Prospectus
Appalachian Mountain Club – Adventure Travel
Hiking the Desert Southwest Around Tucson, Arizona including Saguaro National Park
April 5 – 12, 2014
Santa Catalina Mountains, Tucson, Arizona
SUMMARY
Tucson has been described as a “hiker’s heaven” and rightly so! Located in the valley of the Santa Cruz and Rillito Rivers, a broad desert basin, it is surrounded by mountains within a forty-five mile radius ranging in elevation from 2,500 to nearly 10,000 feet. To the north, the Santa Catalinas provide a backdrop to the skyline and are part of the Coronado National Forest. To the east, are the Rincons. Forty miles south are the Santa Rita Mountains. And to the West, the Tucson Mountains feature prominently in the city’s dramatic sunsets.
If that were not enough, Saguaro National Park—east and west sections—are literally at Tucson’s doorstep, offering some of the finest examples of Sonoran Desert landscape in the Southwest. They include large stands of giant saguaro cacti—yes, the ones with the “arms!”
Our hikes will include three of the four mountain ranges (we won’t hike the Rincons) and the national park. They will provide an opportunity to see vegetation changes from cactus, to oak to Ponderosa Pine and Douglas fir. We may spot deer, javelina, or coyote. And we will visit hidden pools, canyons and summits that provide exceptional views that seem to extend forever, and where the sun shines more than
350 days a year.
Early April is an excellent time to explore this area with average highs reaching the low 80s and average lows only dropping to the low to mid 50s.

ITINERARY
Our hikes were reviewed for skill level, safety, enjoyment, variety and proximity by Mike Harris, Chief
Guide, Southern Arizona Hiking Club, an organization founded over 50 years ago. He may join us for one of our hikes. We have planned this trip for everyone’s enjoyment, exhilaration and education.
Note: Leaders reserve the right to make changes to this plan as may best suit the needs of the group.
Sat, Apr 5 – Arrive in Tucson, Arizona. Settle in at our lodging. Group dinner and after dinner supermarket shopping for breakfast and lunch provisions.
Sun, Apr 6 – Romero Canyon, Santa Catalina Mtns. A 5.6 mi out-and-back hike with 1400’ elevation gain to a canyon with large waterfall at its base, and leading to deep year-round pools suitable for swimming.
The Romaro Canyon Trail is level for the first mile and then climbs steadily to the crest of a ridge, offering excellent views of the Catalinas and the valley. We plan for a local naturalist to accompany us on this first hike to provide a better understanding of the Sonoran desert.
Mon, Apr 7 – Blackett’s Ridge, Santa Catalina Mtns. A 6.2 mi out-and-back hike with 1810’ elevation gain to the top of the ridge between Sabino Canyon and Bear Canyon. There are great views in all directions.
Tucson is spread out below, Mt. Lemmon and the Wilderness of Rocks can be seen to the north and we will be able to look down into both Sabino and Bear Canyons.
Blackett’s Ridge, Santa Catalina Mountains
Tues, Apr 8 – Hutch’s Pool, Santa Catalina Mtns. An 8.2 mile out-and-back hike with 600’ elevation gain to one of the most beautiful year-round pools in the Catalinas. The pool is long and narrow with cliffs on each side and a waterfall at the north end. It is a popular place to swim. Nice views along the trail of
Sabino Canyon, a rare oasis in the desert with cyprus trees. (“Sabino” is a Spanish name applied to smallfruited conifers such as bald Cyprus or juniper.)
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Wed, Apr 9 – Saguaro National Park – West + Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. We will spend time at the
Red Hills Visitor Center viewing exhibits explaining the natural history of the Sonoran Desert and Tucson
Mountains. Depending on the National Park schedule, we will participate in a ranger interpretive walk and/or program lecture. We will drive the Kinney and Gates Pass Roads which provide main access to the west section of the park and offer many scenic overlooks.
We will also visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, all in one. The museum’s website says, “Exhibits re-create the natural landscape of the
Sonoran Desert Region so realistically you find yourself eye-to-eye with mountain lions, prairie dogs, Gila monsters, and more.” It also says, “Within the Museum grounds, you will see more than 300 animal species and 1,200 kinds of plants.” There are almost 2 miles of paths across 21 acres of desert.
