Thursday, February 12, 2015

Starr Pass Loop Trail Hike

Feb. 4, Wednesday.  I love this hike!  It is my favorite of all the hikes we take.  The trail took us up and down through some of the most scenic parts of the desert.  It was a bit cold as the sun was just starting to come up and the parking lot had a view of Mt. Lemmon across the valley.  Then the sun got higher and pretty shades of sunlight began to hit the mountains.  So pretty! 

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We had another fantastic group of 45 people!  Guess the great weather we have been having is appealing to more folks now.  

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I think I took more pictures that day than any I have taken on the hikes so far!  I can’t help it! I just love the desert scenery.  It is even more scenic when we are away from the city noise and traffic.   We also found this guy in the third picture that is the largest, fattest, and unusual cactus.  Yes, that is all the same cactus. 

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Break time to catch our breath and have a snack and water to get us over the rest of the trail.   Gosh, it was nice out there!

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OOPS!  We sort of ran into a little problem.  This was the planned return trail to the parking lot, but we didn’t know it was wet and muddy at the end.  Some scouted a way to ‘bush whack’ a new trail around the mud but the brush was too thick.  Plus, I am not a big fan of having to watch for rattlesnakes!!  Another ‘scout’ said we could get thru the mud, so us hardy souls went for it.  It was around the bend that we had to forge the stream across a log and some rocks.  We handed off hiking sticks to each other for balance.  Our successful group of hikers survived the raging river and gushy river bottom!  I mean shallow stream & muddy riverbank!  What is a hike without a little adventure!? 

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A beautiful day, great friends, and a little water problem, made for a great hike on my favorite trail. 

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