We Can Do It! (Maybe, sort ...) March 9, 2019
Joni Mitchell has a line in the song “I Could Drink a Case of You” that goes “But be prepared to bleed!” Well, the Thimble Peak hike we did on Friday will henceforth be known – according to me – as the “be prepared to bleed” hike! Yes, it was another of those hikes that went somewhat sideways - literally and figuratively.
It wouldn’t be so embarrassing except that Laur and I have passed the training to be Volunteer Patrollers and we know the rulebook about hiking in the AZ wilderness. Strong guidelines include:
1.Wear a brimmed hat.
2.Bring more food than you can possibly eat.
3.Have trekking poles for better balance.
4.Do not hike alone.
5.Cover your skin with UV protective clothing – sunscreen is not enough.
6.Bring in more water than you could possibly drink.
7.Footwear matters. Waterproof boots are ideal. A change of socks on a long hike is recommended.
8.Know exactly where you are going and what the terrain is like.
9.Stay on approved trails.
10.If you bushwhack – leave no markers. (Some volunteer patrollers will actually knock down trail markers. We can’t find our way without them. Shhhhhhhhhh.)
11.Do NOT cross a stream if the water is flowing quickly. It can take you with it.
12.Do NOT go into areas where there is known mountain lion activity.
If Laur and I had been tested by our mentor on our Thimble Peak hike, we’d have scored four out of twelve – or 33%! Oops! We wore hats, we brought enough food to feed an army, we had our poles, and we were with our friend Bob. The other rules – not so much.
Before agreeing to go on this hike, I should have reading some of the warnings posted on the hike’s main page – Hiking Thimble Peak at https://www.summitpost.org/thimble-peak/153401 . Here are a few of them.
“Despite the fact that Thimble Peak is visible from much of Tucson as well as numerous other places in the area, it is not frequently climbed. The lack of trails to the peak itself and the technical nature of the summit block certainly play a role in discouraging climbers.”
“Bring a lot of extra water when climbing here - you won't be sorry you did. I'd recommend leaving some in your vehicle or at the trailhead as well, just in case you run out during the climb.”
“The Tucson area - the Santa Catalina area in particular - is home to a number of mountain lions. In recent years, Sabino Canyon has occasionally been closed due to the aggressive behavior of these lions. I have personally had an encounter with a lion just below the summit of Thimble Peak.” [We didn’t come face to face with a mountain lion but we did come across the prints of a mountain lion tracking a deer! Gah!]
“The cacti and other sharp plants here present problems as well. If you stay on paths the damage will be minimized, but if you're climbing to an off-trail summit - like the Cleaver or Prominent Point - then prepare to bleed.”
“A final danger is presented by loose rock. True, you can find loose rock many places, but enough of the spires here are composed of it that the rock type has acquired the popular nickname: ‘Arizona desert junkoid.’"
*****
The day started out well enough. We were on the trail by 9 am. The hike went downhill from there. I don’t mean emotionally, I mean physically. It feels wonderful to go downhill but a part of you knows you are robbing Peter to pay Paul… You are going downhill when you are refreshed; you’ll be going uphill when you are whacked out.
We had our first snack at Sycamore Reservoir – a comfortable and beautiful place to eat. I’m thinking what an easy, relaxing hike this is… And then we got to our first crossing of Bear Creek. The trail leads to the stream where you can see a number of boulders just below the water, and the trail continues along on the other side. Normally those rocks would be above water and we’d use them to scamper across. But there has been a lot of rainfall and snowmelt lately. Bob, Laur, and I searched around for 40 minutes, trying to find our way across – only to come back to our initial crossing area and acknowledge, “The only way to it is through it.”
Bob had brought plastic bags to cover his hiking boots and lower legs – and they might have worked except that the water was thigh deep at one point. Laur and I took off our socks and shoes and tied them around our neck, and started our crossing. The water was Northern Ontario cold and I had to dig my poles into the stream bed to keep from being rolled away, but I made it – just barely, as did Laur. Bob said good-humoredly, “I think I picked up a minnow or two in my boots.”
Just after we crossed, two German lads arrived at the bank, and did precisely what we did – without wasting time trying to find a hoppable path. The lads decided to join us on our hike to Thimble Peak. It was something the 69 year old lad had always wanted to do. The 80 year old lad wasn’t quite as certain but he certainly did not lack enthusiasm.
Another stream crossing – this time with rocks high enough above the water that you could just make it if you were really lucky. Bob and the two lads went over lickety split. I said to Laur, “I am truly sorry but I will break my ankle if I try that.” Off for the search for a more passable stretch. And we found one. It involved me practically leaping into my hub’s arms on the count of three. But we made it.
By now I was tired – really tired. Not just because we’d been up since 5:30 am, but crossing streams like that exhausts me. I truly get scared – and for good reasons. I worry about breaking my ankle when I’m using rocks to cross, and worry about getting washed away if I wade through the rushing water, and banging my head on a series of boulders.
