Bear Canyon and 7 Falls Hike

Each year, while in Tucson, we have visited Sabino Canyon in the Santa Catalina over in NE section of town.  It is not a park, rather part of the Coronado National Forest.  Thousands flock here each year and it gets real busy with a lot of walkers and hikers in the main part of the canyon where you can see amazing flora and sometimes fauna.

Click on any of the photos to expand and enjoy.

Gazing west into Downtown Tucson at the 2+ mile marker

What really brings us back each year is the smaller canyon to the east of Sabino.  Bear Creek Canyon offers a more rigorous hike of about 700 ft elevation gain over 6 miles round trip from shuttle stop or even further (9+ miles) if you begin and end at Visitor center.  Today we took the shuttle both ways.

Turning around from previous photo you look up the canyon towards our destination

Her:  "gorgeous, simply gorgeous!!"
Him: "Yup"
Her:  "Gorgeous, simply gorgeous!"
Me:   "Yep"
Her: .......... you get the picture.

The destination is 7 falls at upper end of this canyon.  As we approached the canyon end, we could see over to the falls area. Yikes.  Must've been 75 hikers over there.  Talk about a crowd.  Not to worry, I say,  I think they are hiking club and have been there a while which means they will depart soon.

Looking out over 7 Falls

 Sure enough, by the time we arrived at the pools, the clubs were beginning to pack up after their lunch.

Gazing back at the trail in distance.  Resting the feet.
Some people (you know who) took off their shoes and soaked.

 We found a rock near the main pool, leaned back, and snacked on nuts and dried berries (like a bear).

Resting at the Pools

 We actually found someone to take our photo also.

Click on this iPhone Pano of the 7 Falls area to see it in its glory.

I climbed up above our lunch spot to see this falls.

one of the upper falls

 Then looked down on the pools  That is Sraddha in the red next to pool down there.

Can you see Sraddha down there?

A "broom" flower

A few little wildflowers begin to bloom along trail

Narrow trail and geology of the canyon

 As we returned down the canyon we finally realized that, if we really press, we can make it back to the shuttle which runs only once per hour.  So a forced march back was great cardio as we pressed hard.

Stopped briefly to catch this little scene along Bear creek.

Yes we did make the shuttle.  Felt real good.

Birthday Hike in the Superstitions

Today is my birthday.  Woo Hoo.  Not being a big celebrator but knowing that sometimes one has to allow others to celebrate your birthday (wise advice from Hunter Black years ago), I consented to a birthday hike up in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix but conveniently located just above our campsite at Lost Dutchman Mine State Park.

looking up at Superstitions and flatiron from our campsite

We had hike most of the other trails in the area over past week, none of which were particularly hard but they got us in shape.  Today we elected to head up the Siphon Draw trail which ultimately takes you up to the top of Flatiron peak. 2400 ft elevation.



the first section of hike was 2 miles with 1000 ft elevation gain to the basin.  then another mile straight up 1800 more feet.  whew.  We trudged up the draw mid morning passing some early birds who were already coming down while allowing many others to pass us as we were the old farts on the trail.  Didn't really see anyone older than we are. (almost medicare eligible).

at the bottom of the draw.  you can see Flatiron in far distance

The upper reaches of draw opens up into a basin of slick rock, our original destination.  We rested a while and drank water.  We had our hiking poles but did not bring lunch so we had not planned to try the final mile to the Flatiron.  

Still in Basin here

looking out from where we stopped for water

However we did decide to try going a little farther so we headed up the basin slick rock to find a chute of scree.  Hmm.  not very fun here.  Young kids scrambled up and down it.  Some fast some cautiously.  I looked to my left and saw a trail which i followed. OK, this looks possible.  Keep camera in pocket as you need to keep your balance here.

Turns out it circumvents most of the chute so I called back to Sraddha who followed me up a couple hundred feet more. total of perhaps 350 elevation beyond our original goal  Pretty soon we were up at the top of the chute looking out into the valley and campground below.  

