SKIT Day 12: Santa Rita Foothills

Daily Miles: 16.5, Total Miles: 153.8

I awoke to the sound of truck engines. Then a few minutes later, a couple of headlamps bobbing up the trail. A few deer hunters wanting to get into position before daylight. They walked within 15 feet of me and never saw me – maybe the deer are safe.

A combination of old mining roads and trails got me to Kentucky Camp, an old mining camp converted again to cabins rented out by the Forest Service. A great place to fill up water bottles and relax on the main ranch house wrap around deck.

It was here that I started to see the first of at least 30 mountain bikers on what I later learned to be a fund-raising ride for the AZT. Bit of a pain but it is a shared trail.

Another combination of FS roads and trails along the Santa Rita foothills got me to a delightful, well stocked trail angel ice chest complete with a folding camp chair. I enjoyed a perfect banana and ice cold Pepsi but regrettably passed on the double stuffed Oreos.

I quit for the day just beyond a metal water trough near Oak Tree Canyon. Lots of shots fired near dusk tonight. Bored hunters having target practice?

Also seen today, two AZT hikers, two dirt bikes, several ATVs, deer camps and two deer hunters sitting right next to the trail. I saw no deer today.