Outdoor Recreation

By Douglas Kreutz

Tall saguaro cacti cast long thin shadows of late afternoon as we finished pitching the tent. It fit, barely, in a tiny clearing on a narrow ridge otherwise lushly decorated with saguaros, paloverdes, ocotillos, and kindred flora of the Sonoran Desert. Three of us photographer Edward McCain, my wife, Donna, and I had hiked up the trailless ridge east of Tucson in search of a campsite offering not only abundant desert vegetation but also sweeping views into nearby canyons. Just when it seemed that this quest for vistas had led us onto terrain too steep for camping, we stumbled onto a natural bench providing precisely enough space for our backpacked bedroom. The site, we soon discovered, came complete with its own "veranda," a large flat slab of rock perched on the ridgeline just a short scramble above our camp. The veranda, overlooking cottonwood-lined Tanque Verde Creek several hundred feet below, would serve as sunset observation deck, dinner table, and stargazing patio. Seeking out the perfect site is half the fun and half the challenge of desert camping. A two-mile walk from Redington Pass Road had taken us down a switchbacking trail, along the verdant riparian corridor of the creek, and up through dense cactus forests on the spine of the ridge. The final mile of bushwhacking tested the lungs and tired the legs. But it paid dividends, too. Gardens of violet and yellow wildflowers, snow-white saguaro blossoms, a soaring red-tailed hawk, and a lumbering desert tortoise graced the steep rocky way to our campsite. A night out in the desert offers several advantages over highmountain outings: warmer weather, a better chance of clear skies, unobstructed views, and freedom from some of the insect pests common to grassy meadows and forests. But cactus country calls for special precautions as well. Thorns can stick. Rattlesnakes can strike. Scorpions can sting. The sun can burn. And water can be scarce. These matters needn't bring fear but rather inspire awareness and appropriate preparation. We walked carefully up the ridge, warning one another of a protruding prickly pear here and a nasty-looking cholla sticker there. We made plenty of noise to alert snakes of our passage, on the theory that most vipers are as anxious as people to avoid unpleasant encounters. I spotted a snakeskin but not a single snake perhaps proving the theory for this day. Canteens in our backpacks sloshed with the gallon of water per person per day generally considered the minimum necessary for safe desert travel. In extremely hot weather, experienced desert campers carry up to twice that amount. Wearing a hat and slathering on plenty of sunscreen will ward off the worst of Old Sol. Protective clothing and a tent or insect netting will provide insurance against stray scorpions and spiders. Sunset found us on the rock veranda. Edward set to work with his camera. Donna and I handled the task of watching the sun perform its last magic of the day on blue ridges of the Rincon and Santa Catalina mountains. The first coyotes came on at dusk. One yipped out the key, and moments later others joined the song. It was the first of several coyote choruses to cut the still of the night. Dinner was a cold banquet of cheese, fruit, and fresh vegetables under a canopy of stars and a high-in-the-sky quarter moon. An hour after this open-air feast, we tumbled into sleeping bags for a night of deep sleep on our piece of good earth. We awoke to a cool morning breeze and a sky of lavender clouds floating in patches of blue. A small storm cell blustered north of the Tucson Mountains, dissolved, and then rumbled back to life over the Catalinas. It threatened rain but backed down in light of the sun. Miles away down the ridge, over the creek, and across the desertwaited the everyday bustle in the urban world of Tucson. We decided to brew a second cup of coffee on the little camp stove. We decided to check out the morning view from the veranda. We decided to break camp in no particular hurry. We would drag our heels on the way home.

TREAT YOURSELF TRY CAMPING ON THE DESERT

Additional Reading: For more insiders' information on Arizona's glorious outdoors, we recommend the Arizona Highways Outdoors in Arizona series, which includes A Guide To Camping and A Guide to Hiking and Backpacking. Filled with tips, detailed maps, and full-color photographs, these guides will lead to a lifetime of adventure. Each book is $9.95 plus shipping and handling. For information or to place an order, telephone toll-free 1 (800) 543-5432. In the Phoenix area, call 258-1000.

WHEN YOU GO

Excellent desert camping areas abound on public land at lower elevations in Arizona. Good bets near urban areas include canyons of the Superstition Mountains southeast of Phoenix and the lower flanks of the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson. Campers should be aware that some attractive desert areas are privately owned property or Indian reservation lands. Inquire at the nearest Forest Service office or ranger station for information on land ownership and access.