Ringtail Ridge, Tucson Mts, Hike

A good rain has ended and the system likely headed to my friends in Ohio.  The clouds lift and the beautiful Catalinas remain.

The Amester is in St. Thomas with girlfriends so Jack and I are being bachelors for a week. I had heard about a hike I'd not previously completed, Ringtail Ridge so headed over Gates Pass to a small parking lot to access the Yetman Trail.  I begin my hike beneath Golden Gate and Bren mountains.

Information about this hike is limited so I was unsure where exactly I was to leave the Yetman.  Reaching a saddle, I can see Little Cat and Bobcat Ridge on the left.  Clouds made the scene look awesome.

Bren Mountain was on my left and I did not think the ridge to it's right was my destination but it was.  The Yetman Trail, off of which I was to find a use trail to the aforementioned ridge, led me close to Bobcat ridge so I realized I had gone too far and turned around.

Beautiful with or without the clouds!

I returned to a trail junction, realized Ringtail was off a saddle to the right of Bren, rooted around for a bit and found the use/social trail.  

I climbed and looked back at the Yetman Trail, off which I departed.

The climb has a couple of false summits but eventually I reach the final segment.

Great views and I found a register in an old ammo can, signed it and began my descent.

During my ascent, I found an animal deposit on the trail.  I tool a pic of it with my foot for size reference. Later, it was confirmed as mountain lion scat.  I heard this is a rare find.  I finished with 5.5 miles and 1200' of climbing.  It has been an unusually cool late fall and....

....with the passing of the weather system, even cooler temps arrived that required cactus to be protected from the threat of freeze.  We have an inventory of large drink cups and they are placed over the tips of cactus and other plants, covered with sheets.  The low actually got to the upper 20's!!!!!