I traveled to Tucson, AZ April 28 to May 6, 2015 to hike in the desert and mountains surrounding the city.

1. Mark L. Morelli
ADVENTURE IN THE DESERT

2. DAY 1
28 APRIL 2015

3. HEADING TO ARIZONA
Southwest Flight # 1785 (BDL  BWI  SAT  PHX)
View of downtown Phoenix and Chase Field (baseball stadium) while landing at Sky Harbor
airport (late afternoon)

4. DAY 2
29 APRIL 2015

5. DRIVE FROM PHOENIX TO TUCSON (AM)
A dark desert highway (I-10 East)

6. CATALINA STATE PARK
20 miles north of Tucson is Catalina State Park

7. CATALINA STATE PARK
Hike # 1
50-Year Trail (5.38 mi, 2:10:07, 2517’ to 3583’)
Trailhead and view uphill

8. CATALINA STATE PARK
Hike # 1 (cont.)
50-Year Trail
Views form the trail (Catalina Mountains)

9. CATALINA STATE PARK
Hike # 2
Canyon LoopTrail (2.27 mi, 00:56:22, 2700’ to 2909’)
Trailhead (and “wildlife” on the trail)

10. CATALINA STATE PARK
Post-Hike
Overnight at Ramada Inn Tucson Foothills

11. DAY 3
30 APRIL 2015

12. SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK EAST
Short drive east from hotel on Speedway Blvd.
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13. SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK EAST
Hike # 3
Douglas Springs/Garwood/Carrillo Trails (6.48 mi, 3:09:59, 2700’ to 4128’)
Trailhead and view of Rincon Mountains to the east

14. SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK EAST
Hike # 3 (cont.)
Views of giant saguaro cactus and trail

15. SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK EAST
Hike # 3 (cont.)
Views of Catalina Mountains to the north from trail

16. DAY 4
1 MAY 2015

17. SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK EAST (AM)
Back for a quick morning hike
X ---------------

18. SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK EAST
Hike # 4
Garwood/Wildhorse/StockTrails (2.92 mi, 1:09:51 2700’ to 2906’)
Left: View of Catalina Mountains from the trail
Right: More giant saguaro cactus

19. CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST (PM)
Drive to Mt. Lemmon (Catalina Hwy)
Drive north in the Catalina Mountains (Mt. Lemmon is the highest summit)
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20. CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST
Drive to Mt. Lemmon (2500’ to 9800’)
Stop along the way at Windy Point Vista (6000’)

21. CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST
Drive to Mt. Lemmon (2500’ to 9800’)
Left: Windy Point Vista (6000’)
Right: Side of the road at 8000’

22. CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST
Drive to Mt. Lemmon (2500’ to 9800’)
Ski area near the summit (still snow on the slopes)

23. CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST
Hike # 5
Butterfly Trail (2.03 mi, 1:09:54 6877’ to 7641’)
Trailhead and view from the trail

24. CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST
Hike # 5 (cont.)
Views east from the trail (New Mexico in the distance)

25. DAY 5
2 MAY 2015

26. PIMA AIR MUSEUM (AM)
Right: About 10 mi south of Tucson (adjacent to Tucson airport and Davis-Monthan AFB)
Left: SR-71A Blackbird (CIA spy plane)

27. PIMA AIR MUSEUM (AM)
Left: F/A-18 Hornet in Blue Angels paint scheme
Right: Marine Vietnam Vet standing next to his plane (F-4B Phantom)

28. PIMA AIR MUSEUM (AM)
787-8 Dreamliner on loan from Boeing (this is second unit built)

29. PIMA AIR MUSEUM (AM)
Left: One of the 787 subsystems I worked on at UTC
Right: One of the 787 Rolls-Royce engines

30. PIMA AIR MUSEUM (AM)
B-52 (long-range heavy bomber; still in service today)

31. PIMA AIR MUSEUM (AM)
Vintage WWII aircraft on display

32. PIMA AIR MUSEUM (AM)
Even some Soviet-era aircraft (Mig-29, Mi-24D)

33. DAY 6
3 MAY 2015

34. CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST
Hike # 6: Ski Valley to Mt. Lemmon summit (3.87 mi, 1:23:44, 8000’ to 9800’)
My quote to another hiker: “I either added a year onto my life or took one away”

35. CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST
View from Mt. Lemmon

36. DAY 7-8
4-5 MAY 2015

37. TUCSON MOUNTAIN PARK
20 mi west of Tucson

38. TUCSON MOUNTAIN PARK
Hike # 7: Yetman West Trail (4.29 mi, 1:51;57, 2500’ to 3456’)
Yetman Trail meanders in a canyon between two mountains west of Tucson

39. TUCSON MOUNTAIN PARK
Hike # 7: (cont.)
View from the trail

40. TUCSON MOUNTAIN PARK
Hike # 7: (cont.)
Military aircraft (A-10) flying out of nearby Davis-Monthan AFB

41. DAY 9
6 MAY 2015

42. RETURN HOME
Southwest Flights # 3385/2525 (PHX  MCO  BDL)
Flight # 2525 actually flies directly over Stony Creek, CT
(http://fr24.com/SWA2525/6396475)

43. Hope you enjoyed it