More from my hike on March 4th. to the Hugh Norris trail

Continuing from the Mine up to Hugh Norris

And up!

Looking back the way I came.

Lofty view!

This is my view from the Hugh Norris Saddle. Sat here and enjoyed a respit

The mine in the foreground has been in operation as long as I can remember. When I moved to Tucson in '82, there was another mountain her....it is now gone!

This view is of the mountain one normally views from Ava Valley Rd.

Mountains in the distance are the Tortillitas.

This is a different view of Piacho peak!

Converging trails....to the left is the Sendero Esperanza meeting the Hugh Norris, where I am sitting.  There are sign post to let you know where to go next!

This is the post from the Esperanza trail that leads down from the mine.

Trail is a bit rocky here.  Doesn't appear to be really well traveled. Didn't see alot of boot tracks, did see horse shoes tracks.

Looking up from the Gould Mine trail to the tailings.

This brush, is normally a grey green during the summer.  I have never seen it like this!

Another view of the tailings.

Looking back up the Gould Mine trail...hey it really IS this color!

Heading back to the trail head

So neat to see the ocotillow so greened up.

The red sand limestone rock here is really odd.  Just pops up suddenly.

GOODIE, almost done!

Up out of the wash.  Trail looks different from this point of view. This is where I started out!

Ok , for some of the wild flowers in bloom...This is called Fairy Duster. A favorite of Hummingbirds. Not one here...

group of poppies.

GREEN Desert! What an oddity!

Last but not least....no they are NOT a desert flower, nor native here.  But they bloom in peopls yards this time of year.  SO happy in the sunshine.  Wanted to finish with this bright spot!

ENJOY!

7 Falls, Bear Canyon hike, 2-25-10

Last Bridge to Bear Canyon. LOTS of water here.

Just never saw any water here before.

Octotilla greened up from the rains, can Spring be far off?

On the trail to Bear Canyon ahead

I believe this was the 3rd. crossing.  I didn't take them all. They were all pretty much the same.  FULL of lots of water.  A fellow can be seen in the distance, where you want to come out to continue on the trail.

I had to stop along the way, and take pictures of this water.  WHEN will we see the like again?

Water here, was so light and feathery, pretty.

More heavy running water

This falls was almost to the end

Well here we are.  Can't help, I took alot of this.  Not many get up here to see it, because you have so much wading to do.

close up of the one Falls

Lower falls

Well, that is in for now.

Not sure if you can view this.  But I have posted a video of the falls on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Tucson44#p/a/u/0/7Y0EQANVuOE

Great Walk, NEW Walk, along the Rillito

After church today, I wanted to get in a walk....if I had known I would be on call tonight, I probably would have gone down to Madera Canyon to see if I could see some snow.  I do work tomorrow night, and still may head down there just for a look see.  Course Mt. Lemmon is an option too.  We shall see.

Anyway, I entered the Rillito River Park off of Swan just south of the river.

There is a very nice place to park.

This view is looking back towards Swan Bridge. The path goes on that way to Alvernon.  I have not walked this side of the river before.  Always planned to!

Ok, so here I go heading East. The path here is dirt.

Hard to believe there is WATER in the Wash at this point.  Drives up as you go futher west.  The one thing I did notice, NO funky odor like the Santa Cruz .

This is the bridge over the Alamo Wash.  LOTS of tile work. Really pretty, and has NOT been vadalized!

This pathway just over the bridge heads south.  One day I shall have to check that one out!

Thought this was an oddity.  A paved area in the wash.  No obvious connection to the path.

But then I pick up a paved path.  Weird.  AND this was just in the aread of the Wash.  Maybe so it would not be washed out.  Who knows!

Continuing on , this path does wind around a bit here.

Ok, for the proverbial doggie!!!! This is Pierre. BIG beautiful Poodle.

Very sweet dog! Posed like a trooper!

Hmmmm, another off shoot from the path to explore in the future!

Like WHERE does this go???

Ok, so here is a stream running so nicely.  Had to take a picture to post!

This was on another bridge crossing.  Not sure what it is supposde to be!

Ok, so across the Wash, that bridge is nice and odd, as it crosses one of the many washes from the mountains, but really goes NO where .  It dead ends under the Craycroft bridge.  I would guess, they plan to extend the pathway in the future.

The Craycroft bridge.

Here I was just showing how LOW the bridge is to the pathway.  If I can touch it, it is probably not even 6 feet!  Be sure to DUCK if you are tall!!!

Ok, this is the East side of the bridge.  There is a pathway here, but nothing official at this time.

Ok, on my way back from here.  The path East of here on the south side, takes you down into the River.  I chose to turn around!

I came back on a different pathway here, this is heading towards the Alamo bridge.

LOFTY Finger rock.... I LOVE these rugged mountains!

The Cotton wood takes a licken' and ....well you can see the debrie from the high waters.

Here, I needed something to show why I took this.  The edge of the path is maybe a foot from the river  bed.  In other words NO walking when the water is high!!!

Well that is all for this trip!