Skip to main content

Day 16 - Superstition Mountains - Siphon Draw

The majestic, prehistoric peaks of the Superstition Mountains, 60 miles east of Phoenix Arizona, welcomed me to this new state on Easter Sunday. After driving five hours from Joshua Tree through a scenic area of JT and then east through a valley surrounded by Smoky Mountains-Esque vistas, I arrived to my next campground at Lost Dutchman State Park. Still early afternoon and restless from the car ride, I decided to hike up the 3000 foot ascent Siphon Draw trail, to the Flatiron mountain seen in the middle of this photo.


The last mile of the hike turned from hiking into rock climbing, scurrying over boulders, making sure of your footing and looking closely for faded blue dots of rocks that marked the trail. And I mean faded like they were painted thirty years ago. At one point I lost the trail and found myself below a vertical cliff, with handholds making it possible to ascend, but clearly too difficult. I retreated left across the mountain and soon found an easier path that looked well travelled-- the trail. I made it up to the top and had this picture taken by another peak hiker. 


A very fit and good looking couple came up ten minutes after me and laid out a blanket and had an Easter picnic on the flatiron top. Very adorable, I took their picture for them. I continued across another mountain down another path for a half mile and came to an incredible view of the Superstitions. This is truly an exceptionally beautiful mountain range. You expect dinosaurs to be flying over head. 


With Sunset two hours away and not wanting to descend in dark, I went down. I passed several groups-- all college aged, coming up the mountain trying to make it by sunset. Adventurous but stupid if you ask me, but they continued up as I went down. I passed one more view before arriing back down, showering, watching a glorious sunset and retiring to my luxury van-bed accommodations.







Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 41 - Escalante Coyote Gulch

This one or two night Coyote Gulch hike was an easy test of my newly learned navigation skills.  Anxious to get started I awoke at 545 just as the sun was rising.  I followed an obvious landmark, a tall thin spire called Chimney Rock, northwest to Hurricane Wash (a drainage running into Coyote Gulch).  After a couple of hours of walking up over and around slick rock, I entered the famous Coyote Gulch.  The walls around me raised up, darkened and th water flow increased--like nature hinting at the scenic beauty ahead.  The normally crowded Coyote Gulch was fairly empty on this early Thursday morning, giving the canyon a very peaceful and quiet feeling-- fragile almost. Down steam, I ran into the famous Jacob Hamilton Arch and then thirty minutes further-- the Coyote Natural Birdge. Both were beautiful due to their see through the wall character, but both would be overshadowed in my memory by the Stevens Arch tomorrow. Pics.  By 1pm, I had hiked for six hours...
Post a Comment
Read more

Day 62 - Colorado National Monument

Established as a national monument early in 1911, Colorado NM is known for its high canyon "rim road" and sandstone spires of Monument Canyon.  The canyons of west Colorado are pretty--as they have more green trees and shrubs than the more famous Utah canyons. This gives them a more alive feeling, although the sandstone spires were formed many thousands of years ago by erosion.  Rim Rock road curves up the the top of the canyon cliff, goes through several round tunnels and is lined with scenic viewpoints. The best views were in he Monument Canyon section, and included in sequence, the Coke Ovens, The Kissing Couple (behind my head), and the most famous of all: Independence Monument, the tall spire in pic 3 and viewed from the side in pic 4.  The original promoter and caretaker of the park, John Otto, was the first person to climb Independence Monument and now it's a climbing right of passage. Every July 4 climbers ascend and mount an American flag at the summit. Fun! ...
2 comments
Read more

Day 57 - Rocky Mountain National Park

Ever since I decided to go west for my big trip, I had dreamed of high mountain lakes with snowy peaks arching in every direction, with chilly air making every moment crisp, and with clear skies bringing all into perfect focus-- pure bliss.  Today was the first of many great mountain lake days to come.  Hiking here was far easier here than in the San Juans because the snow was packed down on the trail, but I brought my mini crampons for the downhill. I made it safely past a narrow ridge with narly black peaks across the gorge (pic 1), then up to Mills Lake (pic 2) then Jewel Lake then the Loch (pic 3) then down before the afternoon rain started falling.  I hiked around some lower, more accessible lakes but the sky was now overcast and pictures no good.  I drove up the open portion of the Ridge road amid a very light dusting of snow before heading back to camp for dinner and bedtime. I did manage to capture some fine Elk grazing in a meadows on the return trip and a g...
3 comments
Read more