The Knagge Trail has the perfect amount of soft snow – plenty to enjoy, but not enough to require anything more than trekking poles and a little care to navigate. The old Knagge cabin site and mine are high enough to still have a light blanket of snow from this year’s unusually wet winter – lower on the trail, in oaks and sun, the snow disappears long before the large old cairn on the ridge and the carsonite marker declaring the end of the maintained trail. Past the marker the ‘trail’ seems obvious, drawing you down along the ridge connecting sections of maybe-this-is-the-old-trail just good enough to go just a little farther… Too soon any illusion that I am still on the old trail disappears and it is time to head back up.
Hike
Brinkley Point, Full Moon – 4/19/2019
Brinkley Point, perched in the middle of the Santa Catalina Mountains, is protected by an off trail approach and a modest distance and elevation profile that don’t really lend themselves to bragging. A beautiful sunset, a wait in the fading light, and then the real show begins – moonlight on the inner basins, ridges and canyons. Alone on the small point I take pictures, briefly watch headlamps on the East Fork Trail and let my mind wander. Early in the AM I wake up to take a few more pictures and find the sky covered by clouds reflecting the city lights.
Small Things, Oracle State Park – 4/15/2019
Insects and flowers – amazing small details in Oracle State Park!
Agua Caliente Canyon Trail – 2/10/2019
Agua Caliente Canyon Trail – headed out to do the full La Milagrosa and Agua Caliente Canyon Trail Loop, but didn’t make it… Too many flowers and too much water!
La Milagrosa, Agua Caliente Canyon Loop – 1/27/2019
Water, mild temperatures, flowers emerging… It is a beautiful time of year to hike the La Milagrosa and Agua Caliente Canyon Trail Loop!