Madera Canyon, Arizona

Thursday, May 21, 2015. Dad, Mom, Ted, Rock and I arrive at Madera Canyon near the Arizona and Mexico border.  This will not be about hiking but is still worthy of this blog.  Madera Canyon is in the Santa Rita Mountains and is a Sky Island that is in the Sonoran desert yet is a lush green forest with streams and lots of wildlife. It is considered the third best premier birding site in the USA which is what brought us here for the third time.  There are many birds from Mexico and Central and South America that come to this area and nowhere else in the US for the summer.  We have rented a cabin and will spend the next 4 days bird watching and relaxing.  A small stream flows by about 15 feet from the back porch where we spend most of our time.

Right off the front porch this Plumbeous Vireo is climbing into it's nest.

We had never seen a Yellow-eyed Junco before and this one built it's nest nearby.

There are many different species of Hummingbirds in Madera Canyon. This Magnificent Hummingbird seems to be posing for the camera.

This Broad-billed Hummingbird was constantly fighting for a drink and seems to have an angry look on it's face.

This wild Turkey is known to have a fondness for Dad.

This pair of Acorn Woodpeckers built their nest in a hole in a Sycamore tree.

This Greater Pewee made for a striking picture.

I'm not positive but I think this is a Western Wood-Pewee.

The Birders.

All in all we saw 32 or 33 different species of birds and 7 or 8 were first timers. My favorites were the Elegant Trogon (very rare) and the Sulfur-bellied Flycatcher. We also saw a Plumbeous Vireo, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Blue Grossbeak, Bronzed Cowbird, Arizona Woodpecker, Greater Pewee, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-headed Grossbeak, White-winged Dove, Morning Dove, Flicker, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Turkey Vulture, Wild Turkey, Gray-breasted Jay, Cowbird, Robin, House Finch, House Wren, Pine Sisken, Painted Redstart, White-breasted Nuthatch, Bridled Titmouse, Yellow-eyed Junco, Acorn Woodpecker, Hepatic Tanager, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Magnificent Hummingbird and a Broad-billed Hummingbird.

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

Saturday, February 14, 2015. Suzanne, Dooley, Hazel and I head over to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Northern Utah for a 6 mile hike and bird watching.  The refuge is 80,000 acres of marshes created by Bear River which is the largest freshwater component of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. As we begin our hike the view is spectacular.

Most of the marsh land looks like this.

It doesn't take long before we see some Tundra Swans.

Tundra Swans summer in the Artic and winter in Northern Utah.

After about 3 miles Suzanne is helping Dooley get ready for a swim.

You can see how much Dooley enjoys the water.

Back on the hike we spot some Canada Geese.

I even manage to get a picture of a flock of Canada geese in flight.

This one was just taking off to join the flock.

This Tundra Swan was just lifting off the water when I snapped this picture.

This picture is a little faded but you can see the swan in flight with the Wasatch Mountains in the background.

Later we drive out to Antelope Island on the Great Salt Lake where this Horned Lark pays us a visit.

As we finish the hike I take one final picture of the Wasatch Mountains behind Ogden, Utah.

Pony Express Trail

Friday, October 24, 2014.  Suzanne and I want to spend the next three days exploring the portion of the Pony Express Trail that extends from Salt Lake City west to the Utah/Nevada border. After California became a state in 1850 faster communication with Washington D.C. and the east coast became critical.  The fastest way to deliver mail was by stagecoach which took 8-12 weeks. In 1860 a group of 3 men came up with the idea for the Pony Express.  The trail covered the 1,966 miles from St. Joseph, Mo to Sacramento, Ca.  There were 120 riders that were paid $100.00 per month to ride 75-100 miles per day and they could not weigh more than 125 lbs.  There were 400 horses used and they had to be small and fast which is why they were called ponies.  They had stations set up approximately 10 miles apart which is about how far a horse can gallop before it gets tired.  It was a very dangerous ride that could include outlaws or Native American attacks but it reduced communication from the east to California to 10 days. After driving west from Salt Lake City we get on a small dirt road that parallels the Pony Express Trail. Sometimes the road is the trail. It can be difficult to see and follow so you are constantly looking for the markers.

