We slept like rocks at the Hilton, did laundry, looked for camera screws, ate and headed back to Colossal Caves. We walked over the bat bridge. If I ever smell the same odor again I will know that a bat colony is near.

While at the hotel we checked Tenzing's Trail Journal of his current AZT hike. His hike to Twin Tanks (Lakes) was about the same as ours. He had tips for hikers behind him. Thanks Tenzing!

We will be entering Saguaro National Park. Unless we hike through the NP in one day we need a permit from the visitor center which is nowhere near the trail. The second difficulty is that the NP and the AZT have not decided how to connect the AZT to the park trails.

We've found the warm weather now that the cloud cover is gone.

Our first on the trail: we met a day hiking family of six. The father and elder daughter has worked as trail crew. A short time later we met another pistol carrying hiker. We then took Pistol Hill Road to the Ranger Station, a long walk that took longer because I dropped my map and had to run back for it.

Climbing took all morning...slow, grinding steps up first on stone steps and then on gritty duff. Mica Mountain took on the appearance of the Sierra. Plants and granite looked the same. The cool, sighing wind in the trees sounded the same. There were even the annoying small black flies that swarm in our faces until the wind blows them away. The ferns are just beginning to unfurl. We saw bear prints in the dust and caught a glimpse of a white goat or sheep.

We filtered water from creeks at both Grass Shack CG and Camp Manning (the faucet at the unoccupied Ranger Station is still turned off).

So we hiked all those steep miles and the view from the top was hazy. There is a fire burning upwind (west) of us that we could see in the distance.

Hiking down was no easier on the STEEP rough trail. We watched the fire in the distance. At dusk we could see the red flames. The fire was not headed our way but we seemed to be walking towards it.

We didn't see rangers or hikers or anyone else. We dropped into the first flat spot, exhausted after a very tough day.

We slept in just a little this morning.

Hiking, we watched smoke, crews and looked at maps as we still seemed to approach the smoke and still didn't see anyone to ask about the fires.

At Bellota Ranch Road an orange 'copter water bag stood full and waiting. We checked out the water but it had red retardant in it. This area was burned. Remaining water in the stock tank is contaminated.

Nobody was at the trail head to say it was closed so we hiked on. Passage 10 has burned from Bellota Ranch Road to just past Agua Caliente Creek, in most places on both sides of the trail. In a few places the fire stopped at the trail. The creek is dry and black with soot. The TH sign remained but we didn't see any carsonite post. They burned if there were any. There is no debris that needs to be removed from the trail. It was passable.

You can imagine our surprise when we came out at Catalina Highway to see a trail closure due to prescribed burn. Had we only known.

We stopped briefly at Molina Campground watching the clouds darken and build up. Shortly past the campground we heard "GottaWalk?" It was Sirena and she recognized us! Sirena is hiking the entire trail in sections over this summer. We took photos but we were all in rain gear. It is always nice to have trail chat with another hiker!

Sycamore Canyon was very confusing. A tree was down on the spot we "make a u-turn" in the trail-less rocks and sand. We finally got going but then were slow on the rocks and sand.

The saddle with a trail junction was the first flat smooth surface so it was home for the night. It was pleasantly cool and we slept well.

We climbed a total of 6700' today making today a Jungle Gym day. We had climbs so steep that we used our hands, blow downs were so close that we had to do a high step for 30 steps between the logs, burned areas had huge black logs to go over or under.

I called the trail junction & saddle D B Cooper because that was the graffiti on the sign.

We hiked down from the saddle into the canyon and slogged more very slow miles. Crossing drainages on rocks and boulders is a slow chore.

The views were wonderful and then even better. Rugged mountains with desert plants seems like an odd mix to me. The Wilderness of Rocks area had several small streams and lots of fantastic rock formations. After a series of canyons we were on our way up Mt Lemmon. Gradually we were above all the other peaks around us. We could see far below to Oracle.

Mt Lemmon has the attraction of a second home town named Summerhaven. Summerhaven is known for its pies. Any hiker that climbs to Summerhaven has burned far more calories than the pie adds back. We got there after the shop closed. We camped at the trailhead for a cold night at 7800 feet. A nearby babbling stream drowned out any other sounds as we went to sleep.

Brrr. We got up from the coldest campsite early so we wouldn't be seen camping at the trailhead.

We walked into town and realized that the town had burned with the forest. Many buildings have been rebuilt with more under construction. No services were open so we got water at the civic center drinking fountains and used the hot air hand dryers in the restrooms to warm up.

Today was mostly downhill. Our highpoint was yesterdays campsite and our low point was where we got off the trail. Lots of the trail was steep and rough with rocks. Our toes can attest to a tough day!

We passed by the High Jinks Ranch which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Ok, someone tell us why High Jinks Ranch near Tucson is so important. We also spotted the Biosphere II far below, seeing it for many miles. It looked like an interesting place to visit. It goes on our return visit list.

We made it to the PO in time. Pete offered us a ride if needed and Lina said to stay at Triangle L Ranch B&B. We called the B&B and Sharon picked us up within five minutes. She showed us the great horned owl in her tree and the three owlings in another tree. Mojave, the donkey from a CA roundup, brayed at us. While I bathed in our charming 100 year old cottage Sharon did our laundry. Excellent! I was asleep before hiker midnight.