Eastern Collared Lizard — Images by kenne
Eastern Collared Lizard — Images by kenne
Arizona Trail on Horseback — Photo-Artistry by kenne
Recently I spent some time photographing wildflowers in the Molino Basin. One of the trails through the campgrounds is part of the Arizona Trail. When I arrived, there was a horse trailer with three horses and four guys saddling-up the horses. Since I was there to photograph wildflowers, I started hiking the trail. About the time I reach a section of the basin that had experienced a wildfire a couple of years ago, I looked back and so two riders with a packhorse. Of course, I had to take a few photos, and at the first opportunity, I asked how far they were going. They had begun a three-day, two-night ride to a ranch just outside Oracle, Arizona, which was on the northside of the Santa Catalina Mountains. I wished the well and continued photographing wildflowers.
— kenne
Images by kenne
Mariposa Lilies in Molino Basin — Images by kenne
My previous post was a reblogged from April 28, 2013, “Lily of the Desert.” Because of
the pandemic, I haven’t been on the trails in Sabino Canyon and the nearby
mountains. The Forest Service has closed access to parking areas and campgrounds,
but not the trails. One such trail is the Arizona Trail, which winds through the Santa
Catalina Mountains. One place to access the Arizona Trail is in Molino Basin. So,
this morning I headed up the Catalina Highway to the 4000-foot level to photograph
the wildflowers, which are beginning to blooming at this elevation level. Among the
flowers blooming were the mariposa lilies.
— kenne
Mariposa Lily
Mariposa Lily
Utah Couple Riding the Arizona Trail from Utah to Mexico — Images by kenne
Our April 27, 2017, SCVN Friday Hike was trail #39 (Part of the Arizona Trail) out of the Gordon Hirabayashi Camp Grounds to the Sycamore Reservoir. The trail head is near the horse corral where we met a couple from Utah who spent the night at the campgrounds before continuing on the Arizona Trail to Mexico. Now, that’s a real adventure!
— kenne
We’re in such a hurry most of the time we never get much chance to talk.
The result is a kind of endless day-to-day shallowness,
a monotony that leaves a person wondering years later
where all the time went and sorry that it’s all gone.
— Robert Pirsig
Sycamore Canyon Panorama — Image by kenne
Sycamore Canyon Trail — Computer Painting by kenne
Yesterday’s (April 28, 2017) hike from the Gordon Hirabayashi Campgrounds (4,880′ elevation) to the Sycamore Reservoir was the last SCVN Friday hike on our Spring schedule. Eleven people, including three guides, took #39 trail out of the campgrounds to the Sycamore Reservoir, a somewhat out of the way riparian area in the Sycamore Canyon in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness. The trail is 3.25 miles one way with an accumulated gain of 821 feet. The trail is also a segment of the Arizona Trail, providing majestic views, including Thimble Pear and Cathedral Rock.
This is one of my favorite hikes at the mid-level elevation of the Santa Catalina Mountains, so I was pleased to be the lead guide for the eleven hikers, which included three women from Germany.
The SCVN guided hikes will start again in June on Mt. Lemmon.
kenne
Sycamore Canyon Along the Arizona Trail in the Santa Catalina Mountains (October 7, 2016).
The Arizona Trail is a National Scenic Trail covering 800 miles across desert and mountains from Mexico to Utah.
— Panorama by kenne
Images by kenne
The rolling hills north of Oracle, Arizona.
Cowgirls are special and work hard every day
They feed their own horses, and stack their own hay
They know who they are, and where they are from
Their family comes first, but when the chores are all done
We get in the saddle in rain or in shine
It’s not the destination, but the thrill of the ride!
On horseback all our problems just slip away
Just workin’ and playin’ the cowgirl way.
— Kathleen West
Sissy: Well, then, what are the philosophical solutions?
The Chink: Ha ha ho ho and hee hee. That’s for you to find out. I’ll say this much and no more: there’s got to be poetry. And magic. At every level. If civilization is ever going to be anything but a grandiose pratfall, anything more than a can of deodorizer in the shithouse of existence, then statesmen are going to have to concern themselves with magic and poetry. Bankers are going to have to concern themselves with magic and poetry. Time magazine is going to have to write about magic and poetry. Factory workers and housewives are going to have to get their lives entangled in magic and poetry.
Sissy: Do you think such a thing can ever happen?
The Chink: If you understood poetry and magic, you’d know that it doesn’t matter.”
Panorama made from three images, looking south along the eastern rim of The Rincon Mountains
Panorama of the Rincon Mountains made from three images. Each panorama was taken along the Turkey Creek Trail In Happy Valley, East of The Rincon’s. Turkey Creek Trail is a section of The Arizona Trail, east of Tucson. The trail leads into the Saguaro National Park, home of North America’s largest cacti, the giant saguaro. However, as these images show, the rolling hills and canyons of the east-side of the Rincon’s are in stark contrast to the saguaro forest location at the lower elevation of the west-side of the mountains.— Images by kenne
With all my outdoor experiences — hiking, river canoeing/rafting, and camping, none involved backpacking. So, when one of my hiking buddies, Tom Markey, asked if I would be interested in backpacking from Redington Pass to Manning Camp via the Italian Springs Trail, I jump at the possibility. I learned later that this is a hike Tom had talked about for ten years — guess we finally found someone willing to take it on with him — another crazy guy!
