Month: May 2016

Stars, Death, Trails, Bees, Unattended Campfires, Summits – 5/28/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
Gibbon Mountain floating above the shadows covering Bear Canyon with Saguaros catching the last light of the day. May 2016.
Gibbon Mountain floating above the shadows covering Bear Canyon – Saguaros catching the last light of the day. May 2016.

The Santa Catalina Bighorn Sheep Reintroduction Project update for the period ending May 25th was released today:

  • Ewe #39552 was killed early on 4/28 by a mountain lion that was pursued and killed (this is the 7th Mountain Lion ‘lethally removed’ as part of the re-introduction effort).
  • Ewe #37446 died on 5/21 – disease is suspected.
  • 36 collared sheep are known to be alive – the report states: “There could be as many as 45 uncollared sheep in this population as well, bringing the total potential population to 81 bighorn sheep.”

THE 46 SUMMITS OF THE SANTA CATALINA MOUNTAINS, TUCSON ARIZONA (PDF) – Old Adit, Andy Martin – I was recently reminded of Andy Martin’s work on a summits/high-points list for the Santa Catalina Mountains. This is a great list, especially if you love maps and the Santa Catalina Mountains, and unless you have looked thru it (or similar lists) it is likely to have at least a couple interesting summits that you have never thought about/noticed!

Green Mountain Trail offers lush summer color – Arizona Daily Star: A nice overview of the Green Mountain Trail including a nice tip – ‘The best bet for finding mountain wildflowers this early in the season is along the lower mile or two of the route.’

Hittin’ the Trails 4 You: The Pontatoc Ridge Trail – Hittin’ the Trails 4 You: Pima Canyon Trail in the Catalina Foothills – Short segments on the Pontatoc Ridge Trail and the Pima Canyon Trail.

Forest Officials: Too Many Unattended Campfires – Arizona Public Media: Unfortunately in recent weeks “crews in the Coronado National Forest’s Santa Catalina Ranger District have spotted about 15 unattended campfires” – significant human caused fires have burned in the Santa Catalina Mountains and there is certainly a risk that unattended campfires can cause a wildfire. From the article – “You want to drown the fire out… That means pouring plenty of water on the fire, stirring the embers around in the water, and repeating as necessary.” Also related: Coronado National Forest Warning Of Memorial Day Weekend Fire Danger – KJZZ, 

Sunset color above Pontatoc Ridge. May 2016.
Sunset color above Pontatoc Ridge. May 2016.

Night in the desert under the full moon is amazing – if hiking at night in Sabino Canyon is not something you want to, or can, do consider a tour of Sabino Canyon at night on the Tram! Sabino Canyon gives moonlight tours (Arizona Daily Star)

Stars above Blackett's Ridge. May 2016.
Full Moon on Blackett’s Ridge, watching the stars above… May 2016.

Bee alerts at Sabino Canyon – Tucson News Now: Two very informative quotes from Coronado National Forest spokeswoman Heidi Schewel about Bee alerts on the Stars, Death, Trails, Bees, Unattended Campfires, Summits - 5/28/2016: 

  • “Currently we have two hives … off of the Blackett’s Ridge Trail. They’re in the wilderness and they’re a ways from the trail. So we have put up signs just advising people of the activity in the area so they know and they can make a decision: ‘Well, do I want to go this way or do I want to take one of the other trails'”
  • “If we get a report, we’ll go check it out and if it’s something that’s really benign like a ball of bees hanging that’s resting, we’ll put up signs so people know to stay out of the area and let them rest up and move on their way. If there’s a hive we may direct traffic around it, [or] close an area”

Rescues/Accidents/Incidents including information from the SARCI Newsletter:

  • Pontatoc Canyon 4/2/2016 – A hiker tried to traverse from Pontatoc Canyon to the Finger Rock Trail but called for help before completing the traverse and hiked out Pontatoc Canyon with SARA teams. Note: I believe that off-trail travel in the area between the Pontatoc and Finger Rock Canyons is prohibited in April due to Bighorn Sheep Restrictions.
  • Sabino Canyon Stop 9 4/4/2016 – Leg injury while hiking up from the stream.
  • Romero Canyon Trail 4/17/2016 – Ankle injury – able to walk out slowly.
  • Seven Falls 4/22/2016 – An exhausted hiker returning from Seven Falls was helped out on horse back.
  • Finger Rock Trail 4/23/2016 – A hiker called for help on the way down from Mount Kimball – after resting the hiker was able to continue to the trailhead.

Unexpected Fireworks, Saguaros in the Moonlight – 4/23/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
Unexpected April fireworks - taken from the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area. April 2016.
Unexpected April fireworks – taken from the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area. April 2016.

Nights are beautiful in the desert and with daytime temperatures getting hotter it becomes a particularly lovely time to get outside.

Saguaro and Moon. April 2015.
Saguaro and Moon. April 2015.

Hiking at night has its own challenges – just like any hike be mindful of your knowledge, skills and fitness – going with people that have experience hiking at night and familiarity with the area you want to explore is an excellent idea.

Moon Shadow. April 2015.
Moon Shadow. April 2015.

Molino Basin Trail, Lost Sign – 4/21/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
A sign for the 'start' of the Molino Basin Trail - slightly out of place...
A sign for the ‘start’ of the Molino Basin Trail – slightly out of place… April 2016.