After driving up to the top of Little Mountain we come to Lookout Pass where one of the rest stations was. From here we would descend down to the desert floor for the remainder of our adventure.

As we continue on we come to Simpson Springs which was an important Pony Express station due to the water source. Here is one of the stone markers erected at each of the stations.

Our next goal for Friday is to find a place to set up camp. It won't be easy because we have entered the Great Basin and it is desolate and we need a spot with a few trees for shade for the doggies and us.  Most of the terrain looks like this.

Finally, right as we are approaching the point where we will need to turn around to insure we can get back to a gas station Suzanne thinks she sees some trees in the distance. We find a place where we can get off the road and set up camp.

After dinner we relax and enjoy the sunset.

It may be desolate but it sure is beautiful.

Saturday morning Suzanne decides to improvise a skillet breakfast. Fried potatoes, dehydrated pizza soup and scrambled eggs all mixed together. Wow, was it good.

After breakfast we decide to go exploring. We spend the next few hours hiking around the area adjacent to our camp.

Hundreds of square miles of nothing and suddenly we spot this solitary Globe Mallow.

Back at camp Suzanne and Dooley take a break.

Sunday morning we hike up on top of a small nearby mountain to discover an amazing view on the other side.

After packing up we start to leave this area when we encounter a herd of wild mustangs which seemed like a fitting conclusion to our Pony Express Trail adventure.

Great Western Trail

Friday, August 8, 2014.  Suzanne, the doggies and I head up to the area of Northeast Utah to find a spot where we can set up camp and then spend a couple of days hiking part of the GWT. The Great Western Trail extends from Canada to Mexico passing through Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Arizona.  Our intent is to hike all of the over 500 miles of the GWT through Utah. Since we don't have the time to thru-hike it we will do it one section at a time until we have hiked the entire Utah corridor. We find a place to set up camp off a tiny dirt road near the Idaho - Utah border. Our view from camp, actually in Utah, is of the beautiful Idaho countryside.

Rather than leave our footprint by setting up a new camp we use one that was left by others. We would never build such a large fire ring but this one was already here. After unpacking and getting every thing situated, Suzanne and Dooley take a break.

While exploring the area around our camp I spot this before and after scene and thought it made a nice picture.

This pair of Three Toed Woodpeckers were sharing the same tree.

The next morning we begin our quest of hiking the Great Western Trail through Utah.

It's actually a very nice trail with a lot of green trees providing shade.

As we continue hiking we see this tree where a bear had recently sharpened it's claws.

The views were really spectacular and we took our time so we could enjoy them.

As we near the end I can't resist a picture showing just how blue the sky was.

All in all we hiked the first 8 miles of the Great Western Trail in Utah and I am really looking forward to our next section.

Red Lake, Colorado

Thursday, June 12, 2014.  Hazel and I drive up to the South San Juan Wilderness in Southern Colorado to meet up with my brother Ted for 3 days of camping and hiking. When we discovered this camping spot last year we named it wildflower meadow because in July it is carpeted with every color of wildflower you can imagine. This skyrocket is just waking up for the day.

The next morning started out with a good sign. It was Friday the 13th and the full moon was setting behind our camp making for a good picture.

As we were having our morning coffee and looking out over the lower meadow two bull elk walked to within 50 yards of us. They kept trying to figure out what we were but we remained still. Eventually they began to frolick and play and chase each other around.

The hike we had planned to do was to Red Lake. We had seen the trail head last year while exploring and a hiker we met on the Continental Divide Trail had told us it was a very nice hike. After getting our hiking gear ready we started up the trail.  We hiked about 3 miles up to 11,750 ft. elevation and all of a sudden there was Red Lake before us.

Red Lake is one of the most picturesque settings I've ever seen. Here is a closeup showing Conejos Peak at 13,179 ft. in the background.

 Back near camp I can't resist a picture of the Cumbres Pass that is just a little west of us.

The view from our camp is spectacular.

The time of day can change the effect dramatically.

Sometimes each mountain ridge has a different degree of shadow.

As we prepare to leave one of my favorite birds, the Western Tanager, stops by to say goodbye.

It was a very fun and relaxing three days and I will come back here often.