Any recommended section, I have from roughly March 27-Apr 6th and need somewhere where I can access from airport(s), coming from east coast.
AT and PCT vet looking for a scenic 100-150 mile section but would like to avoid superflous snow and difficult navigation.
Anything fitting these perameters?
A.R.
This year might be a tough one for snow. It’s been very wet, and is snowing right now above 6,000’ for instance. One of the main ideas of the AZT is to visit “sky islands” through the desert, and many of those exceed 8 to 10,000’. It might be hard to say what the snow is going to be like in any given 150-mile stretch. And snow on the AZT often presents navigation problems, for sure.
Best that comes to mind is Passages 13 to 17 north from Oracle, near Tucson, where you have about 100 miles to Picketpost TH on US 60 (an hour or so straight into Phoenix by car from there). That’s all low desert, very dry. If you feel you have time, you can look at the next 40 or so miles through the Superstitions up to Lake Roosevelt, though that’s much harder access back to an airport. The eastern Superstitions are a highlight, snow shouldn’t be an issue, and there’ll be plenty of water in comparison. North of that, the Four Peaks area might be difficult in the snow this year.
Garlic
I may be a bit biased here, but given your stated wish list, here is what I’d do:
Fly into Phoenix…
Take Arizona Value Shuttle to First Water Trailhead in the Superstitions…
Start hiking the Grand Enchantment Trail to its junction with the Arizona Trail…
Follow the AZT / GET south to Oracle…
Based on snow conditions, available time, etc., either bail to Tucson via taxi or hitch, or continue on the AZT over the Santa Catalina Mountains to Sabino Canyon and take a taxi from there…
Greyhound back to PHX for the flight home.
blisterfree
I concur with Blisterfree’s idea–excellent trip with good logistics, and about the right mileage.
Garlic
It might be a tad ambitious, my idea. But Garlic and I are in agreement on the obvious: this is the only continuous 100+ mile stretch of the AZ Trail environs likely to be free of snow that’s also convenient for quick access from the big airports.
blisterfree
Garlic and blisterfree, thanks a lot for the recommendation!
Forget my ignorance. Is this section marked decently, cross coutry mostly or something in between? Where does one buy maps?
Thanks again
A.R.
You definitely need maps and some route finding skills. A GPS is a good idea. This is not the PCT. The route can get confusing especially in cattle country south of the Gila, but there are good landmarks to navigate by. Go to www.aztrail.org and www.simblissity.net/get/ for map, trail and water info to get you started.
Pay close attention to water planning between the Gila River and Oracle, and search here for status on the Freeman Road water cache site.
Garlic