they aren’t native to AZ so maybe an Arizona brown spider? Again, too hard to tell with so many other things having affected it, like having the pack rub on it all day.

I slept better, but my side still hurt occasionally. I’m going to attempt to hike out. Once I get up and over the next climb, there are a lot of good bail out points to Oracle if things get worse. As a very last resort, I do have a Garmin inReach with SOS and evacuation insurance. I have zero desire or plans to need or use that. I’m looking forward to hiking again. I’m only 184 miles in and have already had 2 zero days (days with zero trail miles). Seems very extravagant, but probably the best choice.