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Apr 02, 2024 — Tortolita Mountain Park is a small range on the northwest side of Tucson, AZ, often overlooked due to its proximity to the more impressive Santa Catalina Mountains nearby. This modest range has a nice trail system and lovely desert scenery, and with an afternoon free, I figured I'd give the area a visit. Big Caprock Peak was my goal, and if I fell in love with the Tortolitas, I could extend the hike into a loop, though ultimately from the summit I determined it was the most interesting thing nearby and skipped the loop. Access to the Wild Burro Trailhead is oddly placed past the boundary of a Ritz-Carlton, so I drove through a gate where an attendant waved me through.
I started along the Hotel Spur Trail, which paralleled the paved hotel road for a bit before ascending from fancy-people land to the Upper Javelina Trail. I stayed on this trail briefly before reaching the Wild Mustang Trail. There were lots of huge saguaros and blooming desert wildflowers, so I was definitely enjoying the sights. The Wild Mustang Trail contoured for a bit as it headed northeast, meandering along relatively flat terrain high above the north side of Wild Burro Canyon. I got some intermittent views of Mount Lemmon and other closer peaks within the Tortolitas. While the Wild Mustang Trail intersects with a few side washes, it remains easy to follow for the duration I was on it.
At about 4100', a social trail appeared on the left, my cue to leave the Wild Mustang Trail in order to approach Big Caprock Peak. This trail is also easy to follow, if a lot more narrow than the official trail system. It undulated over some hills before making a final push to the granite-covered base of the peak. Cairns mark the easiest way up the boulders, but nothing exceeds Class 2, including the summit block.
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