THis is far enough.  We went past our original goal but not too far to feel overdoing it.  Bodies take longer to recover.  The path down was treacherous, however we had our hiking poles which saved us several times from slipping and falling.  We did it.  Feeling more confident in our conditioning and abilities we continued down to bottom satisfied of our day.

We stopped here.  good hike for old farts.  We were the oldest on the trail

Pano of where we stopped

Celebrated with some Buttermilk Pie.  (actually the day before but who is counting?)

buttermilk pie

Location:E Mining Camp St,Apache Junction,United States

Hiking amidst the Cactus

We found ourselves the past week north of Tucson at one of our all time favroite campsites in Catalina State Park in middle of Sonoran desert.
We both came down with some sort of virus but managed to go out for daily walks in the area.  Here are a few photos to wet your appetite.  The mountains in the background are the Catalina Mountains rising to heights above 9,000 ft.  the elevation we were at is around 2,700 ft.

We have been busy with life and I haven't posted much. Big news is that i have officially retired and am currently in California to turnover my position as IT Director to someone who is very capable as well as a good friend.  Now can move on to other callings.  At moment to travel.
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- Blessings from the Road

Location:Tucson,United States

What You can Find in the Desert

This morning we hiked up the buckskin mountain trail above the campground to get a better view of the location.  You can see below our campsite which is only about half full of snow birds.  We have been here for about a week or so and will head east to Tucson later in the week.

 The desert here is an intersection between the Mojave and the Sonora deserts.  Thus you see many different species that you might not see if purely in one or the other deserts. Thought I would share some of the more understated yet amazing plants we saw today on our hike

The Teddy Bear Cholla gets its appearance from spine encasing sheaths often referred to as "jumping cactus"  The segmented joints detach easily and latch onto any passerby, human or animal, thus giving it the appearance of "jumping".  I know as I encountered them last year in Tucson where they stuck to my shins and belly one day.  ouch!  Severa desert creatures, including rodents and Big Horn Sheep, depend on cactus fruit and pulp for food and water.

Teddy Bear Cholla Cactus

 One of the most ubiquitous and successful plants in these desert areas is the Creosote bush.  It can clone itself by send up new shoots from its root mass.  This cloning adaptation has led to very long lived plants, some over 10,000 years old!!  Amazing

Creosote Bush

 Palo Verde, in Spanish, means "green stick". The Palo Verde tree adapts to low water desert conditions by bearing few leaves.  Photosynthesis takes place in the green branches and trunk.  QUite a beautiful tree.  Bees find the small yellow flowers attractive and the beans, twigs and pods are edible by wildlife and livestock.

Palo Verde

 The Buckhorn Cholla Cactus grows in cylinder shaped segments which are joineted like linked sausages.  It has no true leaves and photosynthesizes with its green stems.  Wrens love to build their nests in the branches and ants collect nectar from special glands at the joints and on the flower buds

Buckhorn Cholla

 One of my favorite is the cute little Beavertail Cactus, a member of the prickly pear cactus family.  Easliy recognized by the shape of its pads like a beaver tail.  The blue grey color of the pads is due to a thick layer of wax which covers the pad, protecting it from water loss.  The pads also store water and produce flowers.  The fruit is juicy and edible when ripe.  Javelina loves to eat the fleshy insides and we saw evidence of this on several cacti in the walk.

Beavertail Cactus

 An amazing little plant here is the Desert Trumpet, a member of the buckwheat family.  Small yellow flowers and the inflation of hollow leafless stems stand out, although the flowers were absent this time of the year.  The inflations are attributed to minute larvae feeding on the stem.  After leaving its secretion in the stem of the plant, the insect will exit through a small portal.  Dry stems were use by some natives as tobacco pipes

Desert Trumpet

 We saw this Palo Verday and noticed that the green trunk actually comes out of the dead area.  amazing.

