Archive for the ‘Pima Canyon’ Category

Autumn In Pima Canyon   Leave a comment

Autumn In Pima Canyon — Images by kenne

The Santa Catalina Mountains have several canyons assessable from the Tucson basin, such as Pima Canyon.

Morning In The Canyon   Leave a comment

Morning In The Canyon (Pima Canyon) — Image by kenne

Daylight comes earlier

with each passing day

I dress in translucent light

as the fading shadows 

of night slowly move on.

I will leave soon to hike

in a nearby canyon

still, I pause taking time

to read poetry before leaving

preparing my thoughts

to be with nature.

— kenne

The Bighorn Fire Intensifies Over Night   6 comments

Bighorn Fire-Sunset-06-09-20-1-72Late Wednesday, June 10th. Most of the smoke is from upper Pima Canyon, Finger Rock and Mt. Kimball. 

Bighorn Fire-Morning-06-10-20-9-72Around 6:00 am Thursday, June 11th. The smoke has settled in over
the Catalina Mountains and beginning to move down into the Tucson basin.

Bighorn Fire-Morning-06-10-20-10-72The smell from the fire is very noticeable as I leave for my
morning walk in the neighborhood.

Bighorn Fire-Morning-06-10-20-5-72I’m now at the back of Tanuri Ridge as more of the smoke appears
to be leaving the mountains spreading over the Catalina Foothills.
I’m beginning to think I should have warned a facemask.

Bighorn Fire-Morning-06-10-20-6-72Now at the entrance of Tanuri Ridge and you can bearly make out
the mountains.

Bighorn Fire-Morning-06-10-20-7-72I used a Photoshop Dehaze filter on some of these images so in reality,
there was much more smoke and haze.

Bighorn Fire-Morning-06-10-20-8-72Tanuri Drive

Bighorn Fire-Morning-06-10-20-72As I continued my walk, the parts of the fire appeared to be
backtracking to the west.

Bighorn Fire-Morning-06-10-20-2-72There’s very little wind this morning, so a lot of the news smoke
coming from downdrafts through where rain would typically
flow off the mountains.

Bighorn Fire-Morning-06-10-20-3-72A big plum of smoke coming from the Finger Rock area.

Bighorn Fire-Morning-06-10-20-4-72It is now around 8:00 am. 

Bighorn Fire-Morning-06-10-20-11-72It is now around 10:30 am. The fire is now about a mile west of
Pima Canyon trailhead. (Because of my distance from the
mountains, I’m making an educated guess.)

The following copy is from Haidi Chewel, with the National Forest Service.

Bighorn Fire – June 11th, 2020 Morning Update

Pima County Sheriff’s Department issues “SET” notice

Acres: 4,769 Percent Containment: 10%

Start Date: June 5th, 2020 Cause: Lightning

Origin Location: Santa Catalina Mountains

Jurisdiction: Coronado National Forest, including portions of the Pusch Ridge Wilderness

Personnel: 391

Resources: 6 hotshot crews, 3 Type 2 hand crews, 7 Type 3 engines, 1 Type 4 engine, 7 Type 6 engines, 4 Type 1 helicopters, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 2 Type 3 helicopter, 10 water tenders

The Bighorn Fire remained active overnight, with flames being pushed downhill by downslope winds. Temperatures up to 106 degrees today and continued low humidity will increase fire activity. The fire will again be highly visible on the front range of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Crews will work to hold the fire perimeter and continue building fire lines, tying into control features such as roads and rock outcroppings. Additional aerial resources will support the crews on the ground with water and retardant drops.

Over the next several days’ communities can expect to see crews and apparatus working in an around subdivisions in the Catalina Foothills. Members of the public are advised to drive with caution and leave roadways clear for emergency vehicles and equipment to pass.

 

 

 

Bighorn Wildfire In Pima Canyon   4 comments

At first glance, this may look like a volcano erupting.

