Santa Rita Mountains: Old Baldy /Super Trail loop

Length: 6.2 mi loop
Elevation gain: 1700'
Start: 5400'
Saddle: 7100'
*Rating: C - Intermediate
**No dogs please

DEPART Lowes at 10:00
Hike STARTS at 11:00
If you wish to car pool, a convenient location to meet is the Lowes on Valencia (https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=211151916971589136864.0004d3cea7c74b2c8f161&msa=0&ll=32.134993,-110.991011&spn=0.03823,0.077162). Otherwise meet at the RoundUp/Mt Wrightson Picnic Area parking lot (https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=211151916971589136864.0004d4c01198f8f8b161a&msa=0&ll=31.717545,-110.871406&spn=0.019202,0.038581) for an 11:00 hike start.

There is a Google route map here (https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=211151916971589136864.0004d3cea7c74b2c8f161&msa=0&ll=31.745723,-110.88604&spn=0.019196,0.038581). A Madera Canyon Trail Map is here (http://files.meetup.com/372195/Madera%20Canyon%20Trail%20Map.pdf)
If you have questions or need to reach me: Cell: 304.290.8066

*************************************
Madera Canyon is a fee area - $5.00 per car or Federal pass
These fees for recreational use will hopefully
allow the Forest Service to continue to subsidize
grazing leases and timber sales at their present generous levels. *************************************

Be sure to bring adequate water and snacks.
As always - Hike at Your Own Risk
If you are new to the group please read these:

About the Tucson Hiking Meetup Group (https://www.meetup.com/tucsonhiking/about/)
Tucson Hiking Meetup Group - No Show Policy (http://files.meetup.com/372195/No%20Show%20Policy.pdf)
Tips for Beginning Hikers - Sierra Club (http://arizona.sierraclub.org/trail_guide/index.htm)
Hike Rating Scale (http://files.meetup.com/372195/Hike%20Rating%20Scale.pdf)

The Hike:
This hike starts with a .3 miles section of the Vault Mine Trail. We will then pick up the Old Baldy trail.
The Old Baldy trail (http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=158) gains elevation quickly and has steep sections of loose and embedded rock, step-ups and a number of switchbacks before reaching Josephine Saddle. On the Old Baldy trail we will gain 1700' of elevation in 2.2 miles

As we climb to the saddle we will hike through a forest of old oaks, madrones and tall pines. We will take our time, stopping to catch our breath, take in the scenery or snap a few photos. As we climb we will have sweeping views to the northwest of Green Valley below. To the southwest we get good views of the telescopes at the Whipple Observatory which sits atop Mt Hopkins.
We will be taking the Old Baldy trail only as far as Josephine Saddle - 7100'.

At Josephine Saddle we will enjoy our rest/lunch stop. The saddle is shaded by oaks and tall pines. I will be packing an extra layer and/or windbreaker to stay warm during lunch. You may want to do the same.

The Super Trail, our return route, is not as steep and generally has fewer sections of loose rocks. And the grade is more forgiving as we drop down the previously gained 1700' in 3.7 miles.

The Super Trail is on the opposite side of the canyon from the Old Baldy trail and we will catch occasion glimpses of the Old Baldy trail as we descend.

Josephine Saddle:
No one is sure, but it seems likely Josephine Saddle was named for Josephine Pennington, whose full name was actually Sarah Josephine Elizabeth Pennington, or Josie, her nickname. This family lived in Madera Canyon in two different locations, Tubac, the Sopori Ranch south of Amado, and eventually Tucson. The family was plagued with untimely deaths by disease and Apache attacks, and eventually settled in Tucson for safety reasons. Josie, who ended up in Brownwood, Texas, lived to be 81.

At the saddle there is a memorial for the three boy scouts who died near here on November 15, 1958: David Greenberg 12, Mike Early 16, and Michael J. LaNoue 13. Apparently they got lost and then were hit by a snowstorm that dumped 3 feet of snow on the Santa Ritas.

Their bodies were not found until December 4, 1958. There is a memorial to these boys at Josephine Saddle Trail.

This newspaper article (http://www.amazon.com/DEATH-CLOUDS-On-Mt-Baldy/dp/0982874103/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top) has more info on this tragedy.

Cathy Hufault who is the sister of one of the survivors has written a book about the incident:
DEATH CLOUDS On Mt Baldy: Tucson's Lost Tragedy (http://www.amazon.com/DEATH-CLOUDS-On-Mt-Baldy/dp/0982874103/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)

This article (http://www.gvrhc.org/Library/BoyScoutTragedy.pdf) was originally prepared in July 2000 by Tom Johnson
from newspaper articles appearing in the Arizona Daily Star on 18 November 1958 and 5 December 1958 and from the summary of the tragedy by Bonnie Henry in the 9 November 1988 Arizona Daily Star.

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Be sure to bring adequate water and snacks.

As always - Hike at Your Own Risk

If you are new to the group please read these:

About the Tucson Hiking Meetup Group (https://www.meetup.com/tucsonhiking/about/)
Tucson Hiking Meetup Group - No Show Policy (http://files.meetup.com/372195/No%20Show%20Policy.pdf)
Tips for Beginning Hikers - Sierra Club (http://arizona.sierraclub.org/trail_guide/index.htm)
Hike Rating Scale (http://files.meetup.com/372195/Hike%20Rating%20Scale.pdf)

If you have questions or need to reach me:
Cell: 304.290.8066
WV-Mike (https://www.meetup.com/tucsonhiking/members/13110160/)