Mark's Cycling & Hiking Blog
  • Home
  • Mark's Cycling Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Boulder Canyon Posts
  • Cycling Event Meet-Ups
  • Home
  • Mark's Cycling Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Boulder Canyon Posts
  • Cycling Event Meet-Ups

Rain Coming so Head to Picacho Peak

10/22/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Heavy rain overnight, again, as the clouds linger in the Catalinas the following morning.  Afternoon storms forecast for today so can't do anything epic but there are always short and fun alternatives that can be completed prior to the anticipated arrival of more rain. Having already completed Sombrero I go a little farther afield and head to Picacho Peak.
Picture
Picacho is between Phoenix and Tucson, near the town of Red Rock.  I forgot to take a picture of the peak but a great "fitness" type of hike.  Rather than take the more direct trail, the Hunter Trail, to the top, I circle to the southwest side of the peak, park the car and head off through the Sonoran desert on the Sunset Trail.  Beautiful and clear in the direction from which the storms will arrive.
Picture
Although only knee to waist high, a stand of these Cholla cactus may as well be a high fence because there is no going through that.  Note the egg shaped pieces littering the ground.  Passing too close and they will jump from the plant and embed spines deep in the skin.  I hiked with someone last year who had one attach to their arm and instinctively grabbed to pull it off...big mistake.
Picture
After following a rolling trail counterclockwise around the peak, the trail then ascends, steeply, for the final mile.  Sections have cabling to help with the ascent or to help prevent a fall.
Picture
This was the most extensive section, up an 80-90 degree wall about 100' tall. I brought a pair of cycling gloves and put them on for a better grip.  After 3 miles and a hair under 2000' of elevation gain, I arrived....
Picture
....at the summit.  The first to arrive this day in 1:19.  I hung around for a bit, talking to some others who soon followed me and then retraced my route to the car.  As I drove out, I spotted another....
Picture
...desert tortoise. I went three years before seeing a Gila Monster and then last year in the span of a week spotted two.  I've never seen a tortoise until this year when I saw one last week and then another this week.  And of course while I have previously seen one black tail rattlesnake, seeing two beside a trail two weeks ago was odd.  Guess things happen in twos rather than threes.  While I have said this before, this time it really does look like this is the last round of rain, after today, for awhile. Although two months to go in the year, rainfall totals are above normal and probably going to finish well above normal by year's end.
    
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Mark is a long-time cyclist, hiker, golfer and plays some table tennis...ok, it's ping pong.

    Categories

    All
    April
    California Riding
    Grand Canyon Backpacking
    March
    The Characters

    Archives

    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.