Archive for the ‘Recreation’ Tag
In Memory of Margarita Berg — Images by kenne
We never met Margarita Berg. She was diagnosed with cancer about the time we move to Tucson, passing away three months later.
During her last few months, Margarita and David would spend time walking their dog on the trails along the banks of the Tanque Verde Wash
(I originally thought it was the Rillito River.) and used dead tree limbs to create art stations along the many trails in the near-by Tanuri Ridge desert park.
When not hiking the many in southern Arizona, I often walk the trails along the wash, which is how I learned about the trail art
and the memorial David had created in Margareta’s memory. (Click here to read more in an earlier posting on the Memory Tree.)
About a month ago I took my camera with me on a morning walk along the wash. When I came upon the Memory Tree,
fresh flowers had been placed at the base of the tree, causing me to realized that it was near the time of Margarita’s passing away anniversary.
I didn’t see David and his dog. I haven’t seen him for over a year now. I know he still walks his dog near the wash and regularly drops rose pedals at the base of the tree.
kenne
Tanque Verde Wash
Sign On Tree Located Next To Kickback Rock — Images by kenne
The monday morning hiking group recently hiked the trail down into Rose Canyon, on Mt. Lemmon, to Kickback Rock — “Sit Your Ass Down And Kickback.”
kenne
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After the 2003 Aspen Fire much of the burned area was seeded with a mix of native plant species designed to prevent non-native invasive plants from becoming established in areas affected by the fire. The result over the years since is a very thick ground cover that at times make it difficult to follow the trail. (See photo below.) I did some research trying to name the above flower, but will now have to depend on some of my naturalists friends to help name the wildflower. As you can see, it was getting some light through the thick foliage
One of the many trails through the area seeded is the Crystal Springs Trail, which we hiked yesterday. The trail is on the north side of Mount Lemmon, often referred to by Summerheaven residents as the “backside”. There are two ways to reach the trail, one from an intersection of the Butterfly Trail, the other from the Control road, which was named that since it was the only access to Summerhaven before the Santa Catalina Highway was built. We hiked the trail down to a small springs, which like a lot of the area was difficult to find because of all the overgrowth where still some of the giant walnut trees remain.
kenne
Images by kenne
Break time along the Marshall Gulch Trail — Image by kenne (Photo Set)
One of my favorite places to hike on Mt. Lemmon is Marshall Gulch. Several trails are leading
to even more trails. Because part of the area was burned by the 2003 wildfire (Aspen Fire), part of the
area has a lot of aggressive ground cover with plenty of aspen and New Mexico Locus trees.
— kenne
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Images by kenne
As we head into the warmer days of summer, most of the hiking groups start taking to the higher elevations. Today’s hike was a move in the direction of Mt. Lemmon, which is where some of our hiking will be this summer. The Babad Do’ag (Tohono O’odham for “Frog Mountain”) trail off the Catalina Highway is a nice low-mid elevation hike, with quality views of the Tucson valley and the Rincon Mountains at the higher elevations — even on a very windy cool day like today.
kenne
Image by kenne
A hiking we will go, a hiking we will go . . ., yes we are slowly getting in more time hiking. Most of our hiking has been closer to home in the canyons in the southeastern Catalina’s. This time we headed about 30 minutes to the northwest to Oro Valley, just east of Marana. The landscape is just a little different with a lot of boulder debris. Hope you enjoy the approximately two and a half-minute video containing still photos and video clips.
kenne
Canyon Hiking Image by kenne
Joy has been active in a local Welcome Wagon Club. One of their weekly activities is hiking. A couple of weeks ago we went, with six others, hiking in Bear Canyon. This was the second time for us to hike the canyon. Most people hike the canyon up to Seven Falls. The first time we were in the canyon, we started late in the day, so we turned back before reaching Seven Falls, to avoid a return in the dark. This time we started early in the morning.
kenne
joy & kenne — Image by kenne
Joy and I have tried to do more hiking in the mountains near us. Back in January we did an afternoon hike in Bear Canyon on a trial up to Seven Falls. Because of the hour, we didn’t make it to the falls, but did in a later hike, which will be in another posting. We only have to drive for about ten minutes to be at the trail base.
kenne
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