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1.START-END WEST:low point on Kinney Rd at jct with Hi Grass Rd 2.profile turns east from Kinney Rd onto Gates Pass Rd 3.TOP, Gates Pass, 3170ft 4.end of Gates Pass Rd. Profile continues on Speedway Blvd 5.START-END EAST:Speedway Blvd crosses Santa Cruz River and its bikepath

Approaches

From West. The Saguaro covered Tuscon Mountains separate Tuscon from the next valley to the west, Avara Valley. The valley floor on the west side is about 300ft higher, than on the east side. Consequently this is the even smaller of two very small approaches. But that does not keep it from having a very short, but very steep top section.

The worst thing about this whole ride is the narrow and cracked surface on Kinney Rd, parallel to the Tuscon Mtns. The Old Tuscon tourist trap is not far off this road. The surface improves drastically after the turnoff onto Gates Pass Rd (Nov 24). There really is only a single, significant large radius turn to most of this approach, followed by a sneaky, snaky, extremely steep finish. Along the way Saguaro cacti and other species spread out like a carpet, weather flat or slanted in all directions. There are curious plant shapes hidden wherever you look. The top is sharp crease in the road downwards.

From East. There is a fairly large parking lot with natural stone structures that look like they were built by the CCC, and short trails in several directions. Rolling down to the unlikely city in the dessert, this must be the most impressive way to enter Tuscon. High income housing usually congregates around national parks, monuments and public attractions. Nothing new here. In this case the road goes through Tuscon Mountain Park, adjoining a portion of Saguaro National Monument. When you combine this with retirement fortunes and wide open dessert land, the resulting housing structures are huge and very ostentatious. Traffic was pretty heavy when I was there. But there is a good shoulder, much smoother pavement than the other side, and not the hint of a rumble strip. With the Catalina Mountains on the picturesque horizon, a few spread out high rises appear on the Tuscon carpet below. The road quickly becomes a fast roller coaster, no matter if you choose Speedway Boulevard, or one of the other feeder roads. The profile ends at a low point along the bikepath next to bikepath on the Santa Cruz River.