Recent storms on the mountain downed this old ponderosa or Arizona pine (not sure which, if either). Image by kenne
Last Friday, we were hiking with the Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists (SCVN) from Marshall Gulch up to Marshall Saddle on to Wilderness Rocks. This particular hike took place after an early morning shower, with temps in the upper 50’s. The high humidity made it feel like we were hiking in the great northwest, not in southeast Arizona just 45 minutes north of Tucson. Recent rains have given life to the mountain streams and brought on many beautiful wildflowers — a great place for naturalists. This time of year, the mountain provides a great hiking escape from the summer desert.
Last friday, lead my naturalist Edi Moore, we started our hike from Palisades on Mt. Lemmon. We hike to the top of the trail, turning right to Incinerator Ridge. (The overlook was where Summerhaven dumped their garbage years ago.) We again turned right at Leopold Point or as some call it Peck Basin Overlook and hiked to Barnum Rock. The hike provided many picturesque views of the San Pedro Valley below.
The weather was great, providing plenty of photo opts. (Click on Photo Set above to see a slideshow.)
This area on Mt. Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains received forest damage from the 2003 Alpine wildfire. The natural process for rebuilding the forest is being claim by more aggressive growth plant, which offer a nurturing base for the future forest.
I share the following poem from the blog, “Lyric’s Place” with this image. Readers are encouraged to visit this quality poetry site and share it with their friends. — http://lyricsplace.wordpress.com/ Poets around the globe are using Internet blogging to share their poetry with much success and site views are on the increase because of networking.
staring at a grassy knoll speckled with young trees, i sit. sun beating down upon me as birds shriek, cry, sing, swoop. squirrels scurry through the wild grass, carefully pulling strands apart in search of food.
my eyes see this. my mind processes this. but my heart. oh my heart. my heart struggles like the cardinals forever fighting at the bottom of this grassy knoll.
an owl calls from the next cluster of trees. the “hoo hoo” only brings tears to my eyes and a weight to my chest as i think only to answer with “you you.”
fresh air surrounds me yet i cannot partake. unable to smile, unable to move, so i sit. in the midst of paradise,
aching for one more word one more echo of your voice, vestiges i know i must let go but things with which my shattered heart has sewn itself shut.
you found the hidden passages of my heart, hidden passages long ago abandoned. lit them with your torch, now they still shine brightly. the entrance crumbled without warning, but the heat emanating from within rivals that of the sun. it burns within my chest. tears will not extinguish the flames burning inside. neither does inducing an anaerobic state.
with a burning chest, a lost mind, and a body yearning for your touch, i sit, in the midst of paradise, alone. with vestiges of love now trapped forever behind a landslide of molten rocks.
Gathering outside the Mount Lemmon Community Center for a hike up Turkey Run & other roads on Mount Lemmon — Image by kenne
An article in Saturday’s Arizona Daily Star began, “Hikers — barred from their favorite high mountain trails because of extreme fire danger — are not about to pull off their boots and backpacks and stay home.”
It’s all about finding alternatives, which is exactly what the groups I hike with have done. Twice a week, we carpool the 25-plus miles to Summerhaven on Mount Lemmon to hike/walk the non-national forest roads on the mountaintop. Although not as secluded and adventurous as the trails, there’s still plenty to see with the help of experienced hikers and naturalist in our groups.
Yesterday we hiked up Turkey Run, starting at the intersection of Turkey Run and Sabino Canyon Park, to other roads nearing the top of the ski-lift area. The following video is of still shots I took. You can also see the individual photos by clicking here.
Summer hiking has now become a matter of “taking it to the streets,” the Summerhaven streets, that is. Since the Coronado National Forest is closed till we start getting rain, some of us are driving to Summerhaven on Mt. Lemmon and walking the streets of this mountain community. We arrive on the mountain about 7:45 a.m., with temps in the low 60’s, returning to 100 degree temps in Tucson around 11:00 a.m. Not a bad life!
Before the 2003 wildfire, Summerhaven was a community of over 450 homes and businesses. The fire destroyed over 300 homes/businesses. Since then, about a quarter of the homes have been rebuilt. Like the return of the forest, rebuilding has been a slow process. Still, there is much to see just by walking the streets, plus walking the two miles up to Ski Valley. Click here to see a Flickr photo set.
Recent storms on the mountain downed this old ponderosa or Arizona pine (not sure which, if either). Image by kenne
