7 Cs of Arizona LbNA #73566
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Add Location| Owner: | Wisconsin Hiker
 |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jan 30, 2019 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Oro Valley |
| County: | Pima |
| State: | Arizona |
| Boxes: | 7 |
| Found by: | Norse Gnome (5) |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Mar 15, 2022 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFOFF |
| Last edited: | Jan 30, 2021 |
Last checked/found: 29-JAN-21 I have recarved and replaced the two boxes destroyed by the Bighorn Fire in JUNE 2020. Clues have been updated to reflect new locations.
Location: kraP etatS anilataC
Distance: ~2 miles, 200’ elevation change
Time: 1 - 1.5 hours depending on your pace.
Terrain: Mostly sandy trail with some steps. Generally a gradual elevation change.
Note: Before you hit the trail, please be sure you have plenty of water with you because it can get hot on the open trails. Wearing a hat and sunscreen will protect you from the desert sun. Hiking poles will be helpful in some spots. You may encounter horses on the trails. Please step aside to give them right of way. Although we never saw any, you should be alert for snakes and scorpions. Also be careful of the cactus – we can verify that they do tend to “attack” the unwary! Please remember to seal all baggies and boxes well. You may be the last person to find the box for quite a while, so do your best to protect all the contents from wet weather. Also be sure to rehide well to avoid accidental discovery by noxers.
Historically, Arizona's economy was said to be built on "The Five Cs:" cattle, citrus, climate, copper and cotton. I have added two other Cs that also represent the state and add to the economy via tourism. All seven of these Cs have been key components in the success of the state.
Park in lot near the Trailhead parking lot at the end of the park road. Once parked, cross the street to the kiosk. Head straight in from this point and start out towards the Birding Trail. Your route will require you to cross the main wash in the park. After the crossing, head right on the Birding Trail. As you walk through this riparian zone, watch for a big rock on your left. Pass it and then watch for a sandy clearing surrounded by trees on the left. When reached, walk in about 36 steps to a large upright boulder. Our sunny Climate is behind it on its left corner under smaller rocks.
Return to the main trail and continue on, taking a left at the fork. After a short distance you will reach a sharp curve in the trail. Instead of curving right, head straight onto an unofficial trail. Take ~110 steps to a huge boulder on the left. Than take 29 more steps along the trail. Now take 7 steps off trail to the left to find Cattle lazing under rocks in a rock corral. For reference, an armless saguaro cactus is just uphill to the right.
Return back to the curve in the main trail. Moving on, cross a small wash (it may or may not have water since this is the desert). Go up some stairs and pass a bench. Continue on until you reach the Wilson bench. At this point leave the Birding trail and take another trail southeast behind the bench towards the beautiful Catalina Mountains. Walk for a while until you reach a large flattish rock that spans the trail (the bush and deadwood are gone due to fire). Stand on the rock and then walk in about 30 steps at a bearing of 50°. Than walk a few steps to the left to spot a light colored rock with bumpy protrusions just before a pile of deadwood. Canyons is under smaller rocks 1 to 2 feet away towards a nearby mesquite tree.
Now retrace your steps back the way you came towards the Wilson bench. But before you get there, stop when you see a dead gnarled tree partially upright on the left (there will be some small boulders in and around the trail just after the tree). At this point in the trail, take a bearing of 275° and walk in about 50 steps to a saguaro spire protected by a mesquite tree. Cotton is growing behind the tree under rocks.
Return to the trail and continue on to the bench. Reaching the bench, rejoin the Birding Trail and continue walking, passing an information sign. Continue and watch for another dead gnarled tree on your left. From this point, sight 220° and take 34 steps to a 3 foot long rock with a bumpy partner on its right. Our iconic Cactus is in the back where the rocks meet.
Return to the main trail and take some steps downward, admiring an old giant saguaro on the left. At the bottom of the stairs, take a sharp left onto a sandy wash and walk up it until you see a horse. Walk 33 steps up the rocky trail to a mesquite tree on the left. Copper is in a rock pile to the right of the tree, under two small copper colored rocks.
Return to the steps on the main trail and pick up the trail leading away from them, passing some benches. Stop at "A Forest in the Desert" and take a bearing of 15°. Walk in for ~50 steps to a sprawling mesquite. Some tasty Citrus can be found under a chunk of wood between the 3 main trunks.
