Lower Box Camp Trail in the Santa Catalina Mountains (09/06/19)– Image by kenne
When hiking the Box Camp Trail, the top part of the trail is in the Pine Forest biome,
where the dominant plants are AZ Pine, SW White Pine, Ponderosa Pine, and
occasional Douglas-Fir. This image shows a view of the Tucson basin and the
Santa Rita Mountain to the south, where the Oak Woodland biome takes over (5,000′ – 6,000′).
— kenne
A Fall Lupine On Mt. Lemmon — Image by kenne
Sunlight shines through the shade
Of a mixed-conifer forest canopy
Spotlighting a beautiful lupine
Not commonly seen this time of year.
Hikers begin using their smart-phones
Eager to capture to share with friends
On their social media pages
Minus the beauty of being there.
— kenne
Tim, our lead Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalist guide went over the safety rules for the day’s hike.
A short distance into hiking the Box Camp Trail, we stop to take in one of the many views.
The trail leads us through ferns and tall pines.
This section of the trail is a rolling downhill path continuing through the tall trees.
As the trail continues down the mountainside the pine forest opens to a thick oak growth.
The trail becomes steeper and difficult to follow through the thick overgrowth.
Looking down over the oak overgrowth you can see Sabino Canyon and Thimble Peak.
The Box Canyon Trail leads down to East Fork Trail, which runs into Sabino Canyon Trail.
However, this rock lookout is where we had planned to rest
and have a sneak before starting the hike 2.5
miles back up the mountain, which has an elevation change of 1,200 feet.
Before starting back we realized our tail-guide, Jeff, was not with us.
Long story short, he had taken a wrong turn in the area where the trail had a lot of over growth.
We started back using the radios to communicate with Jeff, which were spotty at best.
Even though having hiked the trail many times, the climb back to the trailhead was a real challenge.
I had to really slow my pace with only Sharon behind me
having taken over for the trail-guide task for Jeff.
We soon caught up with the lead group, only because Tim,
our lead-guide was also having some issues,
so Ellen took over as lead. After resting and with the help of GU energy gel
Tim and I were able to continue on.
(The fact that we happen to be the two oldest hikers on the hike had nothing to do with our struggles.)
Meanwhile, we continued trying to locate Jeff. Before returning back to the trailhead,
with radio contact we were able to determine that Jeff was somewhere back on the trail and okay.
Back at the trailhead we kept waiting and he finally showed up as pictured above.
To say the least, the circumstances made for a very interesting hike. — Images by kenne
Box Camp Trail, June 2016
Because of several physical issues,
I have not been able to hike with my friends since April.
Hope to be back on the trail by the fall. — kenne
Columbine On Box Camp Trail, June 29, 2013 — Image by kenne
There can only be one solution to any problem: a change in attitude and in consciousness.
Santa Catalina Mountains Panorama Views from the Box Camp Trail (June 9, 2017) — Image by kenne
(Click on any image for a larger view in a slideshow format.)
Hiking the Box Camp Trail in the Santa Catalina Mountains (June 9, 2017) — Images by kenne
SCVN Friday Hike (Box Camp Trail, June 10, 2016) — Images by kenne
Box Camp Trail Slideshow — Images by kenne
Forest Panorama by kenne
the Upper Box Camp Trail In The Santa Catalina Mountains — Images by kenne
(Click on any of the images to see a larger view in a slideshow format.)
This past Friday the Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists (SCVN) led hike was down the Box Camp trail for about 2 1/2 miles and back. This trail is one of several connecting trails leading down to the base of Sabino Canyon, and before the highway up to Summerhaven, was the main supply trail to Mt. Lemmon. The Box Camp trailhead is in a thick ponderosa forest at 8,000 feet and our planned hike took us down to a more open oak woodland area providing beautiful vistas of the Tucson basin. Later the fall, some of us are planning to hike the Box Camp trail and connecting trails to the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center (approximately 14 miles).
kenne
Bumblebee On a Thistle — Compositions by kenne
Read more: http://www.photoquotes.com/popularquotes.aspx?tagname=composition#ixzz3iLMo1A00
Mahogany Milkweed — Image by kenne
James Wright
View of Tucson from the Box Camp Trail on Mt. Lemmon (Click here to see more hiking the Box Camp Trail photos.) — Images by kenne
— Ruth Bernhard
SCVN Friday Hike On The Box Camp Trail (06-28-13) — Images by kenne (Click here to see complete set of photos on Flickr)
Next week’s SCVN Friday hike will be on the Wilderness Rocks Trail on Mount Lemmon. I will be leading this hike, so I may not be taking any photos, but you can click here to see a posting on last year’s hike — it’s a great hike!
kenne
Dan Granger photographing columbine on the Box Camp Trail
Not meant to be a Canon ad, but . . .
Golden Columbine — Images by kenne
Unlike “nature walks,” hikes usually don’t allow time to stop and capture the moment — unless one is willing to be left behind, unnerving the guides.
This summer the SCVN hikes on Mount Lemmon have been very dry, dusty experiences minus the color of the usual mountain wildflowers. So, when flowers are spotted, inducing trance-like states, as in the case of columbines in a mountain canyon where a small stream might normally exist, some of us cannot pass up the moment connecting nature with our being in the digital world.
July rains should bring on an ever-changing kaleidoscope of wildflowers. But, for now, we feel the call of the wild to save the season by capturing the moment in a time our culture and technology are becoming more complex, more intricate, and more challenging to control.
— kenne
Macromeria Viridiflora Blossoms On Mt. Lemmon — Images by kenne
kenne
