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: