It’s the time of year when the Monday hiking group take to the higher elevations — this Monday (Memorial Day) was the Aspen Loop out of Marshall Gulch picnic area on Mount Lemmon. There were eleven of us, Jim leading five in the loop’s clockwise direction and Edi leading the other six in counter-clockwise direction .
The normal snow and rain fall this past winter was below normal, so the trail was very dusty, even in this young aspen grove.
There were very few wildflowers to photograph — this American vetch was an exception.
Jim discussed with us our interest in leaving the trail to bushwack up to Marshall Peak — “Why not?” was our reply.
Parts of the area were destroyed by the Aspen Fire, which burned for about one month in June and July of 2003. Now some nine years later, many of the large trees have begun to fall with fast growing ground cover, such as New Mexico Locust and Aspen taking over much of the once shady area.
In some places the thorny New Mexico Locust had to be cut so we could reach the top of Marshall Peak.
Once reaching the top, Jim found the registry and recorded our names. It was also a time for some equipment repair.
This was one of the views looking toward the Tucson basin area with the Rincon Mountains to the east and the Santa Rita Mountains to the south.
Leaving the top, we bushwacked a more direct route back to the Aspen Loop.
Although shorter, the route was steeper with a lot of fallen dead logs and plenty of thorn-covered brushes. When I took this photo, I didn’t realize I was photographing where I would fall after stepping into a hole between two logs.
At this point, we are not far from the Aspen Loop trail, which can be seen to the left in this photo. With the other half of our Monday hiking group having just passed along the trail, we decided to follow them back to Marshall Gulch.
Finally, we are back on the loop trail.
Marshall Gulch is a popular place this time of year, even more so on this Memorial Day weekend.
The New Mexico Locust are coming into bloom on the mountain.
Jim stops to rest in a chair cut from one of the large logs along the trail.
Back at Marshall Gulch, my bandaged right wist and bloody legs are evidence of my fall (while protecting my Nikon) going down from Marshall Peak.
kenne
