Tag: McDowell Mountain Park (page 33 of 46)

September 22, 2014 / 5 Comments

Friday Photography Hike

None of the fitness hike regulars could make it to last Friday’s hike, so I decided to bring my tripod and my NEX-7 with a heavy lens, a Sigma 18-35 f/1.8 which hasn’t gotten a lot of use (yet). I arrived at the Tom’s Thumb Trailhead early – too early as it turned out because I had to wait about ten minutes for the gate to open. Once I parked, I hustled over to a location near Sven’s Slab that I had scouted for a sunrise shot a bit over a year ago.

It took me a long time to process and finish this sunrise photo. I made several attempts to use Photoshop’s HDR Pro to merge some hand bracketed exposures, but I was not happy with the results. I even gave Photomatix a try, but wasn’t happy with those results either. I finally selected one exposure for the sky and another for the foreground, processed those in Lightroom, and then blended them by hand in Photoshop.

Tom’s Thumb is the prominent pinnacle towards the center of this photo. Morrell’s Wall can be seen in sunlight near the left edge.

I took several photos of the tall “mushroom” rock featured in the sunrise photo. This one is taken from the east side, with the early morning sun on it.

This is Sven’s Slab.

Another shot of the tall mushroom rock and the boulder adjacent to it. Troon Mountain is lit up at the left. The brownish blob below it is the trailhead structure.

This was an interesting shot to process. Due to the fact that I was shooting towards the sun, even though it’s hidden behind one of these rocks, the sky was very bright and the rock in the photo was very dark. Also, I was unable to back up far enough to get the entire height of the mushroom rock in one frame. I took two sets of bracketed exposures, one of the upper part of the rock and an overlapping set for the bottom of the rock. When I shot this, I was careful to lock the exposure and focus prior to taking the shots. I processed each set of bracketed exposures in Photoshop’s HDR Pro, created a 32-bit TIFF file, and then processed that in Lightroom. I sync’d the edits between the image for the top part and the bottom part, so that they would (hopefully) match up. I then had photoshop blend these two pieces as a panorama. The result of the blending was somewhat misshapen, so I fixed it using Photoshop’s free transform tool, which is the first time I’ve used this particular photoshop facility. That left some missing areas of sky and rock along the edges. I tried filling these in with content aware fill. It looked sort of okay if you didn’t look very close, but it looked awful otherwise. I ended up using the clone stamp tool to make those areas look better. At that point, I was finally able to begin my normal editing.

This is a shot looking through the “window” formed between the tall mushroom rock, the adjacent boulder, and the chockstone above. I couldn’t figure out how to use my tripod for this shot, which is a shame, because it would have been a good candidate for focus stacking. Note that there’s a section of granite at the bottom right that’s not in focus. Likewise for the sky and mountains in the distance. Had I been able to use my tripod, I could have taken a shot to get the foreground section in focus and another to get the background in focus. These could have then been blended to produce one image that’s entirely in focus. That would have been interesting because I built this shot out of bracketed exposures as well.

I think that Amy Burnett once told me what these purple flowers are, but I’ve forgotten. It doesn’t seem to be in my wildflower book for the McDowells either. They were fairly low to the ground and somewhat less saturated than shown in this photo.

I think this is a large Goldeneye bush.

Another view of Morrell’s Wall, about a third of the way over from the left edge of the photo. The large slab in the foreground is the Girlie Man Area. There are at least seven easy to moderate routes on that slab ranging in difficulty from 5.2 to 5.9+.

This boulder pile is in Mesquite Canyon, not far from the Girlie Man Area.

Morrell’s Wall looks much more impressive from this angle. I took this photo from the junction of the Feldspar Trail and the climber’s access trail that eventually leads to Morrell’s Wall.

Another view of the dead tree in the photo above, this time looking east towards the Morrell Wall Parking Lot Area. (At one time, there was nearby parking.)

I encountered a rattlesnake as I turned to continue up the Feldspar Trail after taking the above shots. It rattled a lot for a moment and then slithered a short ways, stopping just short of a nearby bush. It felt like I had my camera three feet away from the snake in this photo, but it was probably at least four. The snake was very obliging in that it waited and gave me time to dig a different camera (with longer effective focal lengths) out of my pack.

I used my Nex-7 (and Sigma lens) at 35mm to get this shot just before I continued on…

Two more views from the Feldspar Trail:

September 15, 2014 / 0 Comments

Spider and Tortoises on the Tech Loop

Photos from Monday morning’s hike of the Tech Loop in McDowell Mountain Park…

I saw a large spider web with a medium size spider between the arms of an ocotillo. The spider has plenty to eat. Even though there are a lot of bugs in the web, there were still plenty out to bother me as I hiked.

