A quick post of a photo from a hike from a few weeks back on the Kachina Trail that skirts along the southwest corner of the San Francisco Peaks. The red bark of the Ponderosa tree attracted my attention against the white and greet aspens.
Beaver Creek
Beaver Creek is one of our (my wife and I) favorite summer spots to cool off. It was about 95 degrees out, but the Riparian area of Beaver Creek is considerably cooler feeling with ample shade and cool waters. I knew of a swimming hole with a rope swing and invited a few of my nieces and nephews along. We …
Grand Canyon Hike Pt. 5
Here are a few more pictures from my hike on the South Bass Trail a week ago to conclude my series of blog entries about this trip. I enjoyed every minute of being at the Grand Canyon and am already planning my next hike! Early morning on the way out Heading a few miles up the trail for our second …
Grand Canyon Hike Pt. 4
The first evening in the Grand Canyon was peaceful as the light softened and shadows delineated the ridges of canyon formations. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the evening. I carried my tripod all this way, I needed to put it to use. a sand critter!
Grand Canyon Hike Pt. 3
The South Bass Trail descends quickly, after three miles we are at the top of the Redwall. After about a mile of scrambling through boulders, shrubs, and cactus we were hiking along the wash leading to the river. I didn’t see a rattler but we heard a few in the bushes warning us to keep back, which we gladly obliged. …
Grand Canyon Hike Pt. 2
To begin the 7.5 mile hike down to the river, we woke up at 4:15 AM to get a head start on the impending heat expected at the bottom of 95 degrees. The morning temperature was predicted to be 35 at the village, but we were slightly lower in elevation and it felt more like 45. The sky was overcast and the …
Grand Canyon Hike Pt. 1
A group of friends and I recently completed a three-day hike on the South Bass Trail, staying two nights at the Colorado River and in the Canyon. We arrived a day early to allow for extra time to get to the trailhead via a 30 mile dirt road requiring a high-clearance vehicle in places (easy work for my trusty 4Runner). After dinner, …
Watson Lake at Sunset
Watson Lake is a picturesque place of curious granite boulders, high desert plant life, and reflective waters. During mid-day, the sun brightly reflects off the rocks, but during sunset with dramatic clouds overhead, the raking light of the sun sets the rocks aglow. During this particular evening of May 20th, 2011, the lake was in complete shade as the sun …
Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
Tonto Natural Bridge is a hidden gem in Arizona. It is a state park and worthwhile spending a few hours exploring. We only had one hour, so we hiked the steep 1/2 mile into the canyon to get under the bridge. It resembles an outdoor cave with mineral deposits and petrified moss/lichen formations. A spring from above rained on our …
Horton Springs
Horton Springs Trail is fifteen miles east of Payson. I’ve driven past this area so many times without stopping and had no idea the beauty that resides there. It is at the Upper Tonto Recreation Area; picnic spots, camping, hiking, and places to play in the creek. At the start of the trail, there was little or no water in …