This Palo Verde is very old.  the dead limbs are connected to the green live trunks at the base.

 The edge of the Sonoran desert here means our old friend the Saquaro Cactus.  The saquaro starts from a see no bigger than a gnat and can reach 50 feet in height. In order to survive, young Saquaro plants must grow in the shade of a mature plant, known as a "nurse" plant.  Here you can see the Palo Verde nurse plant.
The Saquaro is often known and a "cactus hotel".  Many animals, rodents, lizards, snakes and birds, seek shelter in cavities made in the fleshy sides by woodpeckers and flickers.

Saquaro Cactus

Desert Milkweed was a surprise find. It forms a clump of numerous slender, erect, gray-green stems that arise from a woody base. Historically, various Native Americans throughout its range have used desert milkweed as a medicinal plant. Others have considered it toxic. The Seris used the roots for headaches, toothaches and heart problems. Locally, Pimas used it as both a purgative and an emetic, and to alleviate sore eyes and stomach disorders. Desert milkweed is fit for a queen-a queen butterfly, that is. Typical of milkweeds, this species serves as a nectar source for the adult butterflies, as well as a food source for their caterpillars. The developing larvae will munch on the foliage as well as the buds and flowers. Don't worry-more will develop later! This milkweed also attracts the colorful tarantula hawk wasp.

Desert Milkweed

 Ths smells a little like sage is loved by deer.  surprise.

Arizona Sage

 Brittlebush, a member of the sunflower family, is a short lived, rounded shrub. Its leaves are not only light in color, but also have tiny hairs to further cool the plant and reduce water loss. A sticky resin, secreted from the branches was once chewed by native Americans and used as incense in churches in Baja area.

Brittlebush

Wandering around Catalina State Park

Most of you, Who have followed this blog for some time, already know that Catalina State Park Is one of our favorite camping grounds and destinations in the southwest.



We arrive Saturday amisdt showers and rains having experienced torrential downpours the night before. Cold weather kept us from exploring. So now as the weather warms up, We are really getting out and enjoying the walks.


Yesterday was spent shopping for some items we needed to get along the way, visiting a good friend, and we finally made it back at the end of the day To hike one of our favorite walks or more like a stroll, the Sutherland Trail.


The golden hour Of sunset greeted us as we walked up the stream bed seeing reflections off of the distant Catalina Mountains.


Hiking up the trail to the plateau we were greeted with the sunset and were able to take this picture of us and you can see It is a blissful experience.

Fortunately we had cell service and on the way back on the hike back I was able to do a FaceTime communications with one of my good friends at back home at the Village.

After all this is 2013.

- blessings from the road

Location:N Oracle Rd,Tucson,United States

Feet Don't Fail Me Now!

Note to reader: this post was made back in September 7 while on the Oregon coast, and somehow ended up in my drafts folder until i just found it.  So enjoy and we do love the little "feet".
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September 7, 2012

Last week we bought these cool "FiveFingers" shoes with Vibram soles at REI in Portland.  Several people have recommended them and we were intrigued.  We wear Chaco sandals much of the time in the summer (and Sraddha wears them much of the winter).  I wear Keen sandals and shoes much of the time also.  When hiking, I wear boots of course up in the high sierra mountains, but I get blisters sometimes.

Anyway, we have been wearing these a little around camp for a couple hours at a time. Well, yesterday, we decided to hike in them.  We walked the beach which is really cool and sand is soft.  The Vibram soles have good traction and some firmness, but you can feel the ground, almost like barefoot without the issues of bare feet.  We walked several miles on the beach.  The other day we road our bicycles with them

In the afternoon, we decided to hike in the Sitka Spruce Forest of Oswald West State Park.  Now this is a real trail with rocks and tree trunks and dirt and mud and water.  And it was a 6 mile hike.  As we were walking I kept feeling the earth which was really neat.  We had been warned to break them in so I was a little concerned with overdoing it however, in the end, my legs and feet felt fine.  The last 1/2 mile was a little had since it was mostly gravel and I could "feel it"  but tonight my feet feel fine.  Think  I will give it a rest today as we will be driving many hours south to Newport area.  But will walk in them again on Saturday.

