snow

Bigelow Trail and Butterfly Trail, Playing in the Snow – 12/28/2014

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
1412 Snowy Ridges and the valley below
Snowy ridges from the Butterfly Trail – below Mount Bigelow. December 2014.

 

The Bigelow Trailhead, and the highway, were crowded with people enjoying the snow – it was a sleds and snowballs day on the mountain!

In shorts and a t-shirt I had on fewer layers of clothing (and more sunscreen) than any of the people I left behind at the trailhead – I might have been going a little farther, but we were all doing the same thing – just playing in the snow…

1412 Snow on the Butterfly Trail below Mount Bigelow
The Butterfly Trail covered in snow – not far from the junction with the Bigelow and Kellogg Trails. December 2014.

 

The hillsides below Mount Bigelow had a fun amount of snow – but by the end of my short hike, where the Butterfly Trail was in the sun, the snow disappeared. 2.76 miles, 800′ of elevation gain/loss.

1412 Butterfly Trail and Bigelow Trail Junction
The junction of the Butterfly, Bigelow and Kellogg Trails. December 2014.

Aspen Draw, Aspen and Marshall Gulch Trail Loop – 12/19/2014

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
1412 Enjoying untouched snow on Radio Ridge
Enjoying the snow on Radio Ridge near the Aspen Draw Trail. December 2014.

Winter Wonderland – after months and months (and months) of summer it feels like this has never happened before and might never happen again, hard to remember that every year, sooner or later, the mountain is covered in snow. Summerhaven was full of people – the trails were nearly empty, and the conditions perfect! Aspen Draw Trail, Aspen Trail, Marshall Gulch Trail Loop – 7.4 miles, 1600′ of elevation gain/loss.

1412 Snow and Snow on the Aspen Draw Trail
Sun and snow on the Aspen Draw Trail! December 2014.
1412 Snow on the Aspen Trail with the junction sign in the distance
Snow on the Aspen Trail near the junction with the Wilderness of Rock, Mint Spring and Marshall Gulch Trail. December 2014.

Snow, Passes Online, Helicopters

Posted - Charles Miles

Mt. Lemmon Highway reopened – Tucson News Now, Rain in Tucson, travel restrictions on Mount Lemmon – Arizona Daily Star, Mt. Lemmon receives first snowfall of season – Rikki Mitchell, Rain in Tucson, snow in mountains likely Saturday – Arizona Daily Star: Several articles from the past week about storms with both rain and snow – with more in the forecast! Remember that on snowy days there is always a chance that the highway will close.

Purchase Coronado passes online Friday – Sierra Vista Herald: “Coronado National Forest day and annual passes will be available for purchase online beginning this week.” Check the Coronado National Forest Homepage for details. In the Santa Catalina Mountains travel on the highway, parking at vistas/observation points along the highway, parking at most trailheads (and hiking!) and parking in Summerhaven does NOT require a pass or fee – however developed areas such, as the picnic areas in Bear Canyon, do require a pass.

Plan to use helicopters in Arizona wilderness draws complaints – Brenna Goth – The Arizona Repulic: An article about the Arizona Game and Fish request filed earlier in the year for a Wilderness Act exception to allow helicopter use in an area including the Four Peaks, Hellsgate, Mazatzal, Salt River Canyon and Superstition Wilderness areas. Arizona Game and Fish has made a similar proposal in the Pusch Ridge wilderness that appears to still be under consideration. Project Page – Pusch Ridge Wilderness, Tonto National Forest – as I understand it the comment period for both of these proposals has already ended. While helicopter use would make capturing and studying Bighorn in these Wilderness Areas easier – and I suspect that these requests will be approved – I lament the disturbance of/intrusion on this small portion of our public lands and don’t think this proposal merits an exception to the Wilderness Act.

Aspen Trail – 2014/4/28

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles

I often avoid the Marshall Gulch Trailhead – often uncomfortably jammed with cars and sometimes an inspiring but overwhelming number of people – but it does quickly take you to an amazing area of the mountain – Aspen Trail up and back today.

1404 Horned Lizard
A horned Lizard along the Aspen Trail. April 2014.

 

1404 Antennas on the Ridge from the Aspen Trail
Antennas on Radio Ridge from the Aspen Trail. April 2014.

 

1404 Snow Hiding under a Pine Tree high on the Aspen Trail
High on the trail there was snow hiding under some of the young pines – the storm the previous weekend had dropped the snow, I was surprised to still see it on the mountain. April 2014.