sunset

First Snow – 11/28/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles

The cameras at the top of the mountain showed a nice layer of snow but at 6 AM ‘Closed’ signs blocked the drive up the mountain – instead I drove Redington Road hoping the snow might have made it far enough down the mountain to photograph from one of the view points near the Italian Spring Trailhead, low clouds and a high snow line meant that the lovely sunrise scene didn’t include any snow – but closer to town it was easy to see the first good snow of the winter blanketing the top of the mountain!

November 2016.
Sunset from Redington Road. November 2016.
November 2016.
First snow of the winter! November 2016.
November 2016.
No snow lower on the mountain – but a nice blanket higher on the Mountain. November 2016.

Almost Super Moon from Kellogg Mountain – 11/13/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles

We hike up the Bigelow Trail to the junction with the Butterfly Trail and then wander up to the top of Kellogg Mountain. Tall trees on the eastern slope, missed by the fires that scorched much of the mountain over a decade ago, block our view – from a rocky perch farther down the ridge we can clearly see Bassett Peak and the spot where the moon will rise – just a few minutes of waiting in the cold wind and then…

Almost supermoon - moonrise. November 2016.
Almost supermoon – moonrise. November 2016.
Moon over the Galiuro Mountains. November 2016.
Moon over the Galiuro Mountains. November 2016.

On the 13th the moonrise was about 10 minutes before the sunset and we thought with some luck we might get the almost-supermoon rising against beautiful sunset color – it didn’t quite work out exactly as planned, the light on the eastern mountains faded faster than expected – but still beautiful, and the clouds around the setting sun were spectacular!

Sunset from Kellogg Mountain. November 2016.
Sunset from Kellogg Mountain. November 2016.

Hunter’s Moon – 10/15/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
Piety Hill and the Winchester Mountains in sunset light. October 2016.
Piety Hill and the Winchester Mountains in sunset light. October 2016.

We started at the Molino Basin Parking Area and hiked the Bellota Trail – as the eastern skyline came into view we left the trail and traversed the hillside – with Piety Hill visible below and the Winchester Mountains on the horizon we sat down to watch the sunset and wait for Hunter’s Moon to rise.

From Universe Today:

The name [Hunter’s Moon] dates back to the First Nations of North America. It is so-called because it was during the month of October, when the deers had fatted themselves over the course of the summer, that hunters tracked and killed prey by autumn moonlight, stockpiling food for the coming winter.

A Hunter's Moon rising behind the Winchester Mountains - taken near the Bellota Trail. October 2016.
A Hunter’s Moon rising behind the Winchester Mountains – taken near the Bellota Trail. October 2016.
Watching the Hunter's Moon from near the Bellota Trail. October 2016.
Watching the Hunter’s Moon from near the Bellota Trail. October 2016.

Pontatoc Ridge Trail – 9/4/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles

Houses and private property push up to the southern edge of the Santa Catalina Mountains near the Pontatoc Ridge Trail and Tucson is nearly always in view – but the area, views and wildlife are beautiful and there is still plenty of wildness to be found!

A hillside across from Pontatoc Ridge. September 2016.
A hillside across from Pontatoc Ridge. September 2016.
A desert tortoise in the brush at the end of the Pontatoc Ridge Trail. September 2016.
A desert tortoise in the brush at the end of the Pontatoc Ridge Trail. September 2016.
Pontatoc Canyon in shadow at sunset from the end of the Pontatoc Ridge Trail. September 2016.
Pontatoc Canyon in shadow at sunset from the end of the Pontatoc Ridge Trail. September 2016.
Saguaro and moon. September 2016.
Saguaro and moon. September 2016.