Catalina Camp Traditional Cache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(regular)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
A very pleasant hike starting above 7000' along the Oracle Ridge trail on Mt. Lemmon descending down to an old mining camp and a delightful riparian area at 5600'.
The cache is near the intersection of the Red Ridge trail and a section of the Arizona Trail (also called the Catalina Camp trail). This can be either a full day hike or an over-night backpack.
Follow the directions to my "Dan Saddle" cache, then continue with these directions. Your destination is about 1.7 miles down the mountain from Dan Saddle. An alternate (and shorter) route is down the Red Ridge trail.
At Dan Saddle take the rocky Catalina Camp #401 pack mule trail. It's marked on the trail sign.
Near the bottom of the hill you'll come across an open residence shack. There's another shack not far away where supplies are kept. These shacks are near entrances to the abandoned Hartman-Homestake mine. A sign over the door of the primitive sleeping shack proclaims this "One Park Place". It's stocked with canned food, sleeping bags, a chair, two bunks, a wood-burning stove, first-aid supplies and other assorted old gear. There's a handwritten history of the area tucked in a tube on the back side of the front door. On the right-hand wall as you enter is a large group of papers. It's a roster of all visitors going back to the early 1990's. Please sign in, and you can rest on the chairs outside. I've used this shack on several occasions for shelter from storms - please take only pictures.
As you continue descending on the trail into the trees, the trail will approach and then follow a stream on your left. The stream is usually reliable and dry only in the worst drought times. If you're doing this hike as an over-night, check with the Catalina Forest Rangers before you start. They may (or may not) know if there's water in the Cañada del Oro, into which this stream flows further down the mountain.
Soon you'll reach a large, wooden, crossed post marking the trail intersection of the Arizona Trail and the Red Ridge trail. It's secured in a large pile of rocks. This is a very pleasant, shaded area in the trees through which flows a stream, and you'll note that it's used as a camp site - a personal favorite location. The cache is close to the camp site.
You can also reach the cache by descending the Red Ridge trail. The Red Ridge trail is shorter, and it's steeper hiking down and a very strenuous climb back up. The hike back up the Catalina Camp trail to Dan Saddle is also strenuous. In either case, you can replenish your water from the stream using the filter which you brought, before you start the hike back. The Red Ridge trail is in excellent condition and easy to follow - I maintain it.
The cache is in a translucent Maxi-Loc 1.4 liter plastic container, 6" high by 5" wide and 4" deep with a snap-on lid. Please assure that the top is snap-locked on all 4 sides and it's upright when you re-hide it. Since this is a remote area requiring some time to reach, I've stuffed the cache with some unusual items. It's a strenuous but ultimately rewarding hike.
As already noted, consider doing this hike as an over-nighter with camping at this spot. Then you'll be well rested, and your legs will be better prepared for the strenuous hike back up to Oracle Ridge.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre fbzr ebpxf naq na Ntnir arne gur fgernz.
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures