tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77773205249938950572024-03-13T06:21:17.203-07:00The Adventures of the HikemastersThis blog details the adventures of the Taylor-Lenz family as we explore the natural beauty of our world.The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.comBlogger306125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-54276818963896784972013-11-15T22:00:00.003-08:002018-07-13T11:51:43.254-07:00Wolfman Panel, Butler Wash Road, Bluff, UT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Wolfman Panel is a series of petroglyphs located just 1 mile up Butler Wash Road neat Bluff, UT. It is easy to reach and find and represents an outstanding display of ancient Puebloan rock art. In addition, you can also see an old cliffside ruin on the far side of the deeply carved canyon of Butler Wash.</div>
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To access the site, head 4 miles west of Bluff, UT on US-191. Butler Wash Road is not signed on the highway, but there is a sign on the fence crossing this well-maintained dirt road at the top of the slope just before the highway descends steeply down to cross the Butler Wash ravine. Upon reaching the road, pass through the unlocked fence and drive 1 mile.</div>
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The turnoff for the Wolfman panel is located on a small dirt track on the nearside of a fence. There is a BLM sign with information on the farside the same fence. Drive down this track about 300 feet to a parking area. The trail follows an old track dug into the slickrock. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wavey layers of Navajo sandstone indicate these are fossilized sand dunes</td></tr>
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Just continue until reaching the edge of the ravine and then look for cairns marking the route down into the canyon. As you descend, you will see the old ruins against the cliff face on the far side. It's less than 1/2 mile to the site.</div>
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The route will pass a small alcove with some smoke scars on its roof and some leftover abode foundations. Just beyond that are the petroglyphs.</div>
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In addition to the wolfman himself, there is also a sandhill crane with wings extended, some other animals and humanoid characters, some "alien" looking creatures, and something that looks like a tree planted in a pot, although it might be some corn?</div>
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Return the way you came and enjoy the view across the Navajo sandstone slickrock in this beautiful area of Southern Utah.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Abajo Mountains can be seen in the distance</td></tr>
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<br />The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-64901941618245970132013-07-07T23:38:00.001-07:002013-07-07T23:38:18.863-07:00Death Valley National Park, California<br />
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With the recent heat wave in the west and Death Valley setting an all-time June world record temperature of 129.9 degrees F, only 4 shy of its all-time world record, I thought it would be a good time to reflect upon our two visits to Death Valley National Park.<br />
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Death Valley National Park is a fascinating place or geologic formations and to study how life struggles to survive in such an inhospitable place. Located in the rainshadow of the Sierra Nevada and California coast ranges, Death Valley would already be a very dry place. But, include the fact it is within the high pressure zone of the North American deserts and at such a low elevation, and this makes it the hottest and driest place in North America. But, just because it is so hot and dry, doesn't mean nothing can survive there.<br />
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And in both of our visits there, once in December and once in March, we found out that it isn't always dry. In fact, on both occasions, we were hit with major rainstorms that dropped nearly an inch of rain and made up abandon our camping plans. Thus, if we concluded based on our experiences alone, Death Valley is a very wet place indeed.</div>
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Nonetheless, the heat and aridity, have prevented vegetation from covering the land and have exposed the soils and bedrock below to the erosional effects of the occasional torrential rain. This has exposed some spectacular geologic features, including the Artist's Palette, where minerals of different types, expose rocks of different colors including the greens and blues of copper, reds of iron, purple of manganese, and various others.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artist's Palette</td></tr>
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Of course, one of the most famous spots is Badwater Basin, where salty/alkaline springs emerge at the lowest spot in North America at 282 feet below sea level. While it was called Badwater due to the inability of people or livestock to drink the water, amazingly it does support an ecosystem of specialized aquatic insects and the endemic Badwater snail.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Badwater Basin in the morning with shadows of the mountains still on it</td></tr>
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Another interesting location just north of Badwater Basin is the Devil's Golf Course. This large expanse consists of huge chunks of of salt-covered mud. The Devil's Golf Course is the dry lake bed of the ancient Lake Manly that occupied the entire valley to a depth of 30 feet during the Ice Age. </div>
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While the mud layer is some 1000 feet deep, due to it being slightly higher than Badwater Basin, it remains above the water table and is usually dry. But, the wind-resistant salt crystals have allowed the flat lake bed materials to be eroded into sharp and chunky shapes.<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden Canyon</td></tr>