And now the hard part was coming – getting to Thimble Peak. After we had been marching for an hour in the noon-day sun, I looked up and saw what looked to be a thimble-like peak. I asked Laur, “Is that it!?” He laughed, “Oh no, Jannie, it’s way behind that!” Glory!
Laur is actually an excellent trail-finder so he continued to lead and – bless his heart – Bob came and hiked behind me as we goat-footed around a steep high ridge. He explained, “Joyce [his wife] would not like this very much.” And truly, the rocks had an eerie way of shifting and sliding. Continued Bob, “Jan, if I grab you, I’m not trying to be friendly.” I said, “Bob, if you have to grab me, I’ll be very glad of your friendliness.”
And our senior German friends? They practically trotted to the peak and were already enjoying their lunch and water at the base of the rock spire by the time we got there. You would have to have rock-climbing gear for the final ascent. Even I’m not that crazy…
Usually the return trip is a walk in the park, by comparison. It was for our German lads. They knew their way back and had an extra 5 miles to go – over and above the 10 we were doing – and wanted to get going. We were left in their dust. I think I heard them singing “O ho lay dee odl lee o, o ho lay dee odl ay” (think Sound of Music) as they went.
Back to the first of two more stream crossings. I told Laur I could not do that “leap into oblivion” move again and we tried to find another route but could not. Off went the shoes and socks. Off we clamored. This time Laur stubbed two toes and nearly got washed away. Poor Bob had to wait an extra half hour for us.
Second stream – Bob walked over as usual. And then walked back and offered to carry me over. I think he was only half joking – we were running late. But that would have meant he had to come back and carry Laur over – being egalitarian and all - and there’s a good chance I’d have taken a video of that!
The last ascent was brutal. We were getting too much sun because we had stripped down to our T-shirts and all three of us had run out of water. Our pants and boots were muddy, and our arms and legs were scraped up and bleeding.
I have not been so happy to see the car – or at least not since our last “Yikes Hike.” When we got back to civilization, we stopped at a Circle K and bought a gallon jug of water which we split three ways. From here on in we are always keeping a gallon of water in our Hyundai.
We had planned to be home by 6 pm but didn’t get home until just after 7 – which wasn’t all that bad, given everything that had happened this day, including the stop-start traffic on the way home. (A whole other story that even thinking of makes me crazy.)
Laur and I were still knackered on Saturday. Laur doesn’t even bothering posting a sign-up sheet for the Yikes Hikes anymore because only Bob is willing to join us. And thank heavens he has a great sense of humour, because I don’t always.
What have I learned from the Thimble Peak hike? Absolutely nothing! I’ll do it again, once the water levels go down. In fact, I always say that even the worst hike is better than childbirth. You get the endorphin high at the end – OK – when we finally get home - but don’t have to take home a baby. 😊
It wouldn’t be so embarrassing except that Laur and I have passed the training to be Volunteer Patrollers and we know the rulebook about hiking in the AZ wilderness. Strong guidelines include:
1.Wear a brimmed hat.
2.Bring more food than you can possibly eat.
3.Have trekking poles for better balance.
4.Do not hike alone.
5.Cover your skin with UV protective clothing – sunscreen is not enough.
6.Bring in more water than you could possibly drink.
7.Footwear matters. Waterproof boots are ideal. A change of socks on a long hike is recommended.
8.Know exactly where you are going and what the terrain is like.
9.Stay on approved trails.
10.If you bushwhack – leave no markers. (Some volunteer patrollers will actually knock down trail markers. We can’t find our way without them. Shhhhhhhhhh.)
11.Do NOT cross a stream if the water is flowing quickly. It can take you with it.
12.Do NOT go into areas where there is known mountain lion activity.
If Laur and I had been tested by our mentor on our Thimble Peak hike, we’d have scored four out of twelve – or 33%! Oops! We wore hats, we brought enough food to feed an army, we had our poles, and we were with our friend Bob. The other rules – not so much.
Before agreeing to go on this hike, I should have reading some of the warnings posted on the hike’s main page – Hiking Thimble Peak at https://www.summitpost.org/thimble-peak/153401 . Here are a few of them.
“Despite the fact that Thimble Peak is visible from much of Tucson as well as numerous other places in the area, it is not frequently climbed. The lack of trails to the peak itself and the technical nature of the summit block certainly play a role in discouraging climbers.”
“Bring a lot of extra water when climbing here - you won't be sorry you did. I'd recommend leaving some in your vehicle or at the trailhead as well, just in case you run out during the climb.”
“The Tucson area - the Santa Catalina area in particular - is home to a number of mountain lions. In recent years, Sabino Canyon has occasionally been closed due to the aggressive behavior of these lions. I have personally had an encounter with a lion just below the summit of Thimble Peak.” [We didn’t come face to face with a mountain lion but we did come across the prints of a mountain lion tracking a deer! Gah!]
“The cacti and other sharp plants here present problems as well. If you stay on paths the damage will be minimized, but if you're climbing to an off-trail summit - like the Cleaver or Prominent Point - then prepare to bleed.”
