Tarantula on Bug Springs Trail (November 13, 2020) — Image by kenne
I spotted the young tarantula while hiking the Bug Springs trail last Friday
in the Santa Catalina Mountains. The trail’s elevation is between 5,000/6,000′
elevation as we continue hiking at lower levels of the Santa Catalina Mountains.
— kenne
Bug Springs Trail B&W Photo by kenne
The lower part of this Bug Springs trail in Santa Catalina Mountains trail was
destroyed by a wildfire in the early 2000s. In the years since then, the ground cover
has returned now, providing a carpet at the feet of the few remaining burnt trees.
— kenne
Tucson Basin As Viewed From The Bug Springs Trail In The Santa Catalina Mountains — Image by kenne
— kenne
Hiking The Lower Bug Springs Trail — Panorama by kenne
This morning we hiked the lower Bug Springs trail, which takes you through the 2002 Bullock Fire area. This rugged mountainous terrain still shows remnants of the fire sixteen years ago. The Bug Springs trail is favorited by mountain bikes leaving it with a lot of loose rocks and ruts, sometimes making it difficult for hikers.
— kenne
Turtle Rock Near Bug Springs Trail In The Santa Catalina Mountains — Digital Mixed Art by kenne
Bug Springs Trail Landscape — Black & White Image by kenne
Silent knowledge —
the spirit is enlightened of itself.
Contemplate the void:
this world exceeds stillness.
— from Riprap and Cold Mountain Poems, by Gary Snyder
Yesterday’s Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists Friday hike was the Bug Springs trail. Six years ago Joy and hiked this trail with the “Monday Morning Milers.” During the hike, Joy’s hiking shoes began to hurt her feet, so Edi Moore and I kept a slower pace with her.
Near the end of the hike, there’s a fork in the trail. At the time there was not a trail marker. When Edi and I reached the fork, we didn’t realize Joy had fallen back and therefore would not see which way we turned. As fate would have it, she turned left toward the toward Sycamore Reservoir.
We didn’t realize that Joy was not behind us till we got to the Bug Springs parking lot, then I turned back to get her. To say the least, Joy was pissed. “How could you go off and leave me?” she said. To this day Joy has not hike again with me. She will never let me forgot that I had gone off and left her. A lesson learned but not forgiven. The above image is for Joy — Love you!
— kenne
Hiking Bug Springs Trail, April 14, 2017 — Images by kenne
(Click on any of tiled images for a larger view in a slideshow format.)
“Wrongturn” Turner
Catalina Highway Panorama (April 14, 2017) — View from the Bug Springs Trail by kenne
As the desert spring days begin to become too warm for hiking the foothill canyons, we have begun hiking the trails along the Catalina Highway at the 5,000-6,000 foot level. The Bug Springs trail has an accumulated gain of 1,500 feet. (I merged three photos in Photoshop to create the above panorama.)
— kenne
— John Muir
As the lead guide for yesterday’s SCVN Friday hike on the Bug Springs trail, I didn’t take my D800 Nikon, instead I took some photos along the way with my iPhone. This 4.4 mile hike requires us to settle cars from the trailhead to the Green Mountain trailhead, both located along the Catalina Highway. Since the hike has a 1,300 foot change in elevation, we began our hike at the Green Mountain trailhead in the vicinity of Middle Bear campground and picnic area. Hiking the trail in reverse does provide a challenging 400 foot elevation in about 1/3 mile to the highest point on the trail, 6,279 feet.
kenne
(Click on any of the images for a larger view in a slideshow format.)
iPhone Images by kenne (October 14, 2016)
Panorama View Toward Catalina Highway from Bug Springs Trail Ridgetop– Image by kenne
Bug Springs
Manzanita, español for “little apple” — Image by kenne
— kenne
One of the many inspiring views from the Bug Springs trail. — Image by kenne
Images by kenne
Slideshow of Monday Morning Milers Hiking The Bug Springs Trail (Elevation — 5,000 to 6,500 ft) — Images by kenne
“Protected By The Rock” Goodding Verbena — Image by kenne
Stood there boldly
Sweatin’ in the sun
Felt like a million
Felt like number one
The height of summer
I’d never felt that strong
Like a rock
— by Bob Seger from the song, “Like A Rock”
Views along the lower third of Bug Springs Trail Near Catalina Highway. — Images by kenne
This area experience a wildfire several years ago. Signs still stand as grass and other desert plants slowly take hold. This time of year everything is dry and windy. There will probably not be any rain between now and the summer monsoon, which normally begins in July. Hopeful, this area will not experience another wildfire.
May your trails be crooked,
winding,
lonesome,
dangerous,
leading to the most amazing view.
May your mountains rise into
and above the clouds.
— Edward Abbey
Bug Springs Trail Panoramic View Toward The Higher Elevation Segment Of Catalina Highway — Image by kenne
Manzanita Tree — Images by kenne
Manzanita tree, oh so sweet!
Glued to bluffs hard to beat
Hanging out in the sun
Centuries pass having fun.
Twist and turn
You make knots to churn
Slow to grow
Time makes you glow!
Manzanita branches such a treat!
A shrub so stout quite the feat,
You weather time with fine design
Always looking just so divine!
Skeleton branches gray on the outside
But what a delight to find what’s inside
Manzanita, you transform wood oh so red!
Manzanita, you do turn heads!
Rich in gifts
With flowers and leaves
You make honey and potions
Or wedding stands and notions.
Treasures in wood so rich and red
Working with you, I never dread!
You finish so smooth
I think I’ll never move.
by Ron Bazar
The manzanita plant is one of my favorite desert plants because of its unusual color and shape with branches are dark red-mahogany color, intertwined with gray dead sections. In the Catalina mountains, the manzanitas are primarily found between 5,000-6,500 feet. This time of year, the manzanita plants are in bloom along the Bug Springs trail.
kenne
Edi Moore on The Bug Springs Trail in the Santa Catalina Mountains. — Image by kenne
This is a SCVN hike in which I assisted. One more hike is scheduled in the upper elevations before starting the fall hikes in Sabino Canyon. The temperature was in the low forties and we were only at the 6,000 foot level — Nice!
Images by kenne
Bug Springs is eternal in the hikers breast;
he never Is, but always To be blessed:
the soul, uneasy and without meaning,
rests and expatiates in the trail ahead.
— with apologies to Alexander Pope, “Hope Springs Eternal”
Becoming is Superior to Being 