Bighorn Fire in Pima Canyon-1-72But, it’s the Bighorn Wildfire now having worked it’s way

Bighorn Fire Pima Canyon-2-72into Pima Canyon and the Finger Rock area of the Pusch Ridge Wilderness (June 10, 2020).

Pima Canyon October 2011The Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists lead hikes twice a year on the Pima Canyon Trail to a natural dam (6 miles round trip).
— — Images by kenne

Pima Canyon Trail Hike To The Dam   Leave a comment

Pima Canyon Hike-72.jpgNovember 8, 2019, SCVN hike in Pima Canyon — Images by kenne

Pima Canyon is one of several canyons in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness area
of the Santa Catalina Mountains in northwest Tucson.

Pima Canyon Hike-2-72.jpg

Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists (SCVN) are devoted to helping people of all ages
appreciate the natural wonder of Sabino Canyon and the Coronado National Forest,
managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Pima Canyon Hike-3-72

The SCVN led hike started at 8:30 am with 20 people at the trailhead (2900 feet
elevation) hiking to the lower dam a one-way distance of 3.2 miles (3750 feet elevation). 

Pima Canyon Hike-4-72

Once at the natural dam the hikers took a brief rest and had a snack before returning to the trailhead.

(The SCVN Guides were Kenne Turner, Jeff Orenstein, and Jane Gellman.)

Arizona Sister Butterfly On A Rock   1 comment

Arizona Sister (1 of 1) art blogArizona Sister Butterfly — Photo-Artistry by kenne

Art is much less important than life,
but what a poor life without it.

— Robert Motherwell

Cactus Wren Grunge Art   Leave a comment

Cactus Wren Grunge Art-0297 blogCactus Wren Grunge Art by kenne
Art tries to create
     creates 
many possible futures
     futures
in each moment 
     moments
of existence
     existences
choosing reality
     realities 
from our experience
     experiences.

-- kenne


Hiking Pima Canyon (January 27, 2017)   1 comment

pima-canyon-panorama-blog

Hiking Pima Canyon (January 27, 2017) — Photo Essay by kenne

Rattlesnake Canyon Panorama   1 comment

Rattlesnake_Panorama2 blog IIRattlesnake Canyon Panorama by kenne

Sabino Canyon is not just one canyon, but contains many canyons, one of which is Rattlesnake Canyon.

 

The Big Squeeze   5 comments

Saguaro (1 of 1) blog“The Big Squeeze” — Saguaro Cactus Between Two Boulders Image by kenne

The Big Squeeze

Often looks are deceiving —

Wedged between two boulders

The saguaro has grown

Over several years

protected by the big squeeze.

— kenne

My Sky Islands   2 comments

Wildflowers Goldeneye(1 of 1)Grunge Art blog 2Goldeneye In Pima Canyon — Grunge Art by kenne

My mountains,

Santa Catalina, one

of the Sonoran Desert’s

sky islands, presenting 

a life zone tour

of desert,

grasslands,

oat woodlands,

and pine forest

where climate diversity

is equal to a drive

from Mexico to Canada,

with panorama views

of surrounding Sky Islands —

where less becomes more.

— kenne

Cactus Wren On A Saguaro Blossom In November   5 comments

Cactus Wren (1 of 1) blogCactus Wren On A Saguaro Blossom In November — Image by kenne

Today’s Friday hike was in Pima Canyon. The canyon is a narrow canyon in the western Catalina Mountains. With sunrise coming later in early November and much cooler desert temperatures (39 degrees), the beginning part of the trail was in the warmth of the sun till the canyon walls cast a big shadow on the canyon. As we hiked into the canyon I notict a cactus wren on a saguaro blossom. This is not the time of the year for saguaros to be blooming, but don’t tell this one that. The combination of the cactus wren and the saguaro blossom really got my attention, so even though the sun light angle was not ideal, and the cactus was a good distance away, I had to get a picture or two. 

kenne

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