I came across this young tortoise in the “Dan’s Delight” portion of the Tech Loop. It was moving surprisingly fast. I didn’t get much time to get a shot before it hid in a bush.

Perhaps 200 yards later, I came across a larger tortoise, perhaps the young one’s mother.

September 13, 2014 / 3 Comments

Friday Fitness Hike

Lisa, Linda, Ranger Amy, and I hiked the Scenic Trail on Friday. When we reached the Cinch Trail, Linda and I branched off to get in 8 miles for the day.

I arrived early again to take some sunrise photos. This one was just before sunrise. I used Topaz ReStyle on this first one.

Sunrise from the Hilltop Trail:

Hiking into the sun on the Scenic Trail.

Looking towards Four Peaks once we had gained the ridge of the Scenic Trail:

This is the petroglyph rock on the Scenic Trail.

Red Mountain, framed by saguaros:

Descending the big hill on the Scenic Trail:

Lisa, Amy, and Linda:

Saguaros along Shallmo Wash:

Linda spotted this tortoise on the Tech Loop. I had walked right by it thinking it was a rock.

Me and the tortoise:

A view from near the top of the big hill on the Tech Loop:

Linda descending the hill on the other side. There’s a sizable rut just behind her. I used to use that line when riding my bike down this hill.

Another tire grabbing rut just a bit further on. As I recall, this is just before the tunnel.

A saguaro in Stoneman Wash. I used Topaz B&W Effects on this one.

September 7, 2014 / 4 Comments

Friday Fitness Hike

Friday’s hike started at the Wagner Trailhead. Ranger Amy (Roberts), Allen, Janet, and I hiked the Tortoise Trail to the Pemberton. We then took the Pemberton over to Stoneman Wash and hiked up Stoneman Wash to the Bluff Trail. Amy left us at that point and returned via the Bluff, Granite, and Wagner Trails. Allen, Janet, and I continued up the wash paralleling the Bluff Trail. That eventually intersected with the Granite Trail which we took back to Wagner and then back to the trailhead.

I arrived at the trailhead early to take some sunrise photos. I blended two exposures for this photo. It worked out surprisingly well even though I had to manually set the exposure compensation between shots – without the aid of a tripod to keep the camera in the same location for each exposure. (The Sony RX100 II has limited bracketing capabilities.) We visited the old car on our way up Stoneman Wash.

Ranger Amy posed for this shot in the car.

A small hill along Stoneman Wash:

Another hill. This one offered some welcome shade…

Saguaros on a bank of Stoneman Wash:

Another view from Stoneman Wash:

Palo Verde seed pods:

Senna:

We encountered this rattlesnake shortly after turning onto the wash paralleling the Bluff Trail. It was asleep when we found it. I almost stepped on it. After a time, it became aware of me snapping photos. It slithered off to a nearby bush where it hid from us.

We saw this large white flower in the wash. Linda and Susan have identified it as Datura. It is poisonous, but has hallucinogenic properties.

We saw a flowering bush in the wash too.

We saw a large rabbit just off the Granite Trail.

I composited several exposures to show the rabbit scampering off.

A view of the Granite Trail, somewhat before turning off onto Wagner:

September 2, 2014 / 0 Comments

Gooseneck / Delsie Trails

On Monday, Marilyn and I hiked from the Fraesfield Trailhead in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve to the Wagner Trailhead in McDowell Mountain Park, for a total distance of about nine miles. The (new) Gooseneck Trail connects Fraesfield Trailhead with McDowell Mountain Park at Granite Tank.

Shortly after starting our hike, we encountered this view from the Gooseneck Trail:

We saw a metal tank low on the side of a hill as we hiked westward on the Gooseneck Trail.

After crossing to the south side of Dynamite Blvd, we saw a number of small rock outcroppings near the trail.

20140901-DSC06128-Edit-medium We encountered a water filled tank as we proceeded further south.

Two views as we neared the boundary with McDowell Mountain Park:

A view from the Delsie Trail:

August 31, 2014 / 3 Comments

Friday Fitness Hike

Linda, Bob, and I hiked 9.5 miles on Friday starting from the Tom’s Thumb Trailhead. We took the shortest route using the following trails (in order): Tom’s Thumb Trail, East End Trail, Windmill Trail, Coachwhip Trail, Pemberton Trail, Boulder Trail, and Marcus Landslide Trail. Roughly half of our hike was in the Preserve; the rest was in McDowell Mountain Park. Our total accumulated ascent for this hike was a bit over 1,700 feet.

The rising sun created an interesting glow on one of the slopes as we started our hike.

Tom’s Thumb and the upper ridge to the north had a similar glow.

