To a Peak

I drove my wife to the Phoenix airport where we passed yet another rainbow.  Thus begins a couple of lonely weeks with way too much time on my hands.  If only I could find something to do.....

Within minutes of my return to Oro Valley, I lace on the hiking shoes and am off.  About 2 minutes from our AZ home is the Linda Vista trail head which provides access, via a hard to follow trail to Pusch Peak.  Note how green is my valley.

Ahhhh, the line where sun gives away to shade.

Good views to the north and the northwestern end of the Catalina Mountains.

Higher I go and additional mountain ranges come into view.  I pass a guy on the way up and then, after climbing a rock chute I look across a side canyon and see him.  I got off the route and yell to him, "I must be off trail."  He confirms it for me just as a deer jumps from the brush and scampers higher.

The top at about mile 2.7 with 2500' of elevation gain.  Another steep one.

The stalk emerging from a plant is huge as I descend....

....the knee buckling route.

Fairways are looking kind of brown on the golf course.  Must be time for overseeding with a winter rye grass.  Well, I've made a reservation in Williams, AZ and intend to hike the Canyon this weekend.  One more hike to go prior to that to get in some more distance.