Thurs, Apr 10 – Wasson Peak, Tucson Mtns. A 9.2 mi out-and-back exceptionally scenic hike with 2087’ elevation gain to the highest peak (4,687’) in the range. Views from the ridges are spectacular and the summit offers an outstanding 360-degree view of the Tucson valley. Time permitting, after the hike, we will stop at the Red Hills Visitor Center of Saguaro National Park – West and take a short walk on one of the interpretive trails.
Summit of Wasson Peak, Tucson Mountains
Fri, Apr 11 – Mt. Wrightson from Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mtns. A 10.8 mi out-and-back hike with
4033’ elevation gain to one of the most scenic mountain peaks in the area. From the 9,453’ summit, there’s a 360-degree view of Southern Arizona into Mexico. We will plan an alternate hike for those who prefer a day with less elevation gain.
Sat, Apr 12 – Minivan morning shuttles back to the airport for our flights home.
For more detailed information, the following are helpful guides: Tucson Hiking Guide, Betty Leavengood,
The Pruett Series; Saguaro National Park and the Santa Catalina Mountains, Bruce Grubbs, A Falcon Guide
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TIME ZONE
Tucson and the entire state of Arizona are located in the Mountain Time Zone. When states are operating on standard time, Arizona is two hours earlier than the Eastern Time Zone. However, Arizona does not change to daylight savings time in March; it remains on standard time year-round. Therefore, while we are hiking there in April, the time will be three hours earlier. So, when it is 9:00am in Boston or New York, it is 6:00am in Tucson.
ACCOMODATIONS
We will stay at the Comfort Inn, 1560 W. Grant Rd, Tucson, three miles from downtown and 15 minutes or less from the University of Arizona, restaurants, and a supermarket. We are planning for double occupancy of rooms with the leaders consulting trip participants, as required, to make the best possible matches. For anyone who prefers a single room, we would make every effort to accommodate your request but would need additional payment of the cost difference compared to double occupancy. http://www.visittucson.org/listings/Comfort-Inn/674/?fromMenu=1028&maxshow=30
TRANSPORTATION
We will fly into and out of Tucson International Airport. We recommend that participants arrive by
1:00pm so you have time to settle in and we can grocery shop before our group dinner. (There’s more on shopping in the next section.) We will wait until everyone has arrived at the airport and then drive as one group in our rental minivans to the Comfort Inn, approximately 20 minutes away. On our last day, flight departures will be in the morning. We will arrange our minivan shuttles to bring everyone to the airport as conveniently as possible according to schedules.
We will travel to trailheads, dinner, grocery shopping and any other destinations with five or six people per vehicle. The maximum travel time to any location will generally be less than one hour, and in many instances no more than 30 minutes. The leader and co-leader will be designated drivers, and we will enlist one additional trip member as the third driver. We will also ask that three additional hikers agree to be backup drivers, if needed.
MEALS
Hot and cold breakfast is available every morning in the lobby of the Comfort Inn. (It’s included in the price of the room.) Each room includes a mini-fridge, allowing hikers to buy and refrigerate lunch preparations and snacks. We will have a “group shopping outing” at the local supermarket (Safeway) late
Saturday afternoon before dinner, so everyone can prepare lunch for our first hike on Sunday and subsequent days. If a second food shopping trip is needed, we’ll find time during the week.
We will have dinner every night at nearby restaurants, with group dinners planned for Saturday, Tuesday and Friday evening. All other evenings, hikers are free to dine in smaller groups with carpooling coordinated by the leaders. A moderately priced dinner has also been included in the total trip cost. Each person is responsible for his/her own alcoholic beverages—their cost is excluded from the total.
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EXPECTATIONS OF PARTICIPANTS
Ability: This trip has been designed for experienced hikers who can comfortably hike up to 7 hours/day, not including breaks, at a moderate pace (~ 2 miles-per-hour). Vertical ascents will range from 600’ to
4000’ (last day) and elevations will vary from 2600’ to 9450’ over distances of 5.6 mi. to 10.8 mi.
Safety: Individual and group safety is our highest priority. We will hike together at all times at a pace that comfortable for the slowest hiker. Every day, everyone should be prepared to bring a minimum of 2 liters and as much as 3 liters of water, lunch and snacks, plus wear and bring appropriate clothing, including a hat for hiking in the desert. (We will provide an equipment list separately.)
