Pima Canyon

February 12, 2021 hike: Pima Canyon to the peak above Pima Saddle.

Back to very hard hiking after last week's long but relatively easy hike up the Rincons.

Pima Canyon is a beast in the top half with steep slopes, scary barely-there footpaths traversing eroded mountainsides and disappearing trail paths. It is very hard work, but the view from the top makes it all worthwhile.

The weather was generally very nice with sun much of the day and 70ish temps.

Photo 1 looks up the west side of the canyon a mile or 2 into the canyon - saguaro heaven!

Photo 2 looks up at one of the high peaks from midway up the canyon.

p> Photo 3 looks down the canyon from the high canyon area. This is at the start of the last mile and a half or so where the trail becomes very hard. The terrain has transitioned from low desert (cacti, mesquites, octotillos, etc) to savana and lower forest (grass, oaks, mesquites, yuccas) to sky island evergreens (oaks, various evergreens including very tall Ponderosa Pines in the high elevations).

Photo 4 looks up at the final ascent - very steep through a mixed oak-pine forest, which has been moderately burned.

Photo 5 is from the peak of the canyon, looking down the length of Pima Canyon. I think this is the best canyon view in the Catalinas. As you can tell from the frequent reappearance of this view, I can't help looking at it over and over -- it looks just as good each time I reach the top!

Photo 6 is taken from the same peak vantage point as photo 5, it looks east across the front side range of the Catalinas. The near slope is Mt Kimball, the highest peak in the front side Catalinas facing Tucson. I think the far mountain is Cathedral Rock, the highest point in the Sabino Canyon Recreational Area, a great area for tourists and hikers of all levels. I believe the middle mountain is Window Peak, the peak above Ventana Canyon, which is near the very nice Ventana Canyon resort, and also an excellent hiking area, per our Ventana Canyon reports and pictures.

The final photo is the Pima Canyon side of the Finger Rock mountain - it is very dramatic but hard to photograph because it faces northwest (i.e., doesn't get much direct sun at this time of year).

Another great day, but arduous given how difficult the trail is. I love this trail after I'm done and when I'm looking down from the peak, but there are times in the upper section when I wonder whether it was a good idea.

Hike stats: about 13.5 miles and 3,550 feet of vertical to a peak of 6,470 feet in 7 hours.