Teacup to Sugarloaf Summit Trail Preview

Should you hike Teacup Trail to Sugarloaf Summit? What the film settles

Ten minutes of easy trail, then a few minutes of steep rock.

The loop is a walk. From the neighbourhood trailhead the Teacup Trail crosses rock steps and slabs with Coffee Pot Rock ahead, and from 6:00 it is a wide, easy flat with Chimney Rock in view. A stone cairn marks the way across the slabs at 8:50.

Watch for the junction. At 10:15, under the power line, the summit spur leaves the loop. It is easy to miss if you are walking fast; the guide covers navigation and wayfinding.

The spur is the whole rating. From 11:40 the spur climbs stacked rock steps, then loose, rocky switchbacks from 13:05, to the compact summit platform at 15:55. It is short and steep with loose footing rather than a scramble. If the first steps look wrong for someone in your group, the loop alone is a pleasant walk. See difficulty, length and hike time.

A sunset perch. The top faces west and is far quieter than Airport Mesa. On a sunset hike you will come down in twilight, so carry a headlamp. The Sugarloaf guide calls it the sunset alternative to Airport Mesa.

Skip the spur if loose, steep steps are a problem for anyone in your group; the loop on its own is still worth it. Sugarloaf trail guide

What the full film shows, chapter by chapter

Timestamps read from the full 17:09 film. Owners can jump straight to any chapter.

1. 0:00 Sugarloaf trailhead The neighbourhood trailhead and the first dirt trail; about 4,560 ft.
2. 1:45 Teacup Trail: cactus and the first rock steps Prickly pear beside the trail, then flat rock steps (0.1 mi).
3. 3:10 Rock slabs Sloping slabs with Coffee Pot Rock ahead (0.2 mi).
4. 6:00 The open flat Wide, easy walking with Coffee Pot Rock and Chimney Rock in view (0.3 mi, about 4,610 ft).
5. 8:50 Cairn and rock steps A stone cairn marks the way across the slabs (0.4 mi).
6. 10:15 The power line and the summit junction Under the power line, the spur to the summit leaves the loop (0.5 mi, about 4,680 ft).
7. 11:40 The summit spur: steep rock steps The short, steep part — stacked rock steps up the cone (0.6 mi).
8. 13:05 Switchbacks up the cone Loose, rocky turns with the view opening (0.7 mi, about 4,770 ft).
9. 15:55 The summit platform 0.8 mi and 4,908 ft on the overlay: the compact rocky top and the 360-degree view. The film ends here; the way down is not shown.

Not in the film: the way back down the spur, or the rest of the loop.

Planning the real hike? Read the full Teacup Trail to Sugarloaf Summit trail guide for difficulty, parking, permits and route-finding details.