Attitude: We are planning on a group size of 16 hikers (including two leaders). We believe your enjoyment will come as much from your interaction with other hikers as it will from the beauty of the
Sonoran desert, the warm and sunny weather, the joy of hiking in the mountains, what you learn, and the capabilities of the leaders. If you are prepared to help your fellow hikers, practice basic courtesies like being on time, and take a “go-with-the-flow” approach to events that may be beyond our control (delayed flights, room not ready for occupancy), we will all have a wonderful, memorable experience.
COST
The cost of the trip is $1,170. It excludes round trip airfare to Tucson which is estimated to be $580 from
Boston, $490 from Hartford, and $330 from New York. Hikers will be required to purchase their own tickets. However, the leaders will monitor online fares and provide updates on a timely basis. It also excludes the cost of lunches. As noted above, on Saturday evening we will purchase lunch provisions at the local supermarket. Roommates will be encouraged to work together buying certain items like bread, sandwich ingredients and trail mix. Even a trip to Safeway can be a great team-building exercise!
Participants will be responsible for any unanticipated cost increase; however, any surplus funds will be returned after the trip. The leaders have tried to plan for all costs from the biggest—accommodations, to the smallest—entrance fees and gratuities. We conservatively assumed 5% inflation from the time this trip was planned in March - April 2013.
The cost includes: accommodations; 7 breakfasts, 7 dinners, rental cars, gas, basic medical and evacuation insurance, and entrance fees. (The cost of lunches, snacks and alcoholic beverages are also excluded.) In accordance with AMC policy, the cost also includes the leaders’ expenses and AMC overhead to defray administrative and publication costs.
GROUP SIZE/COST IMPACT
In addition to the two leaders, we have assumed 12 hikers will participate and have priced the trip for that number. However, we have room for 14 and will aim for that slightly larger group size. If the trip reaches that number, the price would decrease and you would receive a refund along with the return of any surplus funds.
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APPLICATION PROCESS
If you would like to sign up for the trip, or have questions, please email or call either of us. Our contact details are listed in the Leadership section at the end of this prospectus. A phone interview is required for us to review your previous experience. Once you have decided you would like to join us, we will email an
Application, Confidential Health Questionnaire, and an Assumption of Risk and Release Agreement.
A 50% deposit of $585 payable by check to Appalachian Mountain Club should accompany the abovereferenced forms and be mailed to: George Schott, 4 River Knoll, Westport, CT 06880.
The balance of $585 will be due Monday, January 6, 2014.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Once you are accepted on the trip and we have deposited your check(s), a $100 cancellation fee will apply. A refund of amounts paid in excess of $100 will be given to the extent that it does not raise the cost of the trip to the other participants. If your spot is filled from the waiting list, you may be entitled to a full refund, less the $100 cancellation fee. If your spot cannot be filled, you will receive a refund for any part of the trip that can be cancelled by the leaders, less the $100 cancellation fee.
Optional trip cancellation insurance is available through a variety of companies, including one available from the AMC. The decision to purchase this type of insurance is yours to make. Based upon your response in the application, and subject to your acceptance on the trip, we will send information on the trip cancellation insurance offered by the AMC.
LEADERSHIP
Leader: Linda Moraski lmoraski@gmail.com
; 617.448.8895
Linda is certified in Advanced Wilderness First Aid and CPR. She has lead/co-lead trips to Bhutan, France,
Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. She is an avid hiker and world traveler. Linda loves the outdoors and when she is not hiking, you can find her biking, kayaking, running or XC skiing. She has been to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro, ridden her bicycle from Florida to Boston and completed 6 marathons. Linda is thankful for finding the AMC as this is where she learned to hike, ocean kayak, white water kayak, rock climb, and best of all lead wonderful adventures around the world!
Co-Leader: George Schott geosteven@aol.com
; 203.223.1677
George is a Connecticut Chapter Hike Leader certified in SOLO Wilderness First Aid, AED and CPR. He also completed AMC Mountain Leadership School. He co-led an AMC Adventure Travel trip to Big Bend
National Park in 2012. Over the past five years, he led or co-led hut hikes in the NH White Mountains and led day hikes on all sections of the AT in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Prior to leading, George was an avid hiker (since age 11) with family and friends in the Adirondacks, Colorado Rockies and Yosemite
National Park. During the 10 years he lived with his family in Europe, he hiked the Lake District of
England, Scottish Highlands, Wales and Switzerland.
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