Arizona Trail: Mica Mountain

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Blissful climbs up and over the glorious sky island Mica Mountain, finding the descent far more difficult than the ascent. 

In this episode:

1. It was a great decision to stop early in cool oak forest right next to a stream at Grass Shack, but it leaves a long up of 3,500 feet in four miles. 
2. Manning Camp is lovely under towering ponderosa pine, but cold still in snow. 
3. Plenty of water lulls Blissful into not collecting enough for the hot, rocky and slippery descent which is hard on the knees.
4. But the views are vast to mountains and desert, but is so disorienting, it feels like flying. 
5. From a pool, the trail pushes through cattle country up and down to a high point between the Rincon and Santa Catalina Mountains, with an almost full moon where she sets her cowgirl camp. 

MUSIC: Con la chola y el changuito by Angel Lasala as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano

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