AZT Day 1: Border & Huachuca Mtns

Daily Miles: 14.5, Total Miles: 14.5

After my wife got me to 6,575′ Montezuma Pass, it was just me and the boots on the ground, as President Obama calls the Border Patrol.

Looking out on San Pedro River Valley, it is not hard to imagine the Coronado Expedition travelling through in 1540. You actually have to hike 1.9 miles down to the border monument and it’s all uphill from there!

I was a worried about yesterday’s storm that dumped snow on the higher elevations but today is a beautiful day. From 7,500 ft on, I was making fresh tracks in the snow until Miller Peak, the highest southernmost peak in the US at 9,466 ft.

I found fresh boot prints coming in from a side canyon near Carr Peak. Not too disturbing until I noticed what I think were large cat tracks superimposed on the boot prints! The trail stayed up high with great views to either side for some distance until dropping into Sunnyside Canyon.

I found a flat spot with a bed of pine needles and was warming up the sleeping bag by 7:30pm. Cold tonight! Saw no other hikers today.