pusch ridge wilderness

Window Rock – 3/26/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
The Window from the Ventana Trail. March 2016.
The Window in Window Rock – from the Ventana Trail. March 2016.

The bottom section of the Ventana Trail is hot and at Maiden Pools I think about a long stop to enjoy the water, canyon and flowers – but the stiff up-canyon breeze keeps me moving up the canyon towards the Window.

I chat with friendly hikers coming down who encourage me upwards with smiles and promises of great views – and give me an excuse to take short breaks on the steep climb up to the hillside junction where the Ventana Trail ends as it meets the Esperero and Finger Rock Trails.

The Esperero Trail continues climbing, eventually reaching the ridge that leads to Window Rock – the views from this ridge are the highlight of the hike. After a few more short climbs the Window comes into view – just off the trail and easy to find – the other hikers have gone and I sit in silence.

I want to wait for sunset at the Window – my schedule today won’t allow it – but it is impossible to be disappointed by the dark shadows moving across the canyon and sunset lit east ridge on the hike down.

A view from Mount Lemmon on the right to the Biosphere on the left - from the Esperero Trail between The Window and the junction with the Finger Rock and Ventana Trails. March 2016.
Mount Lemmon on the right – Biosphere on the left. Taken on the Esperero Trail between Window Rock and the junction with the Finger Rock and Ventana Trails. March 2016.
Standing in the Window. March 2016.
Standing in the Window. March 2016.
Descending back into Ventana Canyon. March 2016.
Descending back into Ventana Canyon. March 2016.
Ventana Canyon in Shadow, below Maiden pools just before sunset. March 2016.
Ventana Canyon in Shadow just before sunset – on the Ventana Trail below Maiden pools. March 2016.

Beautiful Flowers, Beautiful Views, Catalina State Park – 3/12/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
Lupine and Poppies in Catalina State Park. March 2016.
Lupine and Poppies in Catalina State Park. March 2016.
Penstemon just off the Canyon Loop Trail in Catalina State Park. March 2016.
Penstemon just off the Canyon Loop Trail in Catalina State Park. March 2016.
Romero Canyon - marked by the shadow in the middle of the picture - exiting the mountains and heading into Catalina State Park. March 2016.
Romero Canyon – marked by the shadow in the middle of the picture – exiting the mountains and heading into Catalina State Park. March 2016.
Leviathan and Wilderness Domes. March 2016.
Leviathan and Wilderness Domes. March 2016.

Burned and Disappearing, Upper Pontatoc Canyon Trail – 3/5/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
A Yucca transformed by fire on the Pontatoc Canyon Trail. March 2016.
A Yucca transformed by fire on the Pontatoc Canyon Trail. March 2016.

The upper section of the Pontatoc Canyon Trail – above the last crossing of Pontatoc Canyon at ~2.1 miles – has been faint/overgrown in some places for years – but the Finger Rock Fire has made it even more obscure.

Not long after the last canyon crossing you enter the burn – not everything is scorched, but the fire was not subtle.

Burned Yuccas lay among flowers and stand in strange and unexpected shapes. Short stretches of the trail are still identifiable – but it would have been difficult to link those sections together without help from occasional cairns. At least for now it seems the upper section of the trail has almost been erased – perhaps in another few seasons the sturdy ‘End of Trail’ sign, still standing in the canyon bottom, will be a puzzling and obscure landmark…

Fire and flowers along the Pontatoc Canyon Trail. March 2016.
Fire and flowers along the Pontatoc Canyon Trail. March 2016.
A fallen burnt Yucca along the Pontatoc Canyon Trail. March 2016.
A fallen burnt Yucca along the Pontatoc Canyon Trail. March 2016.
A fire formed black pod along the Pontatoc Canyon Trail. March 2016.
A fire formed black pod along the Pontatoc Canyon Trail. March 2016.

Babad Do’ag Trail and Sunset on the Highpoint above the End of the Trail – 1/20/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
Cliffs and shadows from the Babad Do'ag Trail. January 2016.
Cliffs and shadows from the Babad Do’ag Trail. January 2016.

Close to the highway, not notably long or strenuous and without a dramatic ending the Babad Do'ag Trail is sometimes overlooked – but the short ridge before the end of the trail is a fun section of trail, the sunsets are great and with a bit of extra work and skill there are several off-trail destinations in easy reach – the highpoint just above the end of the trail, Point 4780 east of the trail and the cross-country journey over to Soldier Trail to name a few – certainly all worthy small adventures!

Sunset from highpoint above the end of the Babad Do'ag Trail. January 2016.
Sunset from highpoint above the end of the Babad Do’ag Trail. January 2016.
Just below the highpoint above the end of the Babad Do'ag Trail - front to back: Babad Do'ag Trail, Weather Top, Agua Caliente Hill, Mica Mountain. January 2016.
Just below the highpoint above the end of the Babad Do’ag Trail – front to back: Babad Do’ag Trail, Weather Top, Agua Caliente Hill, Mica Mountain. January 2016.

The Cleaver and Pusch Peak – 12/25/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
The Cleaver. December 2015.
The Cleaver. December 2015.
Pusch Peak descending into the city lights. December 2015.
Pusch Peak descending into the city lights. December 2015.

Christmas night in Honey Bee Canyon Park, clouds blocked our view of the rising full moon (oh well, gives us something to do in 2034 – the next time the moon is full on Christmas!) but it was such a lovely night that it really didn’t matter – Happy Holidays!!!