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Next on the trip is the Golden Canyon. This easy one mile loop hike through the canyon is extremely beautiful. The golden and yellow hues contrast with the reddish rocks on the cliffs above. In addition, within the rocks, you can see white layers of halite.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking in Golden Canyon</td></tr>
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Another interesting canyon to explore is Mosaic Canyon, just past Stovepipe Wells. Mosaic Canyon is called that because it is filled with dense conglomerate breccia rocks embedded with large and colorful stones. This route is up to 2 miles long before it ends at a dry waterfall.</div>
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Be aware, like we were, that if a big winter storm is rolling in, Mosaic canyon is prone to flash flooding. We escaped just before the rain began to dump and we had to give up our camping plans and head to Las Vegas. It is during such rare storms, that strong winds push the rocks across the thinly wettened mud of the Racetrack. No one has actually seen the rocks move, especially since being on the mud during a rainstorm would cause you to get stuck. But, during its normally dry conditions, it is an interesting sight.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exiting Mosaic Canyon with big rainstorm moving in</td></tr>
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One place we didn't get to go on either trip was 11,000 foot Telescope Peak. This large mountain rises high above the floor of Death Valley and indicates the shear scale of the Basin-and-Range extension that drops valley floors and raises mountain ranges. In both occasions it was covered by snow and impending storms made hiking it impossible. But, it even maintains a forest of limber pine and mountain mahogany on its slopes. Sometime we'll get up there to see the panoramic view.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of the 11,000 foot snow-covered Telescope Peak in the morning</td></tr>
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One last place of interest at Death Valley National Park is not actually in the main part of the park. It is Devil's Hole, home to the endangered Devil's Hole pupfish. Devil's Hole is actually located in the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, but the pool itself is part of Death Valley National Park. The Devil's Hole pupfish has the smallest range of any vertebrate in the world. The hole is only about 15 ft x 5 feet. While the hole itself drops for some 1000 feet, the pupfish can only live in the top 2-3 feet of it where the algae they feed on grows.</div>
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The pupfish found this site during the Ice Age when much of the region was covered in pluvial lakes and connecting streams, like Lake Manly in Death Valley. When the climate warmed and dried, the populations of pupfish became isolated from each other and this one found this refugia. They are adapted to the contant 92 degree thermal waters and alkaline pH of the limestone caverns. While their population has normally ranged from 150-500 individuals, following the "tsunami" of March 2012 (caused by an earthquake in Mexico) and several flood events, the population was measured to be just 35 in April 2013. The population may go extinct. We'll have to wait and see...</div>
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The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-70239363387489214162013-07-06T09:10:00.000-07:002018-07-13T11:49:03.096-07:00Hiking the La Plata Range, Colorado<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When visitors arrive at Mesa Verde and climb the big slope up onto the mesa from the visitor center, they are often awed by the view of the the mountains just across the Mancos Valley. This southwestern-most segment of the Rocky Mountains is the La Plata Range. This small range is often overlooked by hikers by the larger San Juan Mountains to the east and north. But, with elevations up to over 13,000 feet on Hesperus Mountain, it is definitely work to side trip to get some real alpine experience.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the La Plata Range from Mesa Verde National Park</td></tr>
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The La Plata Range is the closest area of the Rocky Mountains geographically to Flagstaff, and we had a desire to get a little "alpine" experience in before the summer monsoons and their associated lightning storms really got underway. There are a number of trails in the La Plata Range and the 500-mile long Colorado Trail crosses the range. In addition, it's highest peak, Hesperus Mountain at<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">13,237 ft is the "Navajo's Sacred Mountain of the North"</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of 13,237 foot Hesperus Mountain</td></tr>
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As you drive east from Cortez to Durango on US-160, there will be a turnoff to the La Plata Range just after passing the Hesperus Ski Area. The road starts off paved as it passes a number of summer homes and ranchettes, then is good dirt as it enters the La Plata Canyon, passing a number of camping areas and additional summer cabins. But, once it leaves the camping zone, it become a rough rocky road with a high clearance vehicle recommended.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down La Plata Canyon</td></tr>
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Most people will brave the road up to the intersection of the Colorado Trail, where they can hike 1.4-mile up to Taylor Lake, located at about 11,400 feet. From the edge of the lake, you can admire beautiful wildflowers and the entire Cumberland Basin that makes up this portion of the range. But, standing some 600 feet above you is the headwall to the ridgetop where the real views are.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climbing an old mining track</td></tr>
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The trail is pretty easy going up the slope above Taylor Lake. The only sketchy part is the final 50 feet on a steep and slippery rocky face. But, upon reaching the top you instantly get a view of Hesperus Mountain and back across the Cumberland Basin. But, since the saddle is not at the ridgetop and there are dense willows blocking the view in other directions, you will need to follow the trail to the right through the brush to the highest point a few hundred feet further.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching Taylor Lake, in the basin above</td></tr>