Return to the main trail and take a left when you reach a fork. Continue on and then take another left at the “T” to cross the big wash and return to your car OR take a right to visit the Big Rodeo Series.
We’d appreciate an email message to let us know how this series is doing if you hunt for the boxes. Thank you!
Location: kraP etatS anilataC
Distance: ~2 miles, 200’ elevation change
Time: 1 - 1.5 hours depending on your pace.
Terrain: Mostly sandy trail with some steps. Generally a gradual elevation change.
Note: Before you hit the trail, please be sure you have plenty of water with you because it can get hot on the open trails. Wearing a hat and sunscreen will protect you from the desert sun. Hiking poles will be helpful in some spots. You may encounter horses on the trails. Please step aside to give them right of way. Although we never saw any, you should be alert for snakes and scorpions. Also be careful of the cactus – we can verify that they do tend to “attack” the unwary! Please remember to seal all baggies and boxes well. You may be the last person to find the box for quite a while, so do your best to protect all the contents from wet weather. Also be sure to rehide well to avoid accidental discovery by noxers.
Historically, Arizona's economy was said to be built on "The Five Cs:" cattle, citrus, climate, copper and cotton. I have added two other Cs that also represent the state and add to the economy via tourism. All seven of these Cs have been key components in the success of the state.
Park in lot near the Trailhead parking lot at the end of the park road. Once parked, cross the street to the kiosk. Head straight in from this point and start out towards the Birding Trail. Your route will require you to cross the main wash in the park. After the crossing, head right on the Birding Trail. As you walk through this riparian zone, watch for a big rock on your left. Pass it and then watch for a sandy clearing surrounded by trees on the left. When reached, walk in about 36 steps to a large upright boulder. Our sunny Climate is behind it on its left corner under smaller rocks.
Return to the main trail and continue on, taking a left at the fork. After a short distance you will reach a sharp curve in the trail. Instead of curving right, head straight onto an unofficial trail. Take ~110 steps to a huge boulder on the left. Than take 29 more steps along the trail. Now take 7 steps off trail to the left to find Cattle lazing under rocks in a rock corral. For reference, an armless saguaro cactus is just uphill to the right.
Return back to the curve in the main trail. Moving on, cross a small wash (it may or may not have water since this is the desert). Go up some stairs and pass a bench. Continue on until you reach the Wilson bench. At this point leave the Birding trail and take another trail southeast behind the bench towards the beautiful Catalina Mountains. Walk for a while until you reach a large flattish rock that spans the trail (the bush and deadwood are gone due to fire). Stand on the rock and then walk in about 30 steps at a bearing of 50°. Than walk a few steps to the left to spot a light colored rock with bumpy protrusions just before a pile of deadwood. Canyons is under smaller rocks 1 to 2 feet away towards a nearby mesquite tree.
Now retrace your steps back the way you came towards the Wilson bench. But before you get there, stop when you see a dead gnarled tree partially upright on the left (there will be some small boulders in and around the trail just after the tree). At this point in the trail, take a bearing of 275° and walk in about 50 steps to a saguaro spire protected by a mesquite tree. Cotton is growing behind the tree under rocks.
Return to the trail and continue on to the bench. Reaching the bench, rejoin the Birding Trail and continue walking, passing an information sign. Continue and watch for another dead gnarled tree on your left. From this point, sight 220° and take 34 steps to a 3 foot long rock with a bumpy partner on its right. Our iconic Cactus is in the back where the rocks meet.
Return to the main trail and take some steps downward, admiring an old giant saguaro on the left. At the bottom of the stairs, take a sharp left onto a sandy wash and walk up it until you see a horse. Walk 33 steps up the rocky trail to a mesquite tree on the left. Copper is in a rock pile to the right of the tree, under two small copper colored rocks.
Return to the steps on the main trail and pick up the trail leading away from them, passing some benches. Stop at "A Forest in the Desert" and take a bearing of 15°. Walk in for ~50 steps to a sprawling mesquite. Some tasty Citrus can be found under a chunk of wood between the 3 main trunks.
Return to the main trail and take a left when you reach a fork. Continue on and then take another left at the “T” to cross the big wash and return to your car OR take a right to visit the Big Rodeo Series.
We’d appreciate an email message to let us know how this series is doing if you hunt for the boxes. Thank you!