Yesterday was a day off. We visited Tohono Chul Gardens and Gallery. It is a lovely little garden in the middle of Tucson. They have a variety of sections that focus on different plants based on the amounts of water required. For example, the riparian section has a stream flowing through it and is full of larger shurbs, cottonwoods, Arizona Sycamore and more. The Sin Agua section is a garden with virtually no water and so has numerous types of cactus. Other sections are present too. It is an easy place to stroll around and I am sure people take time to just sit on the numerous benches and absorb the scene. When you decide you have had enough of the flora you can step into the gallery which has some lovely artwork. We were particularly taken by what are called mono-acrylic prints of landscapes that seem to me to mix what is real with a sense of surrealism (think that’s the word I want) to create some lovely scenes.
We also visited the Tucson Museum of Art which is a yearly favorite of ours. This time they had a collection of stunning landscapes of the desert southwest and west ranging from paintings to photography. Paintings dated back to iconic works by Thmoas Moran but also to , we think, commissioned works created in 2019. Photography definitely included images you would recognize by Ansel Adams. While some works did little for me many were superb. The museum also had other works to show including its permanent collection and we usually find something to catch our eyes.
Dad decided today to rest his legs and ```do more things around town today (Wednesday). He dropped Mom and me off at the David Yetman Trailhead on Camino de Oeste (eastern trailhead). It was 09:20 and the temperature was in the mid-40s and it felt like it especially when we strode into a shady zone with a modest breeze blowing. Our speed picked up as we hustled over the undulating occassonally rocky ground towards the sunshine we could see in the distance. The trail started out the way we remembered but at a wash we zigged when we should have zagged a bit more and made a modest error. But with the aid of both the paper map on the USGS map/GaiaaGPS app we identified our error. When we reached the old stone home (remains) of Sherry and Ruby Bowen I still felt as if we had come at it in a different way. Just proves how fallible memory is. The Bowens built this home around 1931 and in time expanded the homestead to 2,000 acres. Ruby kept a diary of their time in the mountains noting how much wildlife - deer, javalina, goats, even mountain lion now and then - would come into the valley. The Bowens moved to Tucson in the late 1920s in the hopes of improving Ruby’s heath. Shery eventually became the city editor for the Daily Arizona newspaper. THey remained in the Tucson mountains until their daughter was born in 1943 ((I think) so I suppose her health improved (learn more here). We actually encountered a couple people with two dogs. I am pretty sure that is a first at the old stone home.
We left the homestead and continued walking at a good clip. We also continued to notice that the plants in this area of the Tucson Mountains seemed to be far more leafy than those west of our location and on the other side of Golden Gate Pass. I suppose somehow in the space of just a few miles the amount of water retained by the land is considerably higher. On we went. Tucson Mountain Parks has done a lot of work in this region installing directional signs and map signs at strategic locations. It is very helpful especially in this area where many trails and washes intersect. It also points out that we have more places to explore in this region than we have yet done.
In time we came to where we ended our hike from Golden Gate Pass in 2019 and deemed it a good place for lunch. By this point we had encountered several more hikers and quite a few mountain bikers. My guess is many are coming from Tucson Estates and other trailheads east of there (Explorer Trailhad, 36th Street Trailhead). But some must come from the same place we did as that parking lot was remarkably full of cars.
The trail rolled on. The tread is sometimes strewn with loose stones but generally the footing is quite good usually on pretty firm ground. We worked our way along the edge of a valley noticing the plants becoming more low-shurbs and cactus and less tall shrubs and more leafy. Along the side of a mountain with a western facing slop there were a forest of Saguaro Cactus marching up the slope. It was a special sight.
When we had one mile to go we discovered a failing of the GaiaGPS. The app had ceased recording data. I think the results I have are a solid 0.5 miles short. After a fine clemetine break we made our push up and over Golden Gate Pass. We thought it would take 40 minutes to make this last push and that turned out to be about right. It is an easier ascent for a while but does get a little tougher near the top. The descent to the parking lot is pretty good with some annoying steps to slow me down but people with normal vision and capabilities won’t be bothered much. All in all we had a lovely hike.
Photos
Mom looks good in the remains of the old Bowen stone house. Sherry and Ruby Bowen lived in this house for at least ten years. I think when it was whole it was probably pretty nice for a couple.
--January 08, 2020 at 10:24:16. Tucson, AZ, United States
The Tucson Mountain Park has been, with help as you can see, placing these map signs throughout the area. The signs show many more trails than our paper map depicts (bought in 2015 but the map could have been created well before then). And, sadly, my USGS Topo overlays on GaiaGPS don’t show the trails at all (if you know one that does I would love to know). What is clear here is that even in this valley many options exist for hikes of varying difficulty and lengths.
--January 08, 2020 at 12:03:00. Tucson, AZ, United States
This wall of cactuses marching up this west facing slope is really quite a sight.
--January 08, 2020 at 12:23:52. Tucson, AZ, United States
Fruiting staghorn. I managed to not get stuck by any thorns today.
--January 08, 2020 at 12:32:41. Tucson, AZ, United States
Stats
Total TIme: This is approximate (well they are all rounded a bit) but I think we were out for about 4 hours 45 minutes and took 58 minutes in breaks.
Total Distance: Because I lost some data I am sure this number is a bit off but I think we hiked a good 6.5 miles with 700 feet ascent and 400 feet descent. The bulk of both must be on the climb over the Golden Gate Pass but the trail undulates through the valley.
Weather: Sunny. When we started it was in the mid-40s and felt it when we had a breeze and were in the shade. Once in the sun we warmed right up and though the reported high was around 66F I am sure it was warmer than that under the sun.
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