Marilyn and I hiked the Pass Mountain Trail at Usery Mountain Park. Marilyn stuck to the Pass Mountain Trail while I extended the loop a bit by adding in Bulldog Saddle.
We hiked the loop counter-clockwise starting from the southwest corner. This is a view of Pass Mountain shortly after setting out.
Looking east along the southern portion of the Pass Mountain Trail:
Looking NNW from roughly 1.75 miles through the loop. The pass though which Marilyn hiked is just right of center in this photo. My loop continued to the right around the high points to the right (through another pass not shown here). I ended up on the other side of the pass.
The path that I took after leaving the Pass Mountain Trail crossed this wash:
I’m on the other side of the wash now, on the Bulldog Saddle Trail, looking back toward Pass Mountain:
I’m making my way up to Bulldog Saddle, again looking toward Pass Mountain:
This is the view to the northwest after passing through Bulldog Saddle.
I don’t know what these flowers are. I saw them as I was descending from the other side of Bulldog Saddle. We saw many more flowers in this area than we’ve been seeing at MMRP.
It’s said that a saguaro’s twisty arms are caused by extreme cold.
Looking back at Bulldog Saddle. (At the far right, I think.)
Looking ahead toward Pass Mountain. The pass through which Marilyn hiked is just out of frame at the far left.
Wolfberries:
Making our way around Pass Mountain – we’re well over half way around at this point.
A view of Fountain Hills and the McDowell Mountains:
There are some magnificent saguaros along the western part of the Pass Mountain Trail.
Marilyn, hiking south along the western portion of the Pass Mountain Trail:
More saguaros…
Crossing another wash on the western part of the Pass Mountain Trail…
