AZ Trail - newbie

[gouacats]

We're getting ready to do our first overnighter and thinking about doing the first few passages of the AZ Trail. We'll follow the 750 race route from the border to Parker Canyon Lake and camp at the lake. The next day we'll do passage 2 and 3 from Parker Canyon to Patagonia (~33 miles). I know that there will be some HAB on between Parker and Patagonia, but I'm wondering how much (5%, 10%, etc.). There will be 4 of us and we're all in pretty good shape and decent bike handlers. Any guesses? We're just trying to get a gauge on how long we should plan on being on the trail on day 2. Thanks!

[windowace]

I think 5-8 hrs depending moslty on your trail side stopping times.  I can't say what percentage is HAB. Maybe 5-10% it's just that it is split in to little sections.  It is kind of punchy little climbs on loose trail   There are others that know it far better than myself. Canelos are nice, I think you should try and get to the flume trail north of there.

[Eszter]

5-8 sounds reasonable as long as you're not carrying too much stuff. The Canelos are harsh on heavily loaded bikes but not so bad if you don't have much. I'd give it a 15% HAB overall, with the first section having far more than the second.

I'd also put in a vote for riding the sections north of Sonoita for better overall riding.

[AZTtripper]

If what you want to do is ride the whole AZT in stages start at the Border and work them in order. That seems worthy to me. Otherwise yeah Sonoita to South of Tucson somewhere in 3 days make the reservation at K Camp if your feeling flush.

How much you hike in the Canelo's is really rider dependent in some cases, mostly DH cases are skills dependent, and fitness to weight ratio, goes for me and the bike, on the ups. There's always ups that no one will make, but the amount of stuff I chicken out on varied from year to year. 

Tim

[gouacats]

Thanks for the replies...very helpful! We have a vague plan of (eventually) doing the whole thing is stages, but not necessarily in order. I think we're leaning towards an overnighter of about 60 miles on the Sonoita to Tucson portion.