I hiked 10 miles on Tuesday evening…
I tried and failed (without hiking poles) to hike up a steep, but loose hill behind me. As I was backtracking, I noticed this view…
I think this is a buckhorn cholla blossom:
I got this photo while hiking part of the Long Loop:
Globe Chamomile:
A view of the Superstitions as sunset approached:
Marilyn and I hiked 7.5 miles on Saturday afternoon. We hiked a similar route to that from two weeks earlier, when I had last visited the park. I’ve been trying to pick routes where we won’t see that many people.
MMRP’s hours have changed so that the park closes at 6:00 PM. Signs at the entrance indicate that the gates are closing at that time. In theory, it’s still possible to get out after 6:00 PM, but I’ve not yet put that theory to the test. I’ve been careful to limit the length of my hikes so that I finish before closing.
Poppies in Pemberton / Stoneman Wash:
One of many dead trees in the wash:
New growth on a buckhorn cholla:
This tree is the landmark that I look for as I near the point where the Long Loop crosses the wash. We saw three cyclists on the Long Loop as we approached.
I think this might be miniature woolystar/woolstar. Probably the most I’ve ever seen in one place.
Globemallow:
Lupine – we saw big patches of it as we hike along the Pemberton Trail.
Owl clover; we saw a lot of this flower too, but it seems to be drying out now.
A view from near the former ranch homestead (along the Pemberton):
I think this is either Slender Goldenweed or Spiny Goldenweed, but I don’t know which.
Fairy Duster; we were both very surprised to see this so late in the season.
I think this might be a kingsnake. I took several photos from the side and them moved around to take photos from the front. As I did so, it backed away into the nearby brush.
Marilyn spotted this Lizard on the Technical Loop:
Nine miles on Wednesday night; I somewhat reversed the route that I had been taking and (re)explored some paths that I hadn’t been on in over twenty years.
These photos were from early in the hike. I got slightly lost midway through and got home well after dark.
I hiked a little over seven miles on Tuesday night.
Marilyn and I hiked a little over seven miles through desert near our house.
Owl Clover:
Poppies:
We were on State Trust Land; there’s a lot of junk near the road, but if you are selective about where you look, there’s certainly beauty in the area.
Looking toward the McDowells:
Hedgehog blossoms:
New Mexico Thistle:
I think this is either Spiny Goldenweed or Slender Goldenweed, but I’m not sure which.
Desert Marigold:
I was excited because we got to explore a wash that I hadn’t seen yet.
Chia:
Brittlebush:
Looking toward Four Peaks:
Lupine:
Looking toward the McDowells:
Hedgehog cactus blossom:
A view of Red Mountain:
Cholla blossoms:
Red Mountain and Fountain:
Nearing sunset:
Looking toward Red Mountain as it’s getting dark:
I saw this snake as I finishing my Monday night hike.
Marilyn and I hiked through many washes in McDowell Mountain Regional Park. We also hike a short section of the Pemberton Trail.
Poppies:
Lupine:
Chia:
Brittlebush:
More brittlebush:
Saguaros:
Chuparosa:
Globemallow:
New growth on a buckhorn cholla:
Owl clover:
Owl clover and brittlebush:
Pemberton Pond (which is more of a tank or watering hole):
Looking across the Pemberton Trail after visiting the pond:
Weaver’s Needle and the Flatiron, which are both in the Superstition Wilderness, in the distance:
Interesting erosion along one of the washes:
Hedgehog blossom – the first one I’ve seen this year:
Marilyn, Linda, Heather, Sara, Mike, and I hiked eight miles on the Black Ridge Loop in the Mazatzal Wilderness.
This is the view of old SR 87 at the start of the hike.
Mount Ord had patchy snow!
These might be Goldfields:
Indian Paintbrush:
Marilyn, Heather, Sara, Mike, and Linda – practicing “social distancing” while hiking!
Linda tells me that these pink flowers are in the Evening Primrose family.
Mexican Poppy:
Linda thinks that these yellow flowers are Western Wallflowers.
We think that’s Horseshoe Dam / Reservoir in the distance. (Thanks to Heather for looking this up.)
Small cacti – I don’t know what they are.
Other peaks in the area had a dusting of snow too.
You can see evidence here of the Sunflower Fire. There’s a lot of new growth though…
Brunson Tank – the fullest that I’ve seen it:
We saw these bones as we neared Upper Sheep Creek:
It was a muddy hike; this is Sara’s boot.
We’re on (or near) the Little Saddle Mountain Trail now. The creek / drainage next to the trail had more water in it than I had ever seen before. We had to cross it a number of times. On one occasion, the trail was in the stream; I think we all got our feet wet.
This was near one of the many crossings; it wasn’t the biggest crossing though.
Fleabane:
This sign is at the end of the connector trail coming from the Cross F Trailhead.
Marilyn and I hiked 5.5 miles in MMRP on Sunday. Flowers are blooming here, especially the owl clover.
Fiddleneck:
I don’t know what these are.
Globemallow:
Owl clover:
We saw many large patches of owl clover along the Granite Trail.
Brittlebush; it’s blooming now, but not as much as I expected.
Lupine:
There’s a small patch of brittlebush in this photo of Red Mountain.
More brittlebush in the foreground. Our destination was the boulders near the bottom of the photo.
Brittlebush and chuparosa here…
Poppies along the Bluff Trail. Up until that point, we hadn’t seen many poppies on our hike.
