AZT Day 2 Sunnyside Canyon -> Canelo Hills

I started walking at first light and enjoyed some very cool miles of shade. I passed three border patrol agents who seemed to be on a mission. They greeted us and continued walking. I also passed a flock of turkeys that were some of the biggest I’ve ever seen and had really cool white tail feathers. There was water in Sunnyside Canyon, so I filled 2 liters and kept walking. I got about 5 miles before I felt the first kiss of the sun. I caught up with two northbound hikers, Jason and Diane, from Salt Lake City. They just started a 400 mile section on the AZT and will be out until Thanksgiving. I took a nice long break in Parker Canyon where there was a cool stream and then continued a few more miles for lunch. I walked 13 miles today at noon.

Miller Peak

I took a nice long lunch break, complete with a short nap, and continued the rest of the day. I stopped in the middle of the Canyon and collected 3 liters of water to camp at the top of Canelo Hill. I reached the top and found an absolutely incredible cowboy campsite overlooking the valley between the Miller Peak Wilderness and Canelo Hills. A SOBO walker, AI, passed by. He also planned to stay in this place. I told him I didn’t mind sharing anything, but he continued after we talked for a while.

mike 33.1

The sunset from here was pretty epic. I feel like I can see 100 miles and in all directions. I was surrounded by mosquitoes for about 30 minutes, but luckily, they calmed down when the temperatures dropped a bit. I made dinner and lay down in my sleeping bag looking out over the valley.

Mile 33.1 Epic Cowboy Spot

Statistics

Sunnyside Canyon -> Canelo Hills

GPS miles 20.7

Trail miles 20.0

Accumulated 33.1 miles

Ascent 2766 feet

Descent 3863 feet

This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any products or services you purchase using links in articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price they would otherwise pay, and their purchase helps support The Trek’s ongoing goal of bringing you quality backpacking information and advice. Thank you for your support!

For more information, visit the About page of this site fdsh.