February 1 - 3, 2013

Hutch's Pool is only a few miles from Tucson, but seems a world away once you're up there. This is a tough little two-night backpack to a spectacular mountain region in Tucson's backyard.

The Plan

I'll head out to Hutch's Pool mid- to late-morning on Saturday, December 26th. There will be plenty of time to get there, so I needn't rush.

I'll spend the afternoon prepping for a quiet night in camp. I have to set up my tent and get stuff set inside. There's also firewood to gather, water to filter, wine to set to chill in the creek, et cetera. Once I crawl into my tent that evening, I'll have to be sure to keep my ears open and listen for the wild animals that live in the area.

Downstream from Hutch's Pool On Sunday, I'll have breakfast then leave my camp and head up the mountain. I have two possible destinations in mind. The first is Romero Pass, which is a nine-mile round-trip hike with 2,200 feet of elevation gain. The second option is Window Peak, which is about a 12-mile round-trip trek with 3,600 feet of elevation gain. (If I choose this destination, I'll also try to find the actual Window.) Regardless of which I choose, lunch will be at the highest elevation point. After lunch, I'll head back to camp for one more night in the relative wilderness of the Santa Catalina Mountains.

After spending one more night in camp on Sunday, I'll have a leisurely Monday morning breakfast then pack up and head back to Tucson. I'll have a few miles of hiking before I begin running into people.

This trip is planned as a solo backpack. I haven't done a solo backpack since 2005, so it'll be interesting.

I'll need food for two dinners (with wine), two breakfasts, and two lunches. I'm borrowing a friend's small bear canister so I can safely store my food while I'm traipsing around in the mountains.

Water and Weather

There is plenty of water at Hutch's Pool. No worries there. In fact, I get to try out my new filter!

The weather at Hutch's Pool in late December can be very nice. Daytime highs in the 50s with lows in the 30s. The campground is at about 4,000 feet, so it's a bit cooler than Tucson. Perhaps by as much as 10 degrees or more. I will need a colder weather sleeping bag.

I can have a fire, though, if I want one. Hooray!

The Hike

day miles elev gain destination
Saturday 0.0 / 0.0 0 ft / 0 ft Sabino Canyon Visitor Center
Saturday 1.4 / 1.4 350 ft / 350 ft Jct with Blackett's Ridge Trail
Saturday 2.9 / 4.3 600 ft / 950 ft Lunch Rock
Saturday 2.5 / 6.8 500 ft / 1450 ft East Fork / West Fork Jct
Saturday 1.5 / 8.3 350 ft / 1800 ft Hutch's Pool
Sunday 9.0 / 17.3 2200 ft / 4000 ft RT to Romero Pass, or...
Sunday 12.0 / 20.3 3600 ft / 5400 ft RT to Window Peak and the Window
Monday 1.5 / 18.8 or 21.8 100 ft / 4100 or 5500 ft East Fork / West Fork Jct
Monday 2.5 / 21.3 or 24.3 200 ft / 4300 or 5700 ft Lunch Rock
Monday 2.9 / 24.2 or 27.2 200 ft / 4500 or 5900 ft Jct with Blackett's Ridge Trail
Monday 1.4 / 25.6 or 28.6 100 ft / 4600 or 6000 ft Sabino Canyon Visitor Center