Dan and I hiked a 10 mile loop starting from Tom’s Thumb Trailhead. We hiked the ridge past Tom’s Thumb and then down East End Trail, returning on Windmill, Pemberton, Boulder, and Marcus Landslide.
Early morning views from the parking lot…
…and early on Tom’s Thumb Trail:
Linda and I hiked 8.5 miles on Friday, the 23rd. We started from the Trailhead Staging Area and hiked some washes early in our hike. We finished on the Tonto Tank and Pemberton trails.
Red Mountain in the distance; we’re on the Pemberton, about to drop into Stoneman Wash at this point.
Clay mounds near Stoneman Wash:
We often see owls in this area, but we didn’t see any until after crossing the Pemberton later on.
Chia:
Mule deer horn:
I think this is a hawk…
We were both surprised to see these Senna flowers along the Tonto Tank Trail. We’ve gotten so little recent rain that I would have expected to see them in or near a wash, if at all.
Chris and Dan joined me for an 8 mile hike on Friday, the 16th. This was their first hike in the area, so we visited Dixie Mine. We looked through the gate into the adit. We also went to the top of the tailings and saw the vertical shaft. Dan, a geologist, noticed a lot of quartz in the area; he told me that those operating the mine were hoping to find gold. After looking at the petroglyphs, we continued to the Prospector Trail, but decided to turn back instead of continuing onto Bell Pass, Windmill, etc. for a much longer hike. When we got to the intersection with the Sonoran Trail, Chris said she was feeling well enough to hike to the Preserve boundary, so we did that too.
Early morning views of the McDowells…
A view from the mine tailings:
Petroglyphs…
A triangular shaped formation further up-canyon:
A view of the mine tailings; I stood on the edge of these tailings for one of the earlier photos, above.
Another view of the McDowells, this time from the Sonoran Trail:
Looking toward Four Peaks from just within the Preserve (still on the Sonoran Trail):
On Friday, Aug 9, I hiked 11 miles starting from the Wagner Trailhead. Trails hiked, in order, are: Wagner, Granite, Delsie, Gooseneck, Rock Knob, Pemberton, Bluff, Granite, and Wagner. It was a warm morning; I saw only one other trail user, a cyclist, while I was out.
Sunrise at the trailhead:
I saw a patch of rainbow as I hiked out on the Wagner Trail.
This is the view from the intersection of the Wagner and Granite trails.
This is the ramada at the intersection of Delsie and Pemberton. At the right are some bike tools with spare tubes in the yellow mailbox.
A view of the McDowells from the Gooseneck Trail:
Gardener’s Wall and Tom’s Thumb are visible in the distance. That’s private property for a ways on the other side of the gate. When I’ve taken this shot in the past, I’ve tried to exclude the gate, but decided that it’s also a good shot with the gate.
Senna:
Saguaros:
I’ve seen very few rattlesnakes this (calendar) year. I wouldn’t have seen this one had it not rattled as I walked by.
Buckhorn Cholla:
The Gooseneck Trail passes between some large granite boulders at this point.
Moss:
Sven Slab (left), Morrell’s Wall (middle), Gardener’s Wall (partially visible on ridge behind Morrell’s Wall) and Tom’s Thumb:
A view of Four Peaks from the Rock Knob Trail (just after reentering the Park):
A view of a hawk (I think) from the Rock Knob Trail:
On Friday, August 2, I hiked 9.5 miles starting (and ending) at the Four Peaks Trailhead in McDowell Mountain Regional Park.
A view from the Long Loop (in the competitive track area):
I got photos of a flying owl in Stoneman Wash:
The competitive track area has some interesting terrain…
This is part of the clay mine test site along the Pemberton Trail.
Quail, running away from me on the Pemberton Trail.
Saguaro ribs:
