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Soldier Canyon--Now This Was a Hike

12/20/2017

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What a fun hike.  Short but adventurous as I depart from the a pull out on Catalina Highway just prior to it making a sharp turn to the right after mile marker 0.
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The overnight rain had softened the sand and I wondered what animal left this paw print.  There were several in the area.
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I gained some altitude and then looked back to see what I had covered and the disappearing highway.
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This is pretty much what the entire route entailed, hopping from boulder to boulder with....
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....an occasional wall to confront, scout and figure out how to get around.
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Rugged but beautiful.  The canyon bent to the right, bypassed a side canyon coming in from the left and kept climbing. 
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OK, I paused at this wall but there was a way, starting left and then crossing to the right.  I was careful not to .....
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....look down.  
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There were enough sandy sections that I could use the foot prints as a directional reference when I had to decide to go forward straight, right or left.  The previous rain and lingering clouds caused me to start around noon.
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I kept going and the beauty and challenges were unrelenting.  Then, from having read a couple of reports, I knew I would soon meet....
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....this obstacle.  It towered over me.  I thought from my research that I was to climb this thing but it was steep. Going up would not be too difficult but coming down...yikes.  I scouted to the right up a side canyon, then climbed its left bank and got above the obstacle but no way to then enter the canyon above this rock.  I poked around the left side and finally found a way around while still gaining the height I needed.  Unfortunately, time was running out on today's experience.  I was at mile 1.5 in the canyon and at 2.8 miles, would have a 200' wall to climb with some exposure.  If I got to that point and decided I ought not to attempt, it would be too late to backtrack so I turned around and headed back.
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Towards the end, I passed a guy climbing this rock wall. Impressive.
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    Mark is a long-time cyclist, hiker, golfer and plays some table tennis...ok, it's ping pong.

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