Oh, yes, one other thing I noticed was no back or knee pain from hiking.  Hmm.  Coincidence?

Our feet today!

Reflections on a Bristlecone Pine Forest

If you have ever spent any time in the Eastern High Sierra mountains you have no doubt heard of the White Mountains and the Bristlecone Pine trees.  We make an annual journey to where you can drive to the parking lot at over 11,000 ft elevation.

One of the tree trunks 

It takes a good 2.5 hours driving from Bishop to get to the Patriarch Grove. Winding roads up to the visitor center then another 45 minutes over dirt roads finds you slowly moving through these magnificent trees, the oldest living things on the planet.  The rocks are amazingly white, and vegetation sparse, yet when you look down close to the ground you find an amazing variety of tiny plants and insects.

Amazing wildflowers at 11,100 ft

Majestic and Very Very Old

We hike amongst the trees and go off trail over to another ridge half mile east.  We only saw 5 other people the whole day we were up there.  so close to the sky.  Truly a wonderous place on the planet.

Reflection on Sraddha's sunglasses.  That's me taking picture

More photos to come when I have time to process.

Birding at lower elevations

Today was Sraddha's birthday.  We had planned a reprise of last year's hike through the oak savanna to Fairy Falls near Spenceville, but my sprained ankle prevented us from hiking very far so we strolled up the road about a mile and back then drove down to Graylodge to see if we could spot the Owl's nest.  Success in this matter.  

Click on any of the photos to enlarge and see them better.

About half mile up the trail/road we spotted a pair of Western Bluebirds building a nest in an oak tree.

Western Blue Bird poking out of its nest

A few minutes later, when both bluebirds were out scavenging nest material, a woodpecker arrived with his lunch. 

Acorn Woodpecker with snack

"Hmm.  Nest huh?  This is one which I or my ancestors built.  So I am taking over!" he says.

Bluebird and woodpecker

"Now what do I do?" says the bluebird with nest material in its mouth.  "tough beans" says the woodie.  We didn't stay long enough to see the resolution.

I had hoped to see Lewis's woodpecker up where the road turns into a cow path.  That is where I saw them last year.  Nope.  not there and ankle hurting (remember I sprained it in Zion park a while back).

So we walked back down to the car.  Did I mention it was 90+ degrees out?  I was dragging when we arrived at trailhead.  Hauled the big lens, tripod and camera (30 lbs) on shoulder. (Memo to Kent: find a better way of carrying this gear next time).

We cooled off the car, re-hydrated and drove back down the road.  Finally spotted a Lewis's woodpecker in a tree.  Not the best light but he was still cute.

Lewis's Woodpecker

We headed down into the valley to Graylodge, a wonderful wildlife refuge north of Sierra Buttes to see if we could spot the Owl's nest.  Sraddha had been there last week and knew where it was.  Sure enough we saw it had at least one "Owlet" in it.  This is a little Great Horned Owl which hasn't yet learned to fly and was patiently waiting its parents for feeding.  It was huge but when we trained the scope and camera on it we could see its baby downy-like feathers.

Owlet with downy feathers in its nest high in an oak tree.

After viewing the "Owlet", we walked back to the car, pulled out our folding chairs and picnic dinner in the shade and ate.  We kept our scope and camera out and I got photos of Bullock's Orioles feeding on the grasses across the road.  Most of the photos were not very good due to interference with the reeds, weeds and grasses but I did get this photo.

Bullock's Oriole

Also saw a Kildeer sitting in the shade on the road and couldn't pass up the photo.

Kildeer

All in all, a lot of fun seeing all these interesting birds and celebrating her birthday.