As the sun got slightly higher, we noticed the landscape behind us turning a brilliant yellow. It didn’t last long, however. When we looked a few minutes later, from somewhat higher on the trail, it was mostly gone.

Glass Dome on the left and Tom’s Thumb on the right, both in the sun.

Approaching the East End Trail:

Another shot of Glass Dome and Tom’s Thumb:

Views from the upper part of the East End Trail:

I think these flowers might be Phacelia. We saw some Globemallow flowers too, but my photos of those weren’t in focus.

A view from further down the East End Trail:

Thompson Peak as seen from the lower portion of the East End Trail.

A view from the Windmill Trail. There is a nearby windmill which is off to the right, but not visible in this photo.

Senna flowers on the Coachwhip Trail:

We saw two rattlesnakes on the Coachwhip Trail. This was the second of the two. In both cases, we didn’t see them until Bob was right on top of them. I think I might have stepped on the first one, riling it up which, in turn, gave Bob a few moments of excitement. I’ve adjusted the contrast in this photo, making it much easier to see here than it was in real life.

Here’s another photo of that snake, showing how difficult it is to see them.

A view of some saguaros from further along the Coachwhip Trail.

The remains of a saguaro on the Coachwhip Trail:

An old, overturned car near the Boulder Trail:

Fallen pieces of cholla near the trail leading to the leaning mushroom rocks (on the Marcus Landslide Trail):

I think the prominent pinnacle in the foreground of the picture below is Noah’s Ark, which is part of the Granite Ballroom climbing area. According to both Waugh’s and Opland’s books, there’s a 5.7 (Beam Me Up Scotty) on the back side and a 5.9 (Wattle ‘n Daub) on the front side. We’re viewing it from the side, so the 5.9 is on the left and the 5.7 is on the right. Opland’s book, which is newer, also lists a 5.10 TR. Bob and I are thinking about climbing this pinnacle. Linda said she’d carry the rope.

Hog Heaven and the Thumbnail Pinnacle can be seen on the ridge in the distance. We had considered going there for this hike, but decided to leave it for a day when Allen and Janet could join us.

This is a view of the Sven Slab Climbing area.

August 25, 2014 / 0 Comments

Lousley Hill / Hilltop Trail Views

I did a couple of laps on Lousley Hill late in the day on Monday…

As I was driving back at around sunset, I stopped off at the Hilltop Trail to get this shot:

August 23, 2014 / 6 Comments

Friday Fitness Hike

Friday’s hike started from the Four Peaks (Horse) Staging Area. Janet, Linda, and I crossed the main park road and then hiked a service road from the parking area for the competitive tracks to the Pemberton Trail. We then hiked Pemberton to Shallmo Wash and returned to the Horse Staging Area via the wash. Total hike distance was 7.6 miles.

Sunrise – this was taken from the parking lot.

Another early morning photo taken from the parking area:

These shots were taken early on from the service road.

Red Mountain, framed by a saguaro and some ocotillo plants:

Despite taking bracketed exposures (of only +/- 0.7EV), the sky ended up being blown out in this photo of Janet and Linda. I decided that I kind of liked it anyway. Somewhere around this point, I had also inadvertently put the camera in shutter priority mode; as a consequence, all of the exposures were taken at 1/2000sec, which led to the camera selecting larger apertures (for a shallower depth of field) and higher ISO values (which results in more noise). I didn’t notice that this happened until we were almost done with the Pemberton.

This photo was taken at the junction of the service road and the Pemberton Trail.

A view of one of the clay pits along the Pemberton. I’ve been told that clay was once mined here to determine its suitability for use in making pipe. Clay in this area might have been extensively mined were it not for the invention of PVC pipe.

A tank, which presumably once held water, near the former site of the ranch house.

A toppled windmill, also located near the site where the ranch house once was:

I stitched together four exposures to form this panorama of the “pond”. This is where wildlife in the area get their water.

These cut ocotillo branches and gate have been placed to match an old photo of the entrance to the homestead displayed on a nearby sign.

A dead tree along the Pemberton Trail:

I don’t hike Shallmo wash very often. The sand is usually very loose, but water from recent storms made the surface very firm for Friday’s hike.

Linda and Janet in Shallmo Wash:

More photos of Shallmo wash…

August 16, 2014 / 3 Comments

Friday Fitness Hike

Bob and I hiked 6.25 miles starting from the Trailhead Staging Area last Friday.

I took this photo from midway up the Hilltop Trail just moments before sunrise.

A view looking down the Hilltop Trail. The trail leads back to the Trailhead Staging Area, which is a large parking lot complete with bathroom and showers. The early morning light gave the McDowells a magenta glow.
Other early morning photos, taken shortly after the hike began…