August 2016 – buettner.to blog

August 28, 2016 / 7 Comments

Friday Fitness Hike

Linda, Lisa, Shawn, and I hiked 4.8 miles starting from the Tom’s Thumb Trailhead. Our total elevation gain for the day was nearly 1700 feet.

This is Shawn, Lisa, and Linda at the start of the hike. This photo provides a good view of the ridge – just over their heads in this photo – that we hiked towards, and then past, Tom’s Thumb.

Views from early in the hike…

Light rain over Pinnacle Peak and Troon Mountain. The rain eventually made it over to us. The rain was not especially heavy, but the winds were strong, especially during our hike along the ridge as we approached Tom’s Thumb.

A view of the Rist (at the far right), Tom’s Thumb, and Glass Dome (lower left). Weaver’s Needle is also visible in the distance.

Kevin, Lisa, Shawn, and Linda on the northwest side of Tom’s Thumb:

Shawn, Lisa, and Linda on the south side of Tom’s Thumb. It was very windy here.

Shawn and Linda amid some large boulders near Tom’s Thumb.

Another view of Glass Dome. The Goat Hill climbing area is at the upper left in this photo.

Yest another view of Glass Dome…

Lisa, Linda, and Shawn descend a canyon running below Glass Dome and Gardener’s Wall.

Looking towards Pinnacle Peak and Troon Mountain…

August 23, 2016 / 8 Comments

Friday Fitness Hike

Linda and I hiked a little over eight miles on Friday. Starting from the Wagner Trail, we hiked Wagner, left on Granite, down Bluff to Stoneman Wash, then south on Stoneman Wash. We hiked through the competitive track area, and then returned via Cinch, Pemberton, and Tortoise.

The view shortly before sunrise…

A view of Red Mountain from near the Wagner Trailhead:

Topaz Impression applied to a sunrise photo…

The moon is setting over the McDowells…

A large saguaro in Stoneman Wash:

The remains of a burned tree in Stoneman Wash:

Linda spotted this rattlesnake in Stoneman Wash:

Recent rain has caused the Senna to bloom.

A view of Four Peaks:

Weaver’s Needle and the Flatiron in the distance:

August 14, 2016 / 5 Comments

Friday Fitness Hike

Linda and I hiked out to the mine / petroglyphs and back. Our total distance was only 6.3 miles. I had considered going further since we had a relatively cool morning, but it was still uncomfortable due to higher than normal humidity (for AZ).

August 7, 2016 / 2 Comments

Friday Fitness Hike

Linda, Bob, Mike, and I hiked 8.8 miles starting from the Horse Staging Area. We walked across the park road and then hiked the Long Loop in its entirety.

I took these first two photos prior to sunrise from the parking area:

Partial rainbow:

Cadiente’s Corner:

Four Peaks in the distance:

A view from South Ridge:

We saw this rain shower moving in on the McDowells. We walked through a very light rain perhaps 20 minutes later. Shortly after that, the winds picked up. We were done with our hike by the time a really heavy storm swept through the park.

Barrel cacti (with an ocotillo and saguaro too):

August 1, 2016 / 7 Comments

Friday Fitness Hike

Bob, Mike, and I hiked 7.2 miles starting from the Trailhead Staging Area. Aside from about two miles on the Pemberton Trail, most of our hike was through washes in the area.

Sunrise; I took this photo from the road, shortly after passing the entrance to the Horse Staging Area.