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There, you will be able to look out across the Mancos Valley to Mesa Verde National Park, and north toward the Lizard Head Peaks and into the San Juans in the distance. In June, the wildflowers are spectacular.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The creek draining out of Taylor Lake into Cumberland Basin</td></tr>
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The trail you are on is the Colorado Trail and it heads 500 miles from Durango to Denver, weaving through the La Plata Range, San Juan Mountains, and other alpine environments. Keep on it until it drops into a little saddle between two higher ridges to get the most panoramic views. This is where I turned around, but you can continue on the ridgetop for a couple more miles before it drops back down into the montane forest of Engelmann spruce and subalpine firs.</div>
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Be aware that Colorado has the monsoons in summer which result in regular afternoon thunderstorms. Do not go above treeline if it appears as though lightning will occur. We did our hike in mid-June realizing it was a bit before the monsoons would really get going and knowing it was a light snowpack this year so most of the snow was melted off. In another year, this hike would not yet have been possible in June. If you do go in the summer when thunderstorms are brewing, get a really early start.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view down onto Taylor Lake in the La Plata Range</td></tr>
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I've heard that hikers who do the 14'ers have to start their hikes at 4:30am to reach the summit just after sunrise so they can get down before noon when the thunderstorms get going. But, we knew the humidity was low and storm development was unlikely this day. Thus, all we saw by mid-afternoon were a few poofy clouds passing by.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sophie at 12,400 feet with Hesperus Mountain beyond</td></tr>
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So, if you live in Arizona and want to get to the closest set of Rocky Mountain alpine, then the La Plata Range may be the place to go.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view back toward Mesa Verde National Park (mesa in far distance left)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wooly sunflower at 12,000 feet</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The saddle where I stopped to get the view out to the San Juan Mountains</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sophie preparing to head back down</td></tr>
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<br />The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-25645759222226210212013-05-03T21:35:00.005-07:002013-05-03T21:35:46.793-07:00Schuerman Mountain Trail, Sedona Area, Arizona<br />
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Looking for a nice, relatively easy, family friendly hike to do while visiting Sedona that is actually almost completely devoid of the crowds and pink jeeps you have come to expect? Schuerman Mountain may be just the hike for you.</div>
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Located over in West Sedona right next to Sedona Red Rocks High School is a neat little hike that will take you into a rare Desert Grassland habitat and offer beautiful views of <a href="http://www.hikemasters.com/2013/05/bear-mountain-sedona-red-rocks-arizona.html">Bear Mountain</a> and other scenic areas of the Sedona area. The trail leaves from a small parking lot just behind the high school and near a large area of solar panels. The trail climbs up the slope through typical semi-arid scrub vegetation of the area. But, reaching the top of the mesa, the ecosystem shifts into a rare desert grassland.</div>
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Desert grasslands used to be one of the most abundant ecosystems of the region, fueled by light winter rains, but heavy monsoons in summer. However, ranchers long ago overgrazed these areas, resulting in bare ground or a conversion to hardier shrubs, cacti, and yuccas in most of Central Arizona. Where cattle still run, there is virtually no grass to be found and the soil has been so degraded and eroded they probably will not return. This is obvious off I-17 on the way past Cordes Junction until Camp Verde.</div>
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While I do not know the history of this particular mesa, there was no evidence of cattle grazing I could see, thus is appears as though this site has avoided the wrath of so many hooves and teeth. As you hike across the summit you approach some interesting columnar basalts associated with the <a href="http://www.hikemasters.com/2011/04/house-mountain-shield-volcano-sedona.html">House Mountain Shield Volcano</a>, located not far away across the Oak Creek basin. That hike is detailed<a href="http://www.hikemasters.com/2011/04/house-mountain-shield-volcano-sedona.html"> here</a>.</div>
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As you head out to the edge of the mesa, you can look out across the area including down into the basin where Oak Creek winds its way around various red rock mesas and pinnacles. In spring, the lime green colors of cottonwoods and sycamores contrast greatly against a backdrop of dark gray-green junipers and brownish-red rocks.</div>
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As you down and out into the Verde Valley realize that the summit of this mesa would have been near the shoreline of a great lake that filled the entire basin a few million years ago. On the way back and just before you descend back down to the high school, be sure to take the short side to the left to another view point. </div>
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From here you can look across most of West Sedona, including down into Dry Creek, out across to the summits of <a href="http://www.hikemasters.com/2012/09/north-wilson-mountain-sedona-area.html">Mount Wilson</a>, with some of the canyons dissecting into the Mogollon Rim also visible such as <a href="http://www.hikemasters.com/2012/11/long-canyon-secret-mountain-wilderness.html">Long Canyon</a>, <a href="http://www.hikemasters.com/2011/02/soldiers-pass-brins-mesa-loop-sedona.html">Brins Mesa,</a> and the Teapot.</div>
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This is a great short family hike to do almost any day of the year while visiting Sedona.</div>
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<br />The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-46563300730452094602013-04-06T21:03:00.001-07:002013-04-06T21:03:15.634-07:00Fisher Point - Walnut Canyon Trail, Flagstaff, AZ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On a near 70-degree early-April day in Flagstaff, we decided to head out to access the upper point of Walnut Canyon and Fisher Point. Previously, we have accessed Walnut Canyon via Sandy's Canyon, which I wrote about <b><a href="http://www.hikemasters.com/2012/12/sandys-canyon-walnut-canyon-coconino-nf.html">HERE</a></b>. We also accessed the canyon rim of Walnut Canyon via Campbell Mesa and of course at Walnut Canyon National Park.<br />
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Today, we accessed it via Fisher Point by taking the dirt Herald Ranch Road, which branches off of Butler Avenue right off of I-40. At the end of the road, after passing a number of nearly "off-the-grid" homes back in the forest. From here, we hiked down an closed US Forest Service Road until reaching the "Loop Trail". Turning left here, we came up to the Arizona Trail. Once you park and walk down the dirt track, the area to Fisher Point and the canyon is well signed.<br />
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Upon reaching the edge of Sandy's Canyon (which is actually the name for that portion of Walnut Canyon), you come to the Arizona Trail, the 800-mile route from Utah to Mexico across the entire state. Here you can turn right and head down into the canyon or turn right and reach the scenic viewpoint of Fisher Point in 0.5 miles. On the way up to Fisher Point, there are some really spectacular views of the landscape, including the San Francisco Peaks, Kendrick Peak, and the observatories on Mars Hill.</div>
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Upon reaching Fisher Point, you can look up Sandy's Canyon. Looking down the canyon is a little more of a challenge due to the steepness of the slope and the vegetation. However, if you follow some of the game trails, you can get a peak down canyon as you can see above.</div>
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After climbing Fisher Point, then we backtracked and then descended into Sandy's Canyon. At the bottom of the canyon, we once again admired the cross-bedded Coconino Sandstone and then continued down Walnut Canyon to check out the caves and other features.</div>
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The canyon used to have an active year-round flowing stream that was used by the Sinagua peoples at Walnut Canyon National Monument. However, when Lake Mary was created to supply Flagstaff with its drinking water, the stream dried up. Today, it is overgrown with willows and aspens, while the rounded stream rocks can be seen in places under a thick layer of grass.</div>
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Amazingly, despite weeks of temperatures in 50's and even 60's, there were still some patches of ice and snow in the canyon. Hilina enjoyed "ice skating", doing pirouettes and spins. Anyways, what a wonderful spring day in Flagstaff.</div>
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<br />The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-30491866640054196032013-03-31T09:05:00.004-07:002013-03-31T09:05:46.650-07:00The Emergence of Spring in Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona<br />
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Spring is coming on strong in Northern Arizona. The temperatures have risen into the low-60's in Flagstaff. Buds are beginning to appear, but plants are hesitant to sprout in March or April due to the still cool temperatures at night and the ever-present risk of a freak snow storm. But, down in Sedona, it is now in the low-70's and things are a good month more advanced.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New sprouts of an Arizona Ash</td></tr>
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We went down to hike Oak Creek Canyon to see how things are progressing. It was a cloudy, but warm day, and the new lush growth in the riparian vegetation was quite nice.<br />
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We hiked the Huckaby Trail again from Midgley Bridge to Schnebly Hill Road. You can see a full description of the hike here: <b><a href="http://www.taylorlenz.com/2012/10/huckaby-trail-oak-creek-canyon-near.html">Huckaby Trail Description</a></b><br />
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The box-elders, ash, cottonwoods, alders, and willows are all bursting forth right now. The Sycamores are always the last. A few wildflowers are sprouting up, many of the manzanitas, condolyias, and other shrubs were in bloom. It was just a pleasant day strolling along Oak Creek Canyon.</div>
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There used to be homesteads along stretches of the canyon. Where old fruit trees remain, there were blooms of pink and white. In the open patches that used to be yards, purple locoweed was flowering.</div>
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<br />The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-2973048855397364172013-02-11T11:30:00.002-08:002013-02-11T11:30:58.263-08:00Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida<br />
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Big Cypress National Preserve is a 720,000 acre unit of the National Park Service located just northwest of <a href="http://www.taylorlenz.com/2013/01/everglades-national-park-river-of-grass.html">Everglades National Park</a> in South Florida. It contains many of the ecological subunits that are present in Everglades National Park, but is more freshwater based, with more extensive pinelands and cypress strands than its southern neighbor. It is home to the critically endangered Florida panther, as well as, habitat to dozens of wading birds and numerous endemic plant species.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cypress stands support lush growth of epiphytes like Spanish moss and bromeliads</td></tr>
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When Everglades National Park was established in 1947, Big Cypress was intended to be includes as part of the park. But, the federal government was unable to acquire the land at the time to make that a reality. But, being aware of its significance in terms of wildlife habitat and flow of water, citizens continued to push for the area to be protected. Finally, the preserve was set aside in 1974. However, as a National Preserve, it does not have exactly the same level of protection as a national park. The area still allows hunting and other traditional uses for the land.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A huge flock of white ibis within the cypress near Loop Road</td></tr>
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The Tamiami Trail (SR-41) cuts the Big Cypress into two pieces. The main visitor center is located right off the highway. There are two well-maintained dirt roads that allow visitors to see different ecotypes of the park. The 25-mile Loop Road leaves from Hwy 41 to the south, making a triangular path into beautiful cypress strands, and past a tropical hardwood hammock, before re-emerging onto Highway 41 a little further west. The Loop Road passes by the southern terminus of the 1,100 mile Florida Trail. Here, the trail is a straight line water-filled ditch. So, be prepared for ankle-deep to waist deep water in this section. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alligators lounge near the culverts. They are docile, but just be aware before hanging over the edge.</td></tr>
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All along the Loop Road are thick cypress stands absolutely full of wading birds. We saw lots of white ibis, endangered wood storks, little blue herons, snowy egrets, white egrets, and green-backed herons. Any place where a culvert allows the water to flow under the road, there will be an opening in the trees allowing better views of the birds. At one opening, we saw a block of some 30+ ibises. But, be aware as you walk up to the edge of the road, as there are often alligators hanging out in the culvert.</div>
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As you head west, look for the Tree Snail Hammock located across the street from the Big Cypress Environmental Education Center. The 1/4 mile loop trail takes you through a beautiful tropical hardwood hammock containing mahogany, gumbo limbo, Jamaica dogwood, and Spanish stopper. We did not see any of the colorful namesake liguus tree snails (and I certainly was looking), but apparently they are present. During the dry season, they are high in the canopy in estivation mode to conserve water.</div>
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Do be aware that the most common place to see mosquitoes in South Florida during the cooler dry season is within these hammocks. We did see and hear a few of them, but it wasn't anything too annoying.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palm trunk and large ferns within the Tree Snail Hammock</td></tr>
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There is also a loop you can take north of Hwy 41 to see some different ecotypes in Big Cypress. Near the western border is the Birdon Road (841) - Turner River (839) Loop. This 16.4 mile loop will take you past Florida slash pine rocklands, sawgrass prairies, cattail filled marshes, and dwarf cypress sloughs.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sawgrass prairies and Florida slash pine stands</td></tr>
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The Turner River Road heads north from Highway 41 along a canal dug to supply material to build the road. This is called a "borrow" pit, as they borrowed the dirt for road building. All along this route you will see countless alligators lounging on the opposite bank. There will be some side routes leaving from the main road to access some off-road areas and horse trails. Continue until reading Wagonwheel Road and turn left. If you continue north, the road will go to an old campground and actually will cross under (but give no access to) Alligator Alley (I-75). Continue on Wagonwheel Road until reaching Birdon Road.</div>
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Turn left onto Birdon Road where the route will pass numerous pine stands with Florida sabal palms rising up within and along their margins. It will also pass some nice examples of sawgrass prairies. Be on the lookout for a variety of forest bird species, as well as, numerous raptors like red-shoulder hawks and vultures soaring overhead. Big Cypress is wild Florida at its best. But, do make sure you go in the dry season of winter. Beyond the unimaginable drone of millions of mosquitoes in summer, its daily thunderstorms may makes these dirt roads impassable during torrential downpours.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowy egret and wood stork in the cypress strand along Loop Road</td></tr>
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<br />The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-51624359451647806662013-02-06T20:46:00.000-08:002013-02-06T20:46:08.405-08:00Tropical Hardwood Hammocks of Everglades National Park<br />
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The tropical hardwood hammocks of the Everglades represent the northernmost extend of the range a number of species. Common in the Caribbean and other tropical regions of the Americas, these forest tree species can not tolerate freezing. What also marks these forests with distinction, is how they exist in small isolated pockets within a sea of sawgrass or cypress. Requiring well-drained limestone bedrock, they only exist where the limestone rises a few inches to a couple of feet above the high water table of the region.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Epiphytes hang from the largest West Indian Mahogany in the United States</td></tr>
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While there are hundreds of these tree islands, some are easier to visit than others by the very fact that most are surrounded by standing or flowing water. This post will focus on a few of the easiest to reach. Perhaps the most famous one is the Mahagony Hammock within Everglades National Park. This hammock contains the largest West Indian Mahagony in the United States. A short spur road off of the Main Park Road about halfway from the entrance station to Flamingo will take you to the hammock. There is a boardwalk that takes a short loop around the hammock.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mahogany Hammock in Everglades National Park</td></tr>
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There are gumbo limbos, strangler figs, pigeon plum, wild mastic, paradise tree, thatch and royal palms, Jamaican dogwood, buttonwood, as well as, dozens of other small tree and shrub species. Within the understory, there are a variety of endemic ferns, cacti, and bromeliads. These are not fire adapted ecosystems, the way the pinelands and sawgrass are. Thus, they can be destroyed by catastrophic fire. These were the places where the native Colusa people would set up their homes to stay dry above the sawgrass. They were also rich in wildlife and plant species.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A barred owl in Mahogany Hammock</td></tr>
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Also within these hammocks are a variety of bird species that nest or roost in the high canopies. White-crowned pigeons are a Caribbean species which in America is only found in South Florida. Within the Mahagony Hammock, there is a barred owl that nests there and is often visible to visitors who are aware. The one disadvantage of the hammocks are that because of the deep shade, they have the highest mosquito densities of the region (outside of the salt marshes and mangrove swamps). So, if you are visiting in the dry season of winter, the only place you may find a few buzzing you is within these stands.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sun shines through the red peeling bark of the gumbo limbo tree</td></tr>
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Some of the best tropical hardwood hammocks are in the Florida Keys. Windley Key Geologic State Park contains a beautiful intact hammock with a trail that loops throughout the forest. Long Key State Park also has a nice stretch of hammock, in addition to mangroves, on its trail. </div>
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But, perhaps the most famous hammock outside of Mahogany Hammock is the <a href="http://www.hikemasters.com/2013/01/anhinga-gumbo-limbo-loop-everglades.html">Gumbo Limbo Trail </a>located near the Everglades National Park entrance and the world famous Anhinga Trail. That was the focus of a post over at the Hikemaster's Trail Description Site <b><a href="http://www.hikemasters.com/2013/01/anhinga-gumbo-limbo-loop-everglades.html">HERE</a></b>.</div>
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<br />The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-20244892017297535022013-01-16T20:08:00.004-08:002013-01-16T20:08:48.400-08:00Flamingo and Florida Bay, Everglades National Park<br />
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At the southernmost tip of the Florida peninsula is the Flamingo area of Everglades National Park, located along the shores of Florida Bay. This area is dominated by densely vegetated mangrove forests. But, there are a number of other unique areas worth checking out. It contains a marina which allows concessionaire tour boats to take visitors out to visit the hundreds of mangrove islands located offshore. You can also rent a canoe or kayak to explore them yourself. In addition, the area contains a unique ecosystem found nowhere else in the Everglades region; the coastal prairie.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V8ZY0T_NXPI/UPYdqjNcz0I/AAAAAAAAHLs/iwTzxFmjDpI/s1600/Manatee+in+Flamingo+marina.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V8ZY0T_NXPI/UPYdqjNcz0I/AAAAAAAAHLs/iwTzxFmjDpI/s400/Manatee+in+Flamingo+marina.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Flamingo is a popular place to to visit, probably because every visitor is always interested to see what is at the end of the road. From the national park visitor center, there is a nice view out across the shallow Florida Bay. The bay is extremely shallow, but made of thick mud. When visiting during low tide, muddy shoals make an appearance above the sea and thousands of pelicans and wading birds explore the mud for crustaceans and worms.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A manatee coming up for a breathe</td></tr>
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Look in the marina for manatees looking for freshwater entering from the nearby canal. This is a no-wake zone, so hopefully the boaters are on the lookout for them. Located just a half-mile away is the Flamingo campground. While popular, I warn you that the mosquitoes can be relentless here. While I didn't really see any at Flamingo Visitor Center (in December), they were all over the campground. And this was during the dry season. This area is said to have among the highest mosquito densities on Earth during the wet summer months, with up to 2 billion per square mile. So, I'd highly recommend you avoid the May-October time period.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A good reason not to leave your campsite unattended; black vultures</td></tr>
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If you are lucky, you may also catch a glimpse of the endangered American crocodile. This saltwater specialist almost went extinct in the United States during the heydey of alligator harvesting for skins for purses and boots. Their population had declined into just a few dozen, but today has rebounded into the high hundreds. The American crocodile can be distinguished from alligators by their light-green olive skin and narrow snouts. Flamingo is the northernmost spot for this species, because unlike alligators they can not tolerate cool temperatures. Their primary range heads across most of the Caribbean and Central America</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crocodile sitting neat to a much larger alligator</td></tr>
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One of the most magnificent birds you are likely to see here are Ospreys. They soar out over the shallow waters and dive in to catch fish. They almost went extinct when DDT ravaged their populations in the 50's and 60's. But, today it is common to see their nests on almost any tall object across the flat landscape; whether the be trees, powerpoles, or street lamps.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Osprey checking me out</td></tr>
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The coastal prairie is a unique ecosystem of this area. It can be accessed by simply getting on the coastal prairie trail that leaves from the far end of the campground. The first 1/4 mile is through a dense thicket of trees that grew up along the corridor of an old road. But, once you emerge onto the coastal prairie itself, the views will be expansive. The word prairie is a bit of a misnomer. It is actually an area dominated by salt-loving pickelweed and glassworts. The ground you are walking on can be be described as a clay-like muck. If it is wet, you will soon develop a thick layer of it on your shoes.</div>
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This ecosystem has developed over centuries of hurricanes bringing storm surges inland. As the storm surge arrives, it pulls salty mud from the bay and deposits it onto the prairie. Since very few plant species can survive these salty environments, only a few hardy species remain. It is however, prime habitat for the salt marsh mosquito. While this mosquito has never been shown to carry any of the known dangerous diseases, it also appears to be the least impressed with our mosquito repellents So, even during the dry season, expect to be swatting away at them. In summer, have a rope-line connected to your partner so you do not get carried off by them.</div>
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It is 5.2 miles out across the prairie to a hidden little white sand beach. But, I am not sure what human could survive the heat, humidity, and bugs to be able to make it that far. Instead, if you just want a little flavor of what this area is like without getting "immersed" in it, try the Bayshore Loop.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mangroves along the muddy shore of Florida Bay</td></tr>
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The Bayshore Loop is a 2-mile loop that includes a portion of the Coastal Prairie Trail, turns left (south) toward the edge of the bay, follows a line of mangroves right along the muddy shoreline, and then heads back inland to the coastal prairie trail. While it was interesting to see this unique ecosystem and I am glad I did the loop, 2-mile was plenty far enough for me, especially given the number of bites I received. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i5dWUgPRCPE/UPd43M0PeRI/AAAAAAAAHNQ/y4fZFvfib_M/s1600/Morning+glory+on+bear+lake+trail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i5dWUgPRCPE/UPd43M0PeRI/AAAAAAAAHNQ/y4fZFvfib_M/s400/Morning+glory+on+bear+lake+trail.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A morning glory in bloom near Bear Lake</td></tr>
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But, I should note that when we got back to the car, we saw a father and his daughter sitting out at the trailhead in shorts and tanktops. I questioned them as to how they were surviving the onslaught. The father answered "100% DEET". So, that was my problem. I decided to experience the real Florida without the chemical layer.The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-52184453916502190622013-01-15T19:20:00.002-08:002013-01-15T19:20:51.794-08:00Ten Thousand Islands, Everglades National Park, Florida<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Ten Thousand Islands are vast area of mangrove forests consisting of islands and sloughs along the western-side of South Florida from Florida Bay to the Gulf Coast. This is one area of the Everglades that many people overlook or do not know about. But, it is a shame because it is a fascinating area of incredible ecological significance. One thing to be aware of is that this corner has one of the highest mosquito densities on the entire planet in summer, with up to 2 billion per square mile. So, definitely come in winter when it is cooler, drier, and without the constant assault of flying hyperdermic needles.</div>
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The other nice thing about visiting this unknown corner of Everglades National Park, is that it is away from the massive crowds and urban jungle of Miami and the main road of the national park. The Ten Thousand Islands area is anchored by the Gulf Coast Visitor Center in the tiny town of Everglades City, Florida. There are only two or three hotels in the town, so plan early. From the visitor center, you can book a concessionaire boat trip to explore the mangrove swamps and see amazing wildlife.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PXCOhkQDL0k/UO-aaFW0b6I/AAAAAAAAHJ0/7xZGsdcSgKk/s1600/Double+crested+cormorant+female.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PXCOhkQDL0k/UO-aaFW0b6I/AAAAAAAAHJ0/7xZGsdcSgKk/s400/Double+crested+cormorant+female.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Mangroves are unique among plants in their ability to survive not only submerged in water, but in saltwater. There are three species of mangroves in these forests. Red mangroves are the ones most tolerant of saltwater and are the early successional species. These small trees have air-roots that grip the brackish mud and hold onto it. This allows a growth of the land and the next species to take hold, black mangroves. In addition, there is a rarer third mangrove called the white mangrove that grows back in the stand above the standing water. One other tree commonly seen on these mangrove islands are the buttonwoods.</div>
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These mangrove islands are in tidal zones. While the tides are relatively small in this region, only fluctuating 2-3 feet per tide. But, because the water is so shallow in these areas, it has a significant impact on the movement of water in the sloughs and across the islands. During low tides, these islands can be high-and-dry. But, when the tide rises, there is standing water across almost all of these islands.</div>
