We motored the MINI on fine morning up Mt Lemmon through Santa Catalina National Forest, just North of Tucson and Saguaro NP East.Views across Tucson were a bit hazy but very scenic. We were loving the Saguaro forest!We thought this looked like a blindfolded duck…interesting to see all the Lime Green Lichen.And here is the same rock formation from above.Enjoying the views from Windy Point with the last sips of coffee.Really really interesting geography!On top of the World!Snow near the top in Summerhaven – lots of kids sledding and playing.In the afternoon, we hiked the Babad Do’ag trail (Tohono O’odham for “Frog Mountain”) off the Catalina Highway.
Loma Verde Trail on 3-December – Gorgeous Day!Another hike nearby on Garwood Trail on 19-December shows snow on Mt Lemmon.The color of the blue sky was hard to resist!Early morning back lighting on the grass and the Opuntias on the Garwood TrailDon’t fall into the spines! This is an unusual clump of 13 saguaros growing close together on the Garwood Trail.
On Finger Rock Hike in the Catalina Mountains we saw this scarecrow.So we started looking for more and saw this one in Sagauro NP East on the Garwood Trail.Howdy partner!Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!
This is a young saguaro that is probably about 30 years old. We took a sunset hike with a ranger led group on 5 December.Amazing these plants can grow out of the rocks. The wavy pattern on this barrel cactus caught my eye.A wavy sunset too! The almost full moon rose to guide us back to Sus picnic area.We went back on December 18th for a really great geography presentation. We took our own sunset hike after a rainy morning.Great lighting. We took the Hugh Norris Trail about a mile up to the large boulders and overlook.Our friends – they have so much personality!So nice to have this saguaro pose just right there in front of the sunset!Such a beautiful place to watch the sunset. Wish it was a closer drive to the condo.
Try to hold that pose! We took a 4-mile or so loop as our introduction to this area north of Saguaro National Park East.A large concentration of saguaros!This looks out of a western movie where an iconic saguaro was stuck on the hillside for a good silhouette.Line ’em up…barrel, cholla, saguaro.We went back on Dec 15th to do the 7 Falls trail which was very lush after the Saturday rain. This contrail seemed to make the falls continue upwards.Little Gumby says this is his favorite trail…there are 7 stream crossing which adds some excitement but you follow the stream all the way to and from the falls.Back to the condo for this sunset view.
The moon is still hovering in the sky when we start this hike at 8:30. We joined a Sabino Canyon hiking group for this hike that starts at Loewe’s Ventana Canyon Resort.This seemed like a perfect saguaro in a perfect setting!The views looking back on Tucson were pretty amazing! We hiked over a 1,100 feet elevation gain…definitely ready for a hot tub after this!Polished rocks and pools of water glisten in the sun.On our way down, this puffy little cloud seemed to want its picture taken…it is like a dot on an i.We went back to the Loews Resort to enjoy an evening with hot cider and a dance performance. We caught this sunset on the drive over.
This Saguaro has supposedly over 30 arms – it was quite the condo for birds and you can see one perched on the top.We had a great hike to Romero Pools and then hung out for the second Saturday concert in the park which was good music.The setting sun took our attention away from the music.Majestic!Colors in every direction – these are the Catalinas!It kept getting better and better! The full moon kept us company on our drive back to the condo.
Green River Campground – sunset while listening to a ranger talk on NPS. They had slept in 51 parks…while stargazing that evening by the river in campsite #77, we figured we had slept in 39 national park sites. The stars and Milky Way were incredible and it was warm enough evening to enjoy lingering and appreciating the Enormity-of-it-All.After picnicking at Echo Park overlook, we hiked to Harpers Corner Overlook spectacular viewpoint. Not the distance of our Green River to Desert Voices to Sound of Silence hike yesterday, but very enjoyable. This overlooks the confluence of the Green and Yampa rivers.Camping by the Yampa river, we had this spectacular sunset. Stargazing again was wonderful. We felt refreshed from splashing around in the river before dinner.An early morning hike on the Yampa. What a sight!We spent a couple nights near Steamboat Springs and hiked Rabbit Ears Pass, where this photo was taken.