I don’t ever remember noticing the trail sign at the start of the Molino Basin Trail – still standing, but nicely overgrown and no longer actually on the trail, probably the victim of past changes to the Molino Basin Parking Area – I wonder if the signs enjoys its retirement off the beaten path… 🙂

Looking down the Molino Basin Trail. April 2016.
Looking down the Molino Basin Trail. April 2016.

Flowers and Rock, Catalina State Park and Alamo Canyon – 5/7/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
Saguaro Flower in Catalina State Park. May 2016.
Saguaro Flower in Catalina State Park. May 2016.
More Saguaro Flowers in Catalina State Park. May 2016.
More Saguaro Flowers in Catalina State Park. May 2016.

The pictures above are from Catalina State Park but Doug Kreutz’s recent article Saguaros on a blooming binge in Sabino Canyon still seems relevant – and on the subject of Saguaros perhaps some photographic inspiration from Jack Dykinga…

Leviathan Dome from Alamo Canyon. May 2016.
Leviathan Dome from Alamo Canyon. May 2016.

I was recently reminded of John V. Bezy’s A Guide to the Geology of Catalina State Park and the Western Santa Catalina Mountains (available as a free PDF file) – the guide is accessible to readers without any formal training in geology and has been interesting to read again because it contains information on so many familiar sights.  From a section titled Granite Pinnacles (p.15):

Catalina State Park is best known for the dramatic granite pinnacles that have developed in the upper, cliff-forming unit of the Wilderness Suite granite in this part of the Santa Catalina Mountains. These towering spires are the products of surface weathering and erosion by running water guided by deep joints in the rock.

The Wilderness Suite granite differs from the Oracle and Catalina granites that make up the western face of the range in that it is dominated by widely spaced, vertical joints. These fractures serve as avenues along which chemical and physical weathering and erosion penetrate the granite. Rock shattering, caused by ice expansion, wedging by plant roots, and chemical decomposition, enlarges the joints. Water from rain and snowmelt is channeled into the joints, cutting them into ravines and canyons. Joints actually control the location of most streams crossing bedrock. This concentrated action of weathering and erosion eventually widens and deepens the ravines and canyons, leaving the massive granite in between standing as towering pinnacles.

Table Tooth from Catalina State Park - Table Mountain is just to the right. May 2016.
Table Tooth from Catalina State Park – Table Mountain is just to the right. May 2016.

A Guide to the Geology of Catalina State Park and the Western Santa Catalina Mountains – p.10:

The bedrock of this part of the Santa Catalina Mountains is mainly the Oracle, Catalina, and Wilderness Suite granites. These granites were injected deep within the Earth’s crust as great molten masses. They were emplaced at different times: the Oracle Granite 1.45 billion years ago, and the Wilderness Suite Granite 45-50 million years ago, and the Catalina Granite 26 million years ago. The molten rock, which cooled and solidified over millions of years and miles below the Earth’s surface, has since been exposed by erosion.

Views from Barnum Rock and Leopold Point, News – 5/19/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
Saguaro just off the General Hitchcock Highway. May 2016.
Saguaro just off the General Hitchcock Highway. May 2016.

The drive up to San Pedro Vista was slightly slower than normal – both because I couldn’t resist stopping and photographing Saguaros near the highway and because a film crew was set up at Windy Point filling part of the parking lot with trailers and vehicles and occasionally stopping traffic. I didn’t see what they were filming – but the motorcycles in a pop-up tent and drone hovering off the side of the highway on my way down did make me a bit curious…

From Barnum Rock: Green Mountain - center, Guthrie Mountain - left, San Pedro Vista - lower left, Mica Mountain in the Rincon Mountains - right. May 2016.
From Barnum Rock: Green Mountain – center, Guthrie Mountain – left, San Pedro Vista – lower left, Mica Mountain in the Rincon Mountains – right. May 2016.

From San Pedro Vista I intended to take the Incinerator Ridge Trail and Kellogg Trail up to Mount Bigelow – my idea was a good workout with great views – but the views quickly won out over the workout – I sat on the top of Barnum Rock and watched the sun and clouds create shapes of light and shadow on Green and Guthrie Mountains and then admired Kellogg Mountain, Mount Bigelow and the San Pedro Valley from Leopold Point.

Kellogg Mountain and Mount Bigelow from Leopold Point near the Incinerator Ridge Trail. May 2016.
Kellogg Mountain and Mount Bigelow from Leopold Point near the Incinerator Ridge Trail. May 2016.

The Mount Lemmon Skycenter Facebook page recently featured a number of images of the recent transit of Mercury across the sun – a number of them were collected by Tucson News Now in Mercury images from Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter.

Rider Carol Fontana and her horse Tiki passed thru the Santa Catalina Mountains in May as part of their thru-ride of the Arizona Trail – see more about their journey on SaddleUpAz. The ride is to support and raise awareness of the Prescott Area Shelter Services whose mission is “serve homeless women, families, and veterans by providing temporary shelter, resources, individualized case management, and a pathway to permanent housing.”

Bighorns spotted, photographed, on Pontatoc Ridge – Arizona Daily Star: A local hiker had a great encounter with two Bighorn Sheep on the Pontatoc Ridge Trail!