Although the road through Redington Pass is a very passable gravel road, Markey was hoping that our mutual friend, Tom truck would be able to take us down a deeply rutted cattle road in his truck, shortening the fifteen-mile hike to Manning Camp by three miles. As it turned out, the truck was not high enough to chance the old cattle road. So, strapping on our thirty-pound backpacks, we set off with Tom in the lead.
Since I was nursing an often injured left angle, I was more than willing for Tom to set the pace. Having hiked with Tom many times, it was not unusual for me to drop off the pace because of stopping to take photos. However, it was generally easy for me to catch up — not this time. As we hiked on, I began to realize that Tom was trying to make up for the time we were losing having to hike the additional three miles.
Not far into the hike, Tom’s pace was slowed by this guy in the middle of the trail — causing a trail detour. This was the first of two diamondbacks we spotted on the trail.
The trail led through several rolling ridges. Here you can see Mica Mountain in the distance (higher point to the left).
After about an hour, we reached the point where the cattle road would have taken us. As the sign indicates, the Italian Springs Trail is part of the Arizona Trail.
After hiking several rolling ridges, we finally reached a point where the elevation allowed us a beautiful view back toward the Catalina Mountains. In the distance to the left is Tucson. Although a wilderness area, we are not all that far from the metropolitan Tucson area. You can get an idea of where we started by looking to the right down to the base of the Catalina Mountains.
As the trail got steeper, it led us into more trees among large boulders. At least the increased elevation was providing cooler temperatures. However, the climb was beginning to take its toll — rest stops were becoming more necessary in the 5% humidity.
Now late in the afternoon and with each slow, calculated step, it was becoming clear that we would not have enough time to make fifteen-mile hike Manning Camp before dark — even on this “supermoon” night.
“What does the trail look like ahead,” Tom would ask? My standard response was, “It keeps going up!” We were beginning to feel pain from muscles we thought we had lost years ago. Our priority had now become one of finding a flat area in which to camp, leaving us four miles short of the goal of reaching Manning Camp. By not reaching Manning camp where water was available, it would be essential for us to conserve our water for the return hike tomorrow.
Finally, we reached an area at the base of Mica Mountain, which provided an open flat space where we could spend the evening. It also offered a great view of the sunset and later in the evening, the rise of the “supermoon.”
Tired and with the sun setting, we decided to pass on preparing a warm meal and begin preparing the campsite. This would also help us conserve water, which was also needed to reduce occasional muscle cramps we had started to experience.
As Tom worked on the campsite, I captured a few sunset photos before assisting him. Cooler temperatures came with the setting sun, but the afternoon winds were to stay with us all night. The next images in this posting would have been of the supermoon rising in the east, but I was too tired to crawl out of the warm sleeping bag into the windy, cold mountain air.
Morning brought a beautiful sunrise over the Rincon Mountains — this image is looking down toward Redington Pass and the Catalinas. Anticipating hot temperatures in the pass by mid-morning, we were eager to pack up the campsite and start down the trail.
Occasionally, we would turn to look back at Mica Mountain — “I can’t believe we did it!”
. . . and again.
With Mica Mountain framed in the background, Pat Markey took this photo of Tom and myself.
Finally, back at the trailhead, Pat was already there waiting — to our delight! She also had some much-needed water for us. We had been nursing what little water we had over the last several miles of our eleven-mile return from Mica Mountain. In our minds, the Italian Springs Trail lived up to its reputation of being the most challenging trail in the Tucson area. Having completed the two-day backpacking hike was plenty of reward for two early seventy-year-old adventurers. However, there were moments when we were convinced that we were crazy to have taken on such a hike this time of year.
Would we do it again? No! One time is plenty!
Was it worth it? Absolutely!
kenne
(Click here to see a slideshow on Flickr.)
View Video Clips From The Hike
(Taken with my Lumix camera — video & audio not as good as with my Canon VIKIA HF10 — at least I didn’t have to censor Tom.)
Arizona Blue Eyes — Image by kenne
This time of year there are not a lot of wildflowers along the Arizona Trail. These flowers of kaleidoscope beauties were gracing our recent hike in the Rincon Mountains at around the 4,000′ level.
kenne
View of The Rincon Mountains from The Arizona Trail, Southeast of Tucson — Image by kenne
Monday of this week some fellow hikers and I hike a segment of the Arizona Trail, north from Hwy 83 and Sahuarita Road. The trail is an 800+ mile recreation trail from Mexico to Utah that connects mountain ranges, canyons, deserts, forests, wilderness areas, historic sites, trail systems, points of interest, communities, and people. Next week we are scheduled to hike south from Hwy 83 and Sahuarita Road.
About the only animals we saw along the trail was a heard of cattle. I didn’t know the name of the cattle, but Paul quickly said, “white faced,” and started singing “Where The White Faced Cattle Roam,” a song originally written by Buddy Williams. The video below is for Paul.
kenne
Images by kenne