Sun warms the lizard’s back and the humble back of the mountain. A raven croaks from the top of a thermal. The valley oak above the barn, dying a huge branch at a time, stands in calm mortability, content with the warm light that has fed its leaves, the dark waters that have fed its roots, its acorns that have fed the woodpeckers for five hundred rainy seasons.
The SCVN Friday Nature Hike was Aspen Trail, Marshall Gulch Trail loop,
which would provide an opportunity to see the beautiful fall colors on Mt. Lemmon.
The Aspen Trail has a grove of aspens, which I blogged in a previous posting.
After hiking through the aspen grove, I began to get out in front of the nature hikers.
With less fall color on the remaining part of the Aspen Trail I decided to pick-up my pace.
I knew from past experience there would be plenty of fall color on the Marshall Gulch Trail.
I was aware that my buddies, Jim Thompson and Tom Markey, were hiking the trail;
hence, I might be able to catch up with them.
I first began hiking with Jim and Tom nine years ago. They were part of the Monday Morning Milers (MMM),
the first hiking group with which I started hiking.
Most of the MMM were lifetime hikers in southeast Arizona, many of whom were in their 80’s.
Jim recently celebrated his 90th birthday.
While Tom is a youngster like me, he’s 79.
Images by kenne
It seems, as one becomes older, That the past has another pattern, And ceases to be a mere sequence — Or even development: the latter a partial fallacy Encouraged by superficial notions of evolution, Which becomes, in the popular mind, A means of disowning the past. The moments of happiness — not the sense of well-being, Fruition, fulfillment, security or affection, Or even a very good dinner, but the sudden illumination — We had the experience but missed the meaning, And approach to the meaning restores the experience In a different form, beyond any meaning We can assign to happiness.
In June of 2003 for the Aspen Fire destroyed 85,000 acres on Mt. Lemmon,
located in the Santa Catalina Mountains.
Last Friday, we hiked the Aspen Trail,
part of which goes through some of the burned areas.
The aspens were among some of the first vegetation to return,
making these trees now about 15 years old.
Our hike was almost too late in the fall
since many of the aspens have already lost their leaves.
Quaking Aspens On Aspen Trail, Mt. Lemmon — Images by kenne
Swirling leaves, Like erratic wings of butterflies, shimmered, shook, slapped, Simultaneously clapping as we passed.
Grace in the grove, the ticking, whispering clatter of the breeze Passing back and forth between worlds, Spirit and sound merged together.
— from “Riding Through a Grove of Aspens” by Emily Dickinson
Images by kenne (CLICK ON ANY OF THE IMAGES FOR LARGER VIEW IN A SLIDESHOW FORMAT.)
This past Friday (August 29, 2014), the SCVN guided summer hikes on Mt. Lemmon lead its last hike — a 7.5 mile hike on the Sunset, Marshall Gulch and Aspen trails. The fall Friday guided hikes will begin October 3rd.
SCVN Friday Hike on Mt. Lemmon — Images by kenne (Click on any of the images to see slide show.)
Yesterday’s SCVN Friday Hike started at the Ski Valley parking lot where we took the Aspen Draw trail up to the top of the ski runs, then the Mt. Lemmon trail, looping back on the Meadow Trail. Combining these three trails gave us a six-mile hike with an elevation change of 1,200 feet. The hike included a stop of the Lemmon Rock Lookout.
The weather was great, so I was able to get a lot of photos, which I will be sharing, starting with the previous post and some others after this posting.
The SCVN summer hikes on Mt. Lemmon will conclude after the two remaining hikes (August 23 & 30). The SCVN lead hikes are part of our Public Interpretation program, which includes Walks, Hikes, and Demos, designed to help participants learn about and experience the wonders of Sabino Canyon, the Santa Catalina Mountains, and the Sonoran Desert.
After hiking through the aspen grove, I began to get out in front of the nature hikers.
I was aware that my buddies, Jim Thompson and Tom Markey, were hiking the trail;
I first began hiking with Jim and Tom nine years ago. They were part of the Monday Morning Milers (MMM),
Most of the MMM were lifetime hikers in southeast Arizona, many of whom were in their 80’s.
Jim recently celebrated his 90th birthday.
While Tom is a youngster like me, he’s 79.
Images by kenne
Quaking Aspens On Aspen Trail, Mt. Lemmon — Images by kenne
Late Blooming Wildflower On Mt. Lemmon — Image by kenne
Aspen Trail Through New Growth of Aspens since the 2003 Forest Fire (Mt. Lemmon) — Image by kenne
Yesterday’s 
Having a snack at “lunch ledge” just off the Aspen Loop on Mount Lemmon as the clouds begin to build-up.
There wasn’t much time to relax before lightning and thunder began causing us to start moving quickly back to the train head. — Images by kenne
Marine Blue Butterfly — Image by kenne
Becoming is Superior to Being 