Palm Creek Hikers 2018-2021: December 2018

Showing posts with label December 2018. Show all posts

Friday, December 28, 2018

Friday Dec. 28th, 2018 Pima Canyon (Medium and Long Hikes) Short Hike to Casa Grande Mountain

Pima Canyon is one of the gems of the front range of the Santa Catalina mountains. The canyon has been occupied by humans since long before a European ever set foot in the New World, as evidenced by the mortar holes ground into the bedrock in the canyon which has been added to around 750AD. The holes were left by the Hohokam, and the canon is named for one of their presumed descendant groups, The Akimel O'odham (formerly the Pima).

Barry's Group

Mike's Group

Directions to Pima Canyon - East Magee Road
Take I-10 East to Exit 246. Turn left on W Cortaro Farms Road. In 3.9 miles Cortaro Farms Road becomes W Magee Road. Continue east an additional 3.9 miles to the end of the road. (W Magee Road eventually turns into E Magee Road after crossing highway 77). The parking lot is on the right. Total 61.3 miles drive from Casa Grande.

Google Map Link
Pima Canyon Trailhead

"All Trails" Link to Pima Canyon Trail.
The link to All Trails shows many trails in a certain area. It is not necessarily the one this group will go on.

Sunday, December 16, 2018

December 21, 2018 Black Mesa/Hackberry Springs and Casa Grande Mountain

Mike's Group

Barry's Group

Friday Black Mesa/Hackberry Springs Directions:
From the Junction of Hunt Highway and Highway 79 N. of Florence go north on Highway 79. 13 miles to Highway 60. Turn left on Highway 60 and travel 3 miles past King's Ranch. Just past Mountain View Road bear right on E. Old West Highway. Turn right at the stop sign, then bear left continuing on Old West Highway to the first traffic light on Tomahawk. Turn right going northward, past two stop signs, until you come to the junction of Highway 88. Turn right. Proceed past the entrance of Lost Dutchman State Park, to a signed road "First Water Trailhead". Turn right on this dirt road and proceed 2 1/2 miles, past a staging ad parking area for horses and trailers, to the end of the road where there is a good parking area with pit toilets available.

A shorter Friday Hike is at Casa Grande Mountain. See past posts for directions. This group meets at the Parking Lot at Palm Creek at the same time as the other hikers.

Friday Dec. 28th, 2018

Pima Canyon

Friday Jan. 4th 2019

Wishbone Junction Loop

Friday Jan. 11th

Thunderbird / Sweetwater

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Friday, Dec 14, 2018 Baby Jesus Loop and short morning hike at Casa Grande Mountain

Baby Jesus Loop

This is a loop hike at the base of the Catalina Mountains that passes some very interesting rock formations and vegetation. It climbs and loops around through 180 degrees, crossing two major washes and several minor ones before meeting up with the main Baby Jesus trail. That trail leads back to the trailhead via a wash taking the trail to the left of the wash and up the hill to return over a scenic landscape back to the road.

Mike's Group

Barry's Group

Baby Jesus Loop - All Trails website

Casa Grande Mountain - All Trails

Directions: Take I-10 east to exit 240, Tangerine Road, and turn left. Follow this to the end and turn left onto Oracle Road, #77. Go 3.9 miles to Golder Ranch Road and turn right. Follow this road through a stop sign and over a bridge to where the pavement stops. Just past this point, there is a cattle guard. Go over the cattle guard and immediately turn left onto North Equestrian Road. There is a parking area here that is used for a staging area for mountain bikers. Follow north on North Equestrian Road for 0.5 miles to a corral on your right. Turn right here an go around the north end of the corral. Cars can park here and hikers can hitch a ride in the back of a pickup. Continue on a rough jeep road suitable only for high clearance vehicles to a parking area. 69 miles from Casa Grande.

Google Maps for driving directions to Baby Jesus Trail

Upcoming hikes:
Friday Dec. 21st, 2018

Black Mesa / Hackberry Springs