We had a short burst of rain and hail last night at 9pm. With that storm came the winds, which persisted today. The day’s high was only in the mid 60s. I wore a sweatshirt all day.
I drove to Patagonia to drop off the recyclables and once in town, explored the southern Santa Ritas off FR 143, Sanelo Road. I crossed Sonoita Creek, a popular birding site, drove a few miles along the creek and turned right (east) on the first ATV trail I found, Squaw Gulch Road. This road climbed up Squaw Gulch Canyon toward Squaw Peak. I parked the Escape at a stock pond and walked two miles on the trail with the dogs.
I drove to Patagonia to drop off the recyclables and once in town, explored the southern Santa Ritas off FR 143, Sanelo Road. I crossed Sonoita Creek, a popular birding site, drove a few miles along the creek and turned right (east) on the first ATV trail I found, Squaw Gulch Road. This road climbed up Squaw Gulch Canyon toward Squaw Peak. I parked the Escape at a stock pond and walked two miles on the trail with the dogs.
I only saw one hunting party off the main road. It was just me and the dogs again.
This is a scenic canyon, although it would be a hot and dry canyon in the summer. The trail is quite passable and I probably could have driven much further, but I wanted to walk and give the dogs some exercise.
After a heavy monsoon this trail would be a dangerously flooded path, but with some rain this trail would be gorgeous. Mountain stream beds crossed the path several times. Crags jut up from the canyon walls, mesquite, agave, Emory Oaks grow in the creek beds. I found out later on this area is a popular Black Bear habitat, but all I saw was the ubiquitous cow shit.
This is a scenic canyon, although it would be a hot and dry canyon in the summer. The trail is quite passable and I probably could have driven much further, but I wanted to walk and give the dogs some exercise.
After a heavy monsoon this trail would be a dangerously flooded path, but with some rain this trail would be gorgeous. Mountain stream beds crossed the path several times. Crags jut up from the canyon walls, mesquite, agave, Emory Oaks grow in the creek beds. I found out later on this area is a popular Black Bear habitat, but all I saw was the ubiquitous cow shit.
The dry autumn so far is taking its toll on the flora. Our fields and hillsides are starting to look very, very parched.
The winds blew a fine haze over the area which gave the sky a dull white look. I could feel the fine granules embed in my skin.
I would have hiked longer and explored more, but I had a college class to get ready for. This would be a very pleasant winter hike of easy six miles. I only did about four today.
I shared some butter cookies with the dogs on the way home. Sammy is especially fond of butter cookies. At one point I was eating a cookie while driving, keeping my eyes on the road. The next thing I knew I had a dog’s mouth on my cookie which was against my mouth. I could feel Sammy’s whiskers, sense his hot breath and smell his halitosis. He would do anything for those butter cookies.
The winds blew a fine haze over the area which gave the sky a dull white look. I could feel the fine granules embed in my skin.
I would have hiked longer and explored more, but I had a college class to get ready for. This would be a very pleasant winter hike of easy six miles. I only did about four today.
I shared some butter cookies with the dogs on the way home. Sammy is especially fond of butter cookies. At one point I was eating a cookie while driving, keeping my eyes on the road. The next thing I knew I had a dog’s mouth on my cookie which was against my mouth. I could feel Sammy’s whiskers, sense his hot breath and smell his halitosis. He would do anything for those butter cookies.
I got home at 3:45pm knowing the dogs got another day of exploration and exercise under their paws and I got to discover another canyon. I could live another 30 years, though, and still not discover every canyon in Arizona...
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