By Dave Baker,
Owner- Summit Hut
It is popular, sometimes even crowded, but that’s only because it is so good.
The Blackett’s Ridge Trail packs a great punch: it is imminently accessible, as scenic as they come, short enough that you don’t have to plan your entire day around it, and challenging enough to provide a very rewarding workout. Blackett’s Ridge is simply one of the best hikes in southern Arizona.
It is about a 3 mile one-way walk, with a 1,700 foot elevation gain to the end of the trail, so we’ll call this a moderately strenuous hike. However, a section near the middle of the walk is steep, with many switchbacks needed to climb over a 1,000 feet in under a mile. Whew!
Traversing the ridge top is like walking the deck of a giant ocean liner. You’ll feel like you are floating high above Sabino and Bear Canyons, and the Tucson valley. The view north past Thimble Peak and Sabino Basin towards Mount Lemmon is outstanding.
Park your car at the entrance of the
Sabino Canyon Recreation Area, a short drive from midtown Tucson. This is a
fee area. At the east end of the parking lot, follow a wide dirt path east until it joins a paved road. Continue east on the paved road as it swings into the bottom of Sabino Creek and a road junction where a sign will guide you right toward Bear Canyon. Just after crossing Sabino Creek, watch for the trailhead marked by a sign, “Phoneline Tr. #27”. After a few steps off the pavement, bear sharply north on the Phoneline Trail which climbs towards the toe of Blackett’s Ridge. A little more than a half mile later, watch for another trial marker “Blackett’s Ridge Tr. #48” where you turn east and leave the Phoneline Trail. Blackett’s Ridge Trail dead ends at the top of some cliffs about a mile and a half later.
Season: Fall, winter and spring. This hike faces south and can be very hot, especially in the
summer. (The hike does receive quite a bit of traffic in the summer months; a very early start and plenty of water are recommended.)
Water: None. Bring plenty of your own.
Difficulty: Moderate; 3 miles one way with 1,700 feet of elevation gain.
Maps:
USGS Sabino Canyon, AZ ;
Green Trails Santa Catalina Mountains; or
National Geographic Arizona digital map software.
To read more from Dave's Travels and see some good trail pictures, click here!
Click map for larger image
“Cold Weather Paddling“
by Bill Mauney - Great Outdoor Provision Co.
Excerpt:
I know you are not planning on getting wet, but capsizes can occur even in the most benign conditions.
Try this. Fill up the kitchen sink with water and ice. Stick one hand underwater and time how many seconds you can remain immersed. Notice the pain. Now stick the other hand underwater and move it around like you are treading water. Note how many seconds you can do this. Notice the pain. Now imagine your whole body totally immersed in this water. Yikes! After a minute or two immersed try to pick up a coin from the bottom of the sink. Now imagine the difficulty of using your fine motor skills when totally immersed in cold water.
Hypothermia becomes a serious problem as you are soaking wet and the wind is blowing across your body. At this point, you are losing body heat to the environment faster than your body can produce it resulting is a drop of your core body temperature. This begins the slippery slope of hypothermia. Both cold water shock, which can lead to drowning, and hypothermia are killers of the unprepared paddler.
If you are adequately dressed and prepared for cold water immersion, your accidental capsize is no more than an opportunity to practice your rolling or wet exit and capsize recovery skills.
Click here to read Bill's full article on “Cold Weather Paddling“.
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“Paddling Clothing Systems for Cold Water“
by Bittu Ali - Great Outdoor Provision Co.
Winter paddling can be a rewarding adventure if properly equipped. Here is an overview of 4 different clothing systems that will effectively keep you warm while paddling in cold water.
Full Drysuit system (Gore Tex Drysuits are preferred) with Fleece, Skull Cap and Gloves/Pogies
- Suitable for all varieties of cold weather padding, including Open Water and White Water
- Suitable for cool November-December & April SE weather if layered lightly.
- Suitable for cold January-March SE weather if layered more thickly.
