Finally developed enough stamina to run to Hunt’s Tomb from my apartment in Phoenix. It’s about a 3 mile run to the tomb, and 3 miles back.
I wouldn’t have been able to make the trip without the new trail shoes I have. Really helps to get through all the rocky terrain.
This picture was taken heading south on the Beeline highway portion of state route 87. The oranges and yellows of the sky were so vivid that day. A very scenic road around golden hour.
In my hiking career so far, Camelback Mountain takes the cake. Piestewa Peak was a close 2nd.
Camelback was my first time going up a mountain, so I had no clue what to expect. Improper footwear, lack of water, inexperienced thinking. I kept thinking we were about to summit, and then we would go down and then back up steeply to a point where we were scrambling up large boulders. Not only was it physically demanding, but it was mentally demanding too trying to get to the top of the mountain from the Echo Canyon side.
Piestewa Peak was basically a gigantic stairstepper. My quads and hamstrings were on fire every step for miles straight up into the air.
Both views were amazing though, and definitely worth the trek.
What’s your toughest hike story?
Drop your #CactusCrowns below🌵
I will say, the saguaros in Tucson looked very healthy compared to Phoenix. Maybe because they get more rain or it doesn’t get as hot to stress them out, idk, but I was impressed.
Nice green, full looking columnars, only time I see that around Phoenix is when my wife and I leave the blob and head up to Payson.
Where have you seen the healthiest cacti in your life?
The infamous gunfight in Tombstone, AZ (1:20 south of Tucson) on 10/26/1881 happened 6 doors down from the rear of the O.K. Corral’s rear entrance.
In a narrow lot between C.S. Fly’s Photography Studio and a boarding house on Fremont Street is where the fight took place.
O.K. Corral was easier to say though, so the name stuck.
I’d go outside to take a “non-glass” picture, but currently locked inside getting my car’s windshield replaced after a crack grew from 1/2 a ft to 3 ft up my windshield.
Context: it’s the weekend but a guy who partners with them uses their garage (or something like that).
🌵Golden Barrel cacti do best in somewhat shallow pots that are very wide to allow for their horizontal growth. Whoever paired this cactus with this pot did an amazing job with the depth to width ratio.
This trail marker pointing in the direction of the Siphon Draw Trail feels very rustic and western in the best way possible. Snapped this photo on the walk to and from the trail that leads up to Flatiron atop the Superstition Mountains.
We did not go to the top of said Flatiron, but the view that we had at the foothills of the Superstitions was vast and spacious (just the way we like it). From a certain point, you could even see downtown Phoenix far off in the distance.
If you’re curious about which part of this picture Flatiron is shown, it’s the one that literally looks like a Flatiron in the middle-left portion of the photo (or a rectangular steam engine bursting from the mountain).
Apparently, it’s one of the most challenging hikes you can do not only near the Phoenix Metro area, but also the state of Arizona.
Fun fact, when heavy rains descend upon the Superstition Mountains, the smooth, volcanic rock basin acts as a giant funnel or siphon for the water (hence the name of the trail being “Siphon Draw”). Because of this, you would not want to be caught in this area during a rainstorm as it can experience sudden flash flooding and slippery conditions (even on minor rainstorm days).
One of my favorite shots during the tail end of monsoon season. Captured this in North Scottsdale near the SDL airport. The contrast between the blue sky, the white of the clouds and the cream, rainy atmosphere in the background make for a captivating scene in my opinion (at least that’s why I took this picture lol).
Feel free to post some desert weather shots or beautiful cloud formations in the comments below.
This young saguaro looks to be suffering from a type of infectious attack by an invisible foe. Seems like it would be too early for it to be suffering from something like this. Might’ve had some frost damage? And that allowed the enemy to seep into the cactus and begin to deteriorate its flesh from the inside out.
Any other theories?
Built June 1852 in San Francisco, The Uncle Sam was the first steam boat on the Colorado River and it sank just below Fort Yuma at its dock due to mismanagement and spring floods.
Supposedly, the steamer was washed away and there wasn’t much to salvage. However, The Uncle Sam proved that steam boat transportation was possible in the Colorado River which paved the way for Arizona’s prolific river commerce for the 50 years.
My 1st choice would be the Atacama Desert in Chile. It’s the driest non-polar desert on Earth, the terrain is super rugged and vast, and there’s some unexpected wildlife like flamingos, Giant Cardon cacti, and camelids.
You wouldn’t expect to find life here, but for centuries this harsh landscape has been occupied by both plants, animals, and people. The Chinchorro call these lands home far before the Spaniards arrived. Fun fact, they were mummifying people almost 2,000 thousand years before the Egyptians started the practice thanks to the extremely arid soil.
Which desert would you choose?
Report all crimes to r/CYLTE using flair #CactusCrimes.
Arizona hosts the longest preserved stretch of U.S. Route 66 (the Mother Road) in the United States? From the border of New Mexico to west of Kingman, AZ, there are 346 miles of Route 66 still intact.
The Dixie Mine was birthed in the late 1800s. Now, it’s a deep dark gated hole buried in the rock of the Sonoran. Never to be mined again.
Some of the most abundant desert foliage resides along the trail. Characters jut from the floor like the iconic saguaro, low lying creosote bushes, and clustered prickly pear opuntias.
Out and back you’ll spend 6 miles walking with a gradual-ish elevation change. No hiking up a gigantic mountain (although, you have that option should you venture to Thompson Peak).
Goodbye 90°F highs. We’ll see you again in late September/early October. From here on out, we’re hitting triple digits every day without fail.
What’s your ideal temperature in the valley?
Personally, partly cloudy blue skies, high 80s with a light wind is my utopian climate.
This question comes from this Valley 101 podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/valley-101/id1451650012?i=1000770571431
There’s been lots of talks about “nonsoons” and how it doesn’t rain like it used to in Arizona. Which, in this episode, they confirmed we are receiving less rainfall these days than in recent years.
However, many are saying we’re going to receive more rain this summer than in past years thanks to El Niño and some other factors.
This is one of my favorite podcasts right now; give it a listen and us know what you think.
Do monsoons still exist or have they been downgraded to nonsoon status indefinitely?
Catching a drag race crash and Top Fuel cars going 300+ mph at the Arizona Nationals (the first guy is ok).
Papago used to be a POW camp for Nazi soldiers during WW2.
The newly incorporated town of San Tan Valley, AZ was just voted into MAG (Maricopa Association of Governments). For those who don’t know, MAG is a regional council of governments around greater Maricopa County and parts of Pinal County
This area of the valley is growing quickly. Became an incorporated town last September and is now a member of MAG with the rest of the surrounding cities and towns.
What was once nothing but desert and farm land is turning into a bustling community.
Who’s been to or is living in that area? Do you like the direction the new town is heading in?
The other mayors and council members seemed to all be in heavy favor of its continued development/growth. No one voted against its joining (which no town or city has joined MAG since 2013).
Link for the full video: https://www.youtube.com/live/\_O0\_wKRFs80?si=WHShK\_Z7IWWKXYNb
Coming from the east coast, when I think of forest, I envision being engulfed by trees and barely able to see the sky. But forests look a lot differently out here in Central/Southern Arizona.