“A final danger is presented by loose rock. True, you can find loose rock many places, but enough of the spires here are composed of it that the rock type has acquired the popular nickname: ‘Arizona desert junkoid.’"
*****
The day started out well enough. We were on the trail by 9 am. The hike went downhill from there. I don’t mean emotionally, I mean physically. It feels wonderful to go downhill but a part of you knows you are robbing Peter to pay Paul… You are going downhill when you are refreshed; you’ll be going uphill when you are whacked out.
We had our first snack at Sycamore Reservoir – a comfortable and beautiful place to eat. I’m thinking what an easy, relaxing hike this is… And then we got to our first crossing of Bear Creek. The trail leads to the stream where you can see a number of boulders just below the water, and the trail continues along on the other side. Normally those rocks would be above water and we’d use them to scamper across. But there has been a lot of rainfall and snowmelt lately. Bob, Laur, and I searched around for 40 minutes, trying to find our way across – only to come back to our initial crossing area and acknowledge, “The only way to it is through it.”
Bob had brought plastic bags to cover his hiking boots and lower legs – and they might have worked except that the water was thigh deep at one point. Laur and I took off our socks and shoes and tied them around our neck, and started our crossing. The water was Northern Ontario cold and I had to dig my poles into the stream bed to keep from being rolled away, but I made it – just barely, as did Laur. Bob said good-humoredly, “I think I picked up a minnow or two in my boots.”
Just after we crossed, two German lads arrived at the bank, and did precisely what we did – without wasting time trying to find a hoppable path. The lads decided to join us on our hike to Thimble Peak. It was something the 69 year old lad had always wanted to do. The 80 year old lad wasn’t quite as certain but he certainly did not lack enthusiasm.
Another stream crossing – this time with rocks high enough above the water that you could just make it if you were really lucky. Bob and the two lads went over lickety split. I said to Laur, “I am truly sorry but I will break my ankle if I try that.” Off for the search for a more passable stretch. And we found one. It involved me practically leaping into my hub’s arms on the count of three. But we made it.
By now I was tired – really tired. Not just because we’d been up since 5:30 am, but crossing streams like that exhausts me. I truly get scared – and for good reasons. I worry about breaking my ankle when I’m using rocks to cross, and worry about getting washed away if I wade through the rushing water, and banging my head on a series of boulders.
And now the hard part was coming – getting to Thimble Peak. After we had been marching for an hour in the noon-day sun, I looked up and saw what looked to be a thimble-like peak. I asked Laur, “Is that it!?” He laughed, “Oh no, Jannie, it’s way behind that!” Glory!
Laur is actually an excellent trail-finder so he continued to lead and – bless his heart – Bob came and hiked behind me as we goat-footed around a steep high ridge. He explained, “Joyce [his wife] would not like this very much.” And truly, the rocks had an eerie way of shifting and sliding. Continued Bob, “Jan, if I grab you, I’m not trying to be friendly.” I said, “Bob, if you have to grab me, I’ll be very glad of your friendliness.”
And our senior German friends? They practically trotted to the peak and were already enjoying their lunch and water at the base of the rock spire by the time we got there. You would have to have rock-climbing gear for the final ascent. Even I’m not that crazy…
Usually the return trip is a walk in the park, by comparison. It was for our German lads. They knew their way back and had an extra 5 miles to go – over and above the 10 we were doing – and wanted to get going. We were left in their dust. I think I heard them singing “O ho lay dee odl lee o, o ho lay dee odl ay” (think Sound of Music) as they went.
Back to the first of two more stream crossings. I told Laur I could not do that “leap into oblivion” move again and we tried to find another route but could not. Off went the shoes and socks. Off we clamored. This time Laur stubbed two toes and nearly got washed away. Poor Bob had to wait an extra half hour for us.
Second stream – Bob walked over as usual. And then walked back and offered to carry me over. I think he was only half joking – we were running late. But that would have meant he had to come back and carry Laur over – being egalitarian and all - and there’s a good chance I’d have taken a video of that!
The last ascent was brutal. We were getting too much sun because we had stripped down to our T-shirts and all three of us had run out of water. Our pants and boots were muddy, and our arms and legs were scraped up and bleeding.
I have not been so happy to see the car – or at least not since our last “Yikes Hike.” When we got back to civilization, we stopped at a Circle K and bought a gallon jug of water which we split three ways. From here on in we are always keeping a gallon of water in our Hyundai.
We had planned to be home by 6 pm but didn’t get home until just after 7 – which wasn’t all that bad, given everything that had happened this day, including the stop-start traffic on the way home. (A whole other story that even thinking of makes me crazy.)
Laur and I were still knackered on Saturday. Laur doesn’t even bothering posting a sign-up sheet for the Yikes Hikes anymore because only Bob is willing to join us. And thank heavens he has a great sense of humour, because I don’t always.
What have I learned from the Thimble Peak hike? Absolutely nothing! I’ll do it again, once the water levels go down. In fact, I always say that even the worst hike is better than childbirth. You get the endorphin high at the end – OK – when we finally get home - but don’t have to take home a baby. 😊