- Body stays dry and is the most comfortable and flexible of all cold weather systems
Paddler’s Wet Suit system (2-4mm w/reflective coating or 4-5mm with non-reflective coating) with Paddling Jacket, Fleece, Skull Cap and Gloves/Pogies
- Similar suitability as the Drysuit system above
- Less expensive than the Drysuit system above
- Less comfortable than the Drysuit system above since the body stays wet (but warm)
- More bulky and less flexible than Drysuit system above
Hydroskin Neoprene system (.5 mm w/reflective coating) with Drytop, Paddling Pants, Fleece, Skull Cap and Gloves/Pogies
- Similar suitability as the 2 systems above
- Priced in between the two systems above
- Drier and more comfortable than Wet Suit system but not quite as nice as the Drysuit system
Hydroskin neoprene system with Paddling Jacket, Fleece, Skull Cap and Gloves/Pogies
- Suitable for most SE cold weather paddling in November, December and April
- Suitable for non-Open Water and non-White Water SE paddling in January and March
- Not recommended for Open Water or White Water use
- Not recommended for February-like (or similarly demanding) conditions in the SE
- Very affordable and versatile system for most paddlers
In a nutshell: Read
Bill Muaney's article so you understand the risks of cold weather paddling but know that being prepared for cold weather paddling is fairly easy to accomplish with the right knowledge and equipment. It’s also highly enjoyable!
This article is a follow up to Bill’s “
Cold Weather Paddling“
By Eric Grossman- Montrail Sponsored Athlete
Despite the cold temperatures, Robin and I headed for the High Country yesterday. The top of Virginia was characteristically blustery. I've been ramping up my training in preparation for a third run at Way Too Cool in March as well as a third run at Western States in June. In between those two I plan to make a first run at the venerable Miwok 100k.
I had gotten a pair of the
Montrail Wildwoods after seeing them for the first time at Mt. Masochist in November. This was their first real test. Grayson Highlands Park has a great combination of wide open grassy balds, rolling single track, rock-strewn double track, and extremely technical ridgelines. Throw in frigid gale-force winds, a little ice, and just enough blowing snow to keep it fun, and you've got all the elements for an adventure run -- and gear trial. We started at Massie Gap and ran a twelve mile loop including the Appalachian and Pine Mountain trails. I added about four miles to head over to Mt. Rogers (VA's highest peak) and back.
When I first got the Wildwoods I was disappointed that the toe box felt so wide. I worried that my feet would slide around inside the shoe making it hard to run on uneven surfaces. I had run shorter and less technical runs with no problems, however, and the shoe was quickly growing on me. I love the smooth and responsive ride these shoes offer. My feet didn't complain about the extra room up front. In fact, I think my little doggies were grateful for some space to finally spread out!
My run yesterday was 2:45, much of that on rocky, frozen, and uneven ground. The Wildwoods felt great throughout, becoming my new favorite shoe. I logged about 2500' of climb, but the heal of the shoe stayed just were it should. I credit this to the flexibility of the midsole. The freedom of movement is well balanced by underfoot protection, though. I've had a tender tarsal (?) since Masochist, and I was stepping on plenty of pointy foot-bending rocks yesterday. The Wildwoods dispersed these forces effectively while still giving me ample feel for the ground. I felt in very good control throughout -- and that's tough for us tall (6'2") guys teetering around technical terrain. I think that must be a credit to the design of the sole, which seems to me pretty rugged without being overly aggressive.
I know these shoes are made to crossover with road running. You would think Montrail had to compromise some trail shoe performance. If this is true, I can't find the corner that's been cut. The Wildwood will be my go-to shoe for trail runs this spring, including Western States.
Rudy Hayden,
Charlotte Manager
Rudy and a nice Brown (photo courtesy of Caleb)
I had the distinct pleasure to go fishing on the Davidson River near Brevard, NC with
Caleb Boyle. Caleb was recently selected to join the ranks of the youth world fly-fishing team. He traveled to Penacova, Portugal this past August to compete in the championships.
I met Caleb a few years ago while working at
Great Outdoor Provision Co. as he often came in to purchase select fly-tying materials and share his fishing experience and knowledge. Not only is Caleb a skilled fisherman but an award winning fly-tyer. His flies and writing have been featured in several issues of Fly Tier and once were showcased for sale at the GOPC in Charlotte, NC.
Finally, I had the opportunity to go fishing with Caleb. We chose to hit the Davidson river, one of Caleb’s favorite catch and release streams located about 2.5 hours from Charlotte, NC. We geared up for a chilly November day and talked of different fishing tactics and feeding properties on this particular river.
To Read the Full Article, go on over to the
Great Outdoor Provision Co. blog.
