Warren Wasescha
While hiking is at the core of what our club does, building social bonds is also top on the list.
A few of the ways we build social bonds beyond our weekly hikes is to socialize over picnics, a winter potluck get-together, and a once-yearly trip to a different part of the Southwest to spend a few days deepening our friendship, all while enjoying what a different area offers in the way of great hikes, good restaurants, and fun. This year, the club went to the Tucson area for three days.
While Phoenix has a delightful array of great hikes and scenery, Tucson has its own stunning scenery with thick saguaro forests to hike through and unique mountain landscapes to explore.
In Tucson, the club hiked in two different areas on the west side. Our first day hike was spent in the mountains just east of the Desert Sonoran Museum and the Gates Pass area near the Marriott Starr Pass Resort. Trails hiked included the Yetmen, Bowen, and Hidden Canyon trails. Afterwards, we headed to the Desert Sonoran Museum for lunch and an afternoon of sights and a great Raptor show. The day was capped with Happy Hour at the hotel followed by dinner at the Bottega Michelangelo Restaurant.
For our second day hike, we traveled to Santa Catalina State Park where the Moderates hiked to the Romero Pools and the Mellows hiked the Alamo Loop known for bird watching. Both hikes included water crossings, waterfalls, and for the Moderates, a lunch overlooking spring-fed water pools, and for the Mellows, lunch near a waterfall. Afterwards, we ate at El Gringo Grill & Cantina La Posada, then headed off to the Gaslight Theatre for fun and entertainment.
A special thanks to Sherrie Conner, Kandi Skrabala, DeEtte Faith, Stu Frost, and all others who helped make this another great experience for our club.
Like the idea of hiking and socializing with others? Search “Sun Lakes Hiking Club” in your web browser and visit our Meetup site to see descriptions and pictures of the hikes the club has done in the past and will be doing this coming month. Hikes at all skill levels are offered.
Official club hikes are led November through April. Off-calendar hikes happen throughout the year, including summer. Interested in summer hiking? Contact Stu Frost at [email protected].
Interested in more information about our club? Please contact our club president DeEtte Faith at [email protected].
As always, we are a friendly, inclusive group that welcomes all able-bodied hiking enthusiasts!