Shady Glen (9 miles, in Ramsey Canyon, Huachuca Mtns)

Distance: 9 miles
Elevation: 4911' - 6382'
Significance: Lush, cool canyon stream shaded by tall pines and canyon walls.
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Shady Glen is a small oasis in Ramsey Canyon that is accessible either via the Hamburg Trail in Ramsey Canyon, or the Brown Canyon trail in Brown Canyon.  I led this hike via Meetup to begin today at 5:30am via the Brown Canyon trail at the Brown Ranch.  It's longer this way and more of a challenge.  Only Bill and a man named David showed up.  For most other hikers, the early start time of 5:30am turned them away.  I guess they prefer hiking later, when it's 80F outside.

It was 55F at the start.  We gathered in the parking lot and took off.  New guy David wasn't very talkative and stayed with Bill up front.  I stayed in the back so that Zeke wouldn't get in the way.  It was cool for the first two hours, thanks to the low sun and the tree canopy, but I definitely felt the sun's warmth briefly on the upper overlook, exposed to rocks.

It's uphill gently all the way.  Thankfully, Bill and I had been doing some powerhikes, so I wasn't tired at all.

We made it to the lush glen in two hours and 4.6 miles later.  The side trail to the glen is a faint trail on the left of the trail, just past a lichen-covered boulder off the trail.  The trail is unmarked and most likely an old "illegal" trail made by border crossers who once used this canyon as a throughway.  It switchbacks down to the creek and offers dramatic views of Ramsey Canyon.

We could feel the immediate temperature drop as we got to the water.  The thick canopy provided instant cooling. It felt refreshing, although I started getting chilled just before we resumed our hike back.  Golden Columbines were in bloom along the water, a flower I usually just see in August along the aspen groves hiking toward Carr Peak.  I also saw yellow violets and Red Cardinal flowers. We were alone, just us, the birds, and the rushing water.  I could have lingered here longer.

We looped back upstream until we connected again with the Brown Canyon trail and took that same trail back to the cars.  "We could have come this way!" said David, referring to the route to the glen.  I guess he doesn't realize that a nice hike is also an adventure.

I had advertised this to be an eight-mile hike, but I was off by a whole mile.  David looked annoyed.  I don't blame him; I made a mistake.  When we got back on the Brown Canyon trail for the return hike, he excused himself and took off.  I doubt I'll see him again.  (My Skagen hybrid smartwatch only credited me with seven miles.)

"Looks like we found our match!" said Bill, referring to David's quick pace.

The weather was noticeably warmer now.  Zeke took every water break he could.  There is considerably less water in Brown Creek than there was two weeks ago.  The mountains are drying up!

We met several hikers and mountain bikers, including a couple that had moved to town last December from Stevensville, MT, David and Melody.  We met them in upper Brown Canyon. The snow the last two winters, said David, got as high as the top of the oak trees around us.  Yikes.  After 20 years in Montana, they were ready to leave the cold winters behind.  Even the summers, added David, get into the triple digits before the forests burn.

Most of the hikers we came across were in lower Brown Canyon.

We got back to our cars at 10am.  I was glad to be done with today's hike.  This is such a pretty hike on a warm day.  Today's high was a 92F but I hid inside by then.  Both ankles felt sore.

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