Nearly 8 miles on Wednesday…
Tag: McDowell Mountain Park (page 8 of 46)
6.4 miles on Monday night…
Mike and I hiked 11.8 miles on Friday starting from the Four Peaks Trailhead. It was a cloudy morning – we walked through some light rain showers midway through the hike.
Looking toward the Superstitions (on the left) from the parking area:
A view of the McDowells from T-Bone Ridge (which is part of the Technical Loop):
Mike spotted this prickly pear which appeared to be growing out of a chain fruit cholla. This growth was several feet off of the ground and there did not appear to be a separate cholla plant growing up from below. Discussion on hikearizona.com suggests that this may be an example of a crested chain fruit cholla.
Marilyn, Janet, Linda, and Jill joined me for a 10.5 mile hike in the Dixie Mine area.
As we started our hike on the Dixie Mine Trail, we immediately noticed the scouring effects of rain from recent days. Rocky surfaces were cleaner and more textured than before. Soil and some of the smaller rocks had been washed away on other trail surfaces. Washes had become deeper and often required taking a step down and then up to cross them. This was especially noticeable when we got to the trail leading to the mine. Portions of the trail in that area basically no longer exist – taking its place is a deep (one and half to two feet), though not especially wide channel for water to flow.
A view of the mine tailings from the Dixie Mine Trail:
Kevin, Jill, Janet, Marilyn, and Linda:
A view of the McDowells from the Windmill Trail:
Looking toward Four Peaks from the Coachwhip Trail. We saw two deer shortly after I took this photo.
This is where the trail into the mine used to be. We were puzzled by the pipe. It appears to be very old and clogged with sand and small rocks.
We saw this rattlesnake on our way back on the Dixie Mine Trail.
On Wednesday night, I did a ten mile loop – Escondido, Pemberton, and Shallmo Wash. The trails were still damp – even muddy in some spots – with significant erosion from the rainfall on Monday and Tuesday. Shallmo Wash Trail was especially hard hit.
A view from the Escondido Trail:
This is the wash that runs WNW to ESE. It’s north of Lousley Hill. The Escondido Trail crosses it and heads west, staying north of the wash until it intersects with the Pemberton Trail.
Areas of washouts on the Shallmo Wash Trail:
Linda, Heather, and I hiked 11.3 miles for our Friday morning hike.
We saw two (Western Diamondback) rattlesnakes during our hike. The second one moved too quickly for me to get a photo. We also saw a number of lizards, rabbits, and one deer during our hike.
Heather and Linda:
Senna:
We came to a section of wash with many, many butterflies. In addition to the one below, we also saw some yellow butterflies which Linda identified as Cloudless Sulphur and a dark one with some blue accents which is a Pipevane Swallowtail. Alas, despite perhaps five minutes of effort, I was only able to get a few photos of the type shown below.
Marilyn, Linda, and I did a hike in the Dixie Mine area on Friday. Linda and I hiked 10.4 miles. Marilyn joined us for the first two and a half.
We think this is a red-tailed hawk.
Wolfberries:
A view from the Prospector Trail:
A view from the Bell Pass Trail:
Looking toward the Superstitions from the Coachwhip Trail:
Arizona Poppy (I think):
Bob and I hiked 6.4 miles together on Wednesday Night. We saw two pack rats, a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake and a small Coral Snake.
8.25 miles on the Long Loop on Monday Night. I saw two tarantulas, some pack rats, and a javelina.
Bob, Marilyn, and I hiked 7.8 miles starting from the Wagner Trailhead.
Sunrise from the trailhead:
A mushroom in the desert? Apparently so…
Sacred Datura:
Look for the Javelina near the bottom of this photo, just left of center. The McDowell Mountains are in the background.
The yellow flowers in this photo are Senna:
It took us a while to spot this snake. We heard it rattling, but we thought it was on top of the bank of the channel that we were in. When we finally looked down, below an overhanging tree, we saw it.