Rose Canyon Lake in the Santa Catalina Mountains is the only lake in the mountain, located about 25 miles from Tucson, Arizona. The lake is only seven acres, but is surrounded by cabins and campgrounds in the mountain forest. Images by kenne
“Buckets of rain
Buckets of tears
Got all them buckets comin’ out of my ears
Buckets of moonbeams in my hand
I got all the love, honey baby
You can stand
I been meek
And hard like an oak
I seen pretty people disappear like smoke
Friends will arrive, friends will disappear
If you want me, honey baby
I’ll be here …”
— Bob Dylan, “Buckets of Rain”
The Monday Morning Milers hiking group had scheduled to hike upper Butterfly trail to Novio Falls, which I had done Friday with the SCVN group. I like this trail because it is both a beautiful and challenging hike. It was a sunny morning on the mountain when we arrived at the trailhead. The faster hikers had already started down the trail, so I set out to catchup with them and was making pretty good time till I started stopping to take photos. I was trying to take advantage of the sunlight we didn’t have on the Friday hike.
Before leaving the parking lot to car-pool up Catalina Highway, some of the hikers indicated they would only be hiking to the Crystal Spring trail. But, when I reached the Crystal Springs cutoff, no one was there. Not seeing them on the trail, I assumed they had continued on to Novio Falls. As I got closer to Novio Falls (The area to the right of the big rock in the above image.) I could see clouds beginning to cover the higher elevations.
When I got to the falls no one was there, so I decided to continue to where a F-86 airplane had crashed in 1957. Once I got there, the rain began, so after taking a few photos, I started back toward the falls when I met a couple sitting under a large ponderosa pine. There didn’t have rain gear, but the tree was keeping them dry, at least for a while. (Unlike my earlier hikes in the rain, there was no lightning.) As I left them behind the rain began to come down heavier.
This is when I learned that my wind-breaker was not waterproof. I had already placed my camera in a plastic bag, but unlike my previous hikes in the rain, I decided to remove it now and then to capture some rainy images. Since the rain was still pretty heavy, I tried keeping as much of the bag over the camera after removing it in order to still keep it as dry a possible — then back in the bag.
The higher elevation in this view shows the direction in which I was headed returning to the upper Butterfly trailhead. I wasn’t sure how the images were turning out, since I wasn’t taking the time to view them, nor check how much rain was on the lens.
As I got further down the trail from the falls, I turned around and took this image toward where I had been.
As you can see in this image, see the clouds were beginning to break up over one of the last ridges I would be hiking to the trailhead.
At this point in my return the rain began to diminish.
This image is a view not far from the trailhead. The rain was now a sprinkle as the clouds continue to break up.
Remember I mention that we carpooled up the mountain, so those in my carpool had to wait for me — at least I was hoping they would. Based on where the others had turned around on the trail, and the distance I had gone, they had to wait one hour — man, did I blow it! I was very apologetic and pleased that they had not reported my failure to return after an hour to the Forest Service.
As we rode down the mountain they shared the various scenarios discussed while waiting, if I had not returned in more than an hour. They knew I’m a capable hiker, but . . .!
With all the rain I’ve experienced this month, while hiking on Mount Lemmon, I decided to start this blog posting with the lyrics of Bob Dylan’s song, “Buckets of Rain” and included a YouTube video for those of you interested in listening to this Dylan song — with buckets of moonbeams in your hand.
— kenne
Monday Morning Milers Hiking Mount Bigelow In The Santa Catalina Mountains — Images by kenne
Golden Columbine
Golden Columbine
Santa Catalina Indian Paintbrush
Not Sure?
Penstemon
Macromeria
Cow Parsnip
Curly Cup Gumweed
Mount Lemmon Wildflowers Before The Summer Rains (Early In The Season, They Are There If You Look Hard.) — Images by kenne
Parts of This Area Was Burned By the 2003 Aspen Wildfire — Images by kenne
Edi Moore guided us to a couple of Macdougal’s Nipple Cactus in Molino Basin last Monday while hiking the area. These two are only about 4″ high and somewhat concealed by other plants and desert debris. This sighting was my first.
The blossoms had not yet opened on one plant, but should soon follow the other with beautiful greenish-yellow blossoms.
Although not that common, they are native to the desert’s higher elevations and are a protected plant. — Images by kenne
Italian Springs Trail In Reddington Pass Grasslands— Image by kenne
— kenne
Trail Near The Top Of Wasson Peak Overlooking The Tucson Basin
Sweetwater Trail
Monday Morning Milers At The Top Of Wasson Peak — Images by kenne
Kenne with His Hiking Friends Tom and Kristin, January 7, 2013 — Images taken with kenne’s D800
On the 7th of January the Monday Morning Milers hiked the Alamo Springs Trail, returning on the Wild Burro Trail near the Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain in the Tortolita Mountains. The Golf Club at Dove Mountain is host to the Accenture Match Play Championship this February. The view I prefer of the golf course is from the Alamo Springs Trail.
This Friday I will again be hiking Alamo Springs, assisting in the weekly Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists hikes.
kenne
View from Alamo Spring Trail capturing some of Dove Mountain Golf’s Club 27 holes — Image by kenne
Images by kenne (Click here to see a slideshow of photos taken on this hike.)
This past Monday, the Monday Morning Milers hiked the Starr Pass Trail in the Tucson Mountains. The trail head is located near the JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort.
Happy Holidays, Milers!
kenne
Image by kenne
Bunkhouse Windows — Images by kenne
Hidden
Under a thick mesquite bosque,
A barbwire fence
Separates
The historic Juan Bautista de Anza trail
From an old
Abandoned building,
Whose cracked adobe walls
And collapsing roof
Provide sunlight and shadow
Through yawning windows
On individual items
Of cowboys past —
Enduring whispers
From a permanent
Desert breeze
Bearing celebratory voices
After a hard day’s ride.
kenne
