TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Thanksgiving feast may be finished, but in Tucson, many residents spent Friday working off holiday indulgences under clear skies and unseasonably warm temperatures.
With conditions hovering in the mid-70s, hikers flocked to Tumamoc Hill, one of the region’s most popular fitness climbs. “We still got leftovers,” hiker Kai Golden said with a laugh, explaining why he and family members hit the trail the day after the holiday.
His mother, Lee Golden, added that the post-meal workout was deliberate. “That’s why we’re doing it, that’s the challenge,” she said.
Plenty of Tucsonans appeared to share that motivation. “I’m officially ten pounds up,” Kai Golden joked, adding, “Yep too much carbs hahaha.”
The day-after-Thanksgiving rush is common at Tumamoc Hill, a steep, paved route overseen by the University of Arizona and known for its sweeping city views and roughly 700 feet of elevation gain. The hill attracts more than 1,000 hikers on busy days, especially during the cooler months when desert trails become a seasonal escape.
For many locals, Friday’s weather offered the perfect invitation. “It’s the best time to get outside, especially if you’re from here,” hiker Joanna Schneider said. “And in the summer you get locked up inside the whole time, so it’s nice to be outside.”
Some trekked to burn calories. “Gotta work ‘em off, the two meals, lot of extra calories, gotta go and sweat them out,” hiker Milo Rushford said.
Others focused on the reward of reaching the summit. “Don’t quit, that’s probably the number one thing,” Kai Golden said. His father agreed: “Right, don’t quit, because once you get to the top you’re like man, I did that!”
Still, many were drawn more by companionship than cardio. “We live in different towns now, and we’re both from here,” hiker Nicole Davis said. “And so we wanted see each other and catch up, so we went on a hike together.”
Local officials and outdoor groups continue to remind hikers to bring water and sunscreen, even in late fall, as the desert sun remains intense.
From Tumamoc Hill, hikers seemed grateful for the weather, the scenery and the chance to reconnect—one more thing to appreciate after Thanksgiving.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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