Hiked Black Mountain

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Sunrise with clouds

Stayed around the area today, with no real plans.  As I sat in my lounge chair, I decided to climb Black Mountain, not the shoes but the mountain in the background. I knew I couldn’t go all the way to the top, but yesterday as I was driving around, I could see a hole in the side of the mountain about two-thirds the way up.  It was at the point where it was just a cliff face to the top.  I figured it would be good exercise to walk up there. This picture was taken with the 300 mm zoom lens making it look much closer than it really is.

I want you to get a feel of the hike.  Here is how the ground looks as I start out.  Rocks everywhere.  You have to be careful where you put your feet or you will turn an ankle. As you climb higher and get closer to the sharp incline, the rocks get larger and you can’t just look down either, or you will walk right into one of those Cholla Cactus and Prickly Pear Cactus that are everywhere.  

As I get into the sharp incline, the rocks get much larger.  Now I am jumping from rock to rock and also looking for rattlesnakes. This picture is looking back down the way I came from.   

As I look around, this is the view that confronts me.  It is so beautiful and so rugged at the same time.  The only sounds I hear is the wind and the Cactus Wrens singing in the bushes.  No other sounds (except the ringing in my ears, of course).

Looking back, this is my view. Looking to the north, I can see the Little Ajo Mountains and if you look closely at the base and just to the left of the Saguaro Cactus, that little glint is our motorhome.

Looking north.  See our motorhome.	Looking up the mountain.
Looking to the south.	Looking west.

 

Here is the hole from close up.  Not much to see.

To give you an idea of how dusty the roads are in the desert, here is a border patrol truck coming north out of the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument through the desert floor.  He is maybe going 30 miles an hour.

After spending about an hour looking out over the desert, it is time to make my way back down the mountain.  Kinda wish I could stay here all day, but gotta go back down.

I see the jeep!  My hike is nearly done. Hope you are as tired as I am.

See you later.