Nine Trailblazers met at 6 AM and headed off for Tucson. After a brief stop at McDonald’s on Grant to meet three more hikers, we set off for nearby Saguaro National Park. Hit the trail at 8:25, having snagged some of the last parking spots at the small and busy trailhead. We tackled the trail counter clockwise, starting on the King Canyon Trail. After a short warm up, the climbing began and got steeper and steeper until we reached the peak just after 10 AM.

After a brief rest to appreciate the panoramic views of Tucson, Mt. Lemmon, Kitt Peak and the surrounding valleys, we headed down on the Hugh Norris Trail. Leonard split from the group to bag Amole Peak and then rejoined us. We transitioned to the Sendero trail, where we took a few minutes to explore the mine and an abandoned structure. We then took the Gould Mine Trail back to the trailhead, crossing a wash to get back to the cars. By then, after 4.5 hours of hiking, the temperature was venturing into the 80s and we were happy to be headed toward cool drinks and air conditioning.

We were welcomed and treated like family at the Mosaic Café as we filled up on good food and drinks, including fresh tortillas. We parted ways by 3 PM, full, tired, and satisfied by a great day on the trail.