Tag: McDowell Mountain Park (page 15 of 46)

Bob, Mike, Mona, Marilyn, and I did a 9.1 mile hike starting from the Wagner Trailhead. We hiked Tortoise to Pemberton, and then took Pemberton to Stoneman Wash where we turned south down the wash. We hiked back to the Pemberton via one of the many feeder washes and then went northwest on Pemberton. We hiked into an arroyo west of the pond (where the homestead once was). Exiting the arroyo area, we hiked Tonto Tank back to Pemberton, continuing north back to Stoneman Wash. This time, we took the wash WNW until we got to the Bluff Trail. From there, we returned via Granite and Wagner.

We saw an eagle, at least two owls, other smaller birds, several rabbits, and one (western diamondback) rattlesnake on our hike.  The only critter which cooperated in my photographic pursuits was the snake.

A view of Four Peaks just before the start of the hike:

Dead tree on the Tortoise Trail:

A view of the Superstitions (in the distance) from the Tortoise Trail:

A view of Red Mountain from Stoneman Wash:

Heading into one of the arroyos…

Mona, Mike, Bob, Marilyn, and Kevin:

Another view of Four Peaks, this time from the Tonto Tank Trail:

We saw this rattlesnake just off of the Tonto Tank Trail. We heard it before we saw it as it started rattling as we walked past.

Fresh growth on Teddy Bear Cholla in Stoneman Wash:

Looking up at the branches of a dead tree…

Another dead tree:

A large saguaro in Stoneman Wash:

Linda, Bob, and I hiked a 13.5 mile loop utilizing the Technical Loop, Stoneman Wash, Pemberton, Dixie Mine, the South Wash, portions of the Long Loop, and several other smaller washes along the way.

Bob, Heather, and I hiked 8.75 miles starting from the Trailhead Staging Area.

An early morning view of a saguaro on the Pemberton Trail:

Views from one of the washes off of the Pemberton:

A view of Stoneman Wash from the Granite Trail:

The remains of a dead tree in Stoneman Wash:

1960 Chevy Impala – check out that chrome!

That old car provides a home to this spider.  (I missed the focus on the spider, but at least got the web in focus.)

Marilyn, Bob, and I hiked a little over eight miles on Friday.  Starting from the Wagner Trailhead, we hiked Tortoise to Pemberton, then south down Stoneman Wash. We took a feeder wash west to the Pemberton, then went north on Pemberton back to Stoneman Wash. From there we went northwest on Stoneman Wash again, then to Granite, and back on Wagner.

Just before sunrise at the Wagner Trailhead:

Looking toward the Superstitions from the Pemberton Trail:

Heading south in Stoneman Wash:

Senna blooms:

We’re in the feeder wash now, heading toward the Pemberton Trail:

Marilyn, making her way up the wash:

Hedgehog cacti:

This is one of the clay pits along the Pemberton Trail:

Saguaros in Stoneman Wash:

A view from the Wagner Trail:

I hiked 8.3 miles on Friday – Dixie Mine to Sonoran, and then a loop on the Sonoran after crossing into the Preserve. Temperatures were in the mid-eighties when I started, warming up to the mid-nineties when I finished. Once I got to the Promenade Trail, I considered adding the Western Loop, but decided that it was a little too warm and humid to do it comfortably. As it was, I drank all of one of my 3 liter reservoirs and had started on the second just before finishing.

An early morning view from the Dixie Mine Trail:

A look ahead from the Sonoran Trail in McDowell Mountain Park:

This was my first time hiking the new section of the Sonoran Trail since its completion. The left fork is the new section of trail. It leads to the same place – the Promenade Trail – but is almost a quarter of a mile longer than the original segment of the Sonoran Trail.

This trail was well laid out. It follows the contours nicely and, in spots, you forget that you’re near the town.

A view of the McDowells. Tom’s Thumb is visible in this photo.

Nearing the end (where it intersects the Promenade Trail) of the new segment of the Sonoran Trail.

I encountered this Western Diamondback Rattlesnake on the way back while hiking the older segment of trail.

I think this might be Twinberry / Rough Menodora:

Bob and I hiked a little over eight and half miles in the Competitive Track area.  We started off on the Tech Loop, made our way into Stoneman Wash, went up a feeder wash to Pemberton, and then made our way over to the Long Loop via a wash that I had not yet visited. We then followed a minor, but passable wash to another segment of the Long Loop which we used for our return.

This is a view from the parking lot just before sunrise:

A view of Red Mountain from the Technical Loop:

We saw this tortoise as we were hiking up the hill leading to T-Bone Ridge on the Technical Loop. Linda and I saw a tortoise – possibly even this same tortoise – in pretty much the same location in 2014.

We made our way into this wash which we used to hike back to the Long Loop:

A view from the Long Loop:

A view from the narrow and winding wash:

The Senna plants are blooming again!