HILLS HURT, COUCHES KILL hiking log

I do not have many because they are all the same ... and all of the trees are no taller than 6 ft. Cacti can be 20 ft tall, though in Phoenix area ...

Today was my most recent. 9.8 miles, 2000-ish-ft climb over that distance. I was doing 5-6 hikes every week last summer, 6-7 miles each time (amazing how much weight you can lose eating controlled amounts of french fries when you do that!).

This is how all of the trail basically looks. If you start a thread about snake and coyote encounters I can contribute to that ...

South Mountain Park is arguably the largest inside-city-but-still-wild park in the world. 100+ miles of unique trail and many many combinations from 2 miles to using all of those 100+ miles.

 

Did a hike Sunday, 10 miles over the desert hills with 2400 ft accumulated hill-climb (and of course I took it all VERY easy instead of attacking the hills). I am wearing my flexible back-brace even now because my back is not quite exactly right.

 

Post a couple pics bro

 

Mind if I play in your sandbox? We are in the flatlands of the East coast so the pictures aren't as spectacular. Our long hikes would be a warm up for @b_r_o but we are working on getting less couchy and more hilly

The pictures below are from our recent hike at Hanging Rock state park. The challenge was to visit all 5 waterfalls within the park. Total mileage was 6.8 with about 1200 feet of elevation gain. We are going back in a couple of weeks for the 5 peak challenge which will be about 10 miles and 2500' of elevation gain.

 

If I take some next time. I am usually pushing hard instead of stopping/snapping. Two photos. One looking up from bottom of a hill with path that is much of the way maybe 2 ft wide, sometimes 18 inches. The other looking down the same path shown in the first, camera at 45 down-degree angle.

 

No worries, just a few pics so we can see some colors and the overall vibe of the day. I love a good cactus pic. Any Saguaro near you down there?

@JasonArizona used to post in here. He was hiking in the hills outside Tucson.

 

Saguaro exist, just do not take photos everywhere, and many are on the tops of hills at a distance. They are very slow growing, not getting arms for about 100 years I think (minimum 50 years). Some are dead, pushed over by wind. But nowhere near as dense as in Saguaro National Park. If I see some with flowers I will try ... I am out there enough.

Maybe a couple of shots down what are dug mines, abandoned ranch houses, and here is a preview of the upcoming rattlesnake season ... a mohave rattler that was about 20 ft away and seemed not too bother by us because it was only about 100 ft from a busy trailhead. What was terrifying was that someone from an asian country (spoke primarily asian language with his wife) wanted to get a closer picture. I could not understand every specific word when she was yelling at him but I am sure it was "You are a complete idiot! Get away from that snake because you do not need that picture!" I asked her if I should forcibly drag him away from the snake and she said "Yes".



Before anyone accuses me of being stupid to take that picture, I have seen 7 snakes in 2 years. Two were escaping the path in front of me when I was close to stepping on it, one was in the brush next to me when I was walking fast and heard the rattle. I am actually getting used to them being there as long as I do not walk up to it and pick it up.

 

@RichochetRabbit How long will you be in Tucson? Need any suggestions?

Much of my hiking is at night so I rarely get photos these days. Here's one from a couple weeks ago. Up past Cardiac Gap, this is Bridal Veil Falls.



Been so busy with rescues @b_r_o . Thanks for tagging me in!

 

I am in Phoenix. I do not know when I will get down to Tucson for hiking.

 

Ping me if you do or if you simply want recommendations. I'm a desert bum!

 

Damn the snakes ... full speed ahead.

Someone told me two very scary snake stories.

In one, she was walking fast and stepped on the snake but stepped past at that pace. The snake apparently felt as she did ... it was moving away from the annoying human and wanted no more to do with her.

In another, she was walking up a narrow trail with drop-off aand cliff-face on either side, in June. She stopped to rest on this steep trail (I know the trail, is steep) and when it was time to move a snake had partially wrapped itself around her foot. She braced herself, and kicked her leg sideways to fling the snake downslope off the trailside.

And a coyote story ...

A guy was walking trails around midnight, came down the end of a teep trail out where you are 1 mile from houses but still quite alone. Suddenly found himself in a group of 12-ish coyotes. Usually they leave you alone and eat trash and pekinese and chihuahuas from surrounding houses, so he probably was safe. But he played crazy human, waking his arms and screaming. They just gave him a sideways "WTF ... just another stupid human" glance and casually walked away.

 

People asked for more pictures of Arizona, so do not blame me if these are like your Aunt Sadies vacation pictures ...

From the ridge where I has just climbed 400 ft in 0.3 miles, first one on the trail I climbed and other looking at the inner valley ...



A "jumping cholla" in bloom and then with the nasty little balls that give them their name. Jumping Cholla have nasty little balls that are only just barely attached to mother plant and are covered with big visible and thousands of hair-like spines that attach to coyotes, rabbits, clothes, human skin if you get close ... thus "jumping cholla".



Other catcii I do not know the names of



Two saguaro with moon ... 4:30 PM, and yes the sky was that blue and clear



Another plant that only blooms a couple times a year and I do not know the name



Here is a saguaro about 30 ft from me, probably 25 ft tall



Here is a valley. See the saguaro that are behind the 4 barrel-type cactii ... you can see the city just behind because the park is in the middle of the city

 

I believe the cacti in photo 5 are either foolish hook barrel or fire barrel. The stick one might be corncob cacti although those tend to cluster when they grow. Photo 7 is definitely an Ocotillo. I've never seen a Cholla bloom. Pretty flowers for such a nasty plant. I've seen plenty of snakes (Gopher, Sonoran sidewinder, rattlesnake, ect.) and I despise them more than Indiana Jones. Most the coyotes I've seen are pretty skinny and mangy, but not shy by any means. Javelina are more prevalent.

 

Well, I am not a botanist ... so thank you for the identification. I have seem jumping cholla so I will look for a valid example next time I am out, and some pictures of the nasty little balls which have disconnected.

I am a fool who puts (attacks, actually) hills early in the hike and am often dragging my legs over 2-in rocks and almost falling at the end. Funny how I never seem to be able to avoid the "dragging" when I never stop the early "attacking" ...

 

Here's a couple pics of a Cholla in bloom from one of my trips to death valley.

 

Ocotillo will be blooming soon so hang in there. I could look at these desert photos all day long! Thanks for posting. I have an ocotillo about 12 feet away from me right now about 15 feet tall. They're beautiful plants and when they die, their stalks are often used to build fences.

This isn't my photo, just did an image search.

 

Nice hike today in Morrow Mountain State Park in NC. About 6 miles round trip with about 800ft of elevation gain. Starts off with a lumpy hike through the woods before you start the ascent up Morrow mountain. There is a 1/4 mile section of trail that goes straight up the side of the hill. It's a tough climb for us but the views from the top are worth it.

My wife crossing a small creek.



The steep part.



View from the trail near the top.

 

great thread name, new forehead tattoo idea haha.