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For wildlife, that means having to deal with being wet and salty multiple times per day and without much solid surface to hold onto. For the Colusa Indians who inhabited these mangrove swamps, it was a difficult living, despite the abundant food sources. But, they did have a strategy to given themselves some dry land to sleep on. On some of these islands, they would pile up the massive quantities of discarded oyster shells from their meals to literally make dry islands they could place their villages on.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ancient Colusa oyster shell midden</td></tr>
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Mangroves are incredibly important ecosystems, despite their relative paucity of terrestrial species. The dense tangle of prop-roots creates sancturaries for juvenile fish to develop without the risk of open water predators. Many of the most important large marine fish species begin their lives as tiny larva hiding out in the mangroves before they are large enough to hold their own in deeper waters. The presence of these dense thickets allows for the accumulation of sediments and thus the building of new land.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roseate spoonbills feeding in the mud of the mangroves</td></tr>
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One of the most important aspects of the mangrove forests for the millions of people who live in South Florida are their ability to control the power of hurricanes and tropical storms. Their presence, as a wall against storm surges, absorbs the energy of these surges and prevents them from advancing as far inland, protecting homes, lives, and property. They also reduce the amount of open water that fuels hurricanes, allowing the strength of the storm to be diminished before heading further inland.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ospreys are back after they almost went extinct due to DDT in the '60s.</td></tr>
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The abundance of wildlife in these shallow waters and dense thickets is astounding. The mangrove cuckoo is only found in these forested areas and no where else on Earth. The presence of ibis, wood storks, green-backed herons, blue herons, tri-colored herons, snowy egrets, and many other wading birds makes a boat trip through this area a bird-watchers paradise.</div>
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So, if you do find yourself in South Florida on a warm, dry winters day, take a trip over to Everglades City and book a tour to visit the mangroves. You will not be disappointed.</div>
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The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-7517792312352319032013-01-10T20:32:00.000-08:002013-01-10T20:32:01.728-08:00Everglades National Park: The River of Grass<br />
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The Everglades were originally called "The River of Grass" by Majory Stoneman Douglas in her book of the same name in 1947. It was called this because the water that flows out of Lake Okeechobee creates a shallow river only a foot or so deep, 60 miles wide, and 100 miles long. The Everglades are an amazing series of ecosystems focused primarily on the sawgrass prairies, where most of the water moves.<br />
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The Everglades have a tumultuous history, beginning with the plume-hunting of the late 1800's. These plume hunters would go down and shoot wading birds during the nesting season to supply feathers for hats. It became so bad, that populations that once ranged in the millions declined to the point where some species were thought to be very close to extinction. Poachers also took out so many alligators and crocodiles that their populations also approached extirpation in South Florida.<br />
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After laws were pass to protect these species, a new series of threats challenged the integrity of the Everglades. Sugarcane and agricultural fields were plowed and water diverted to irrigate these fields. Growing cities meant building canals and filling in wetlands for housing development. Before long, nearly 50% of the Everglades ecosystem was converted to farms and urban development and more than 50% of the way is diverted before reaching the portions within Everglades National Park.<br />
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Even this water creates issues because much of it is contaminated with fertilizers, pesticides, and other agricultural runoff from sugarcane fields up stream. Extensive water retention areas have been constructed to slow the flow of the water and settle out the contaminates before they enter the national park. But, increased nutrients have begun to change aspects of the Everglades ecosystems by allowing marsh plants like cattails to replace sawgrass prairies. It also allows for the expansion of exotic species like Brazilian pepper.<br />
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Nonetheless, the Everglades still protect vast tracts of wetlands, mangroves, tropical hardwood hammocks, and pine rocklands rich in wildlife. On our visit over five days, we saw almost all of the wading birds we could have hoped to see, in addition to dozens of alligators, raptors, manatees, and even an endangered American crocodile.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great egrets almost disappeared from South Florida at the turn of the 20th century</td></tr>
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As we move through some of these posts, I'll highlight some of the must see places in-and-around the Everglades should you make a visit to South Florida.The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-57456996693917504692012-12-08T18:39:00.000-08:002012-12-08T18:39:22.060-08:00Mill Creek Canyon, Moab Area, Utah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you want to see one of the most spectacular sites in the Moab area, you don't need to go to Arches National Park, or Canyonlands, or the Colorado River Gorge. Instead, there is an amazing canyon located right down the street from downtown Moab called Mill Creek Canyon. 500 foot red rock cliffs of Navajo Sandstone rise up above the perennial waters of Mill Creek. Mill Creek itself flows down from the La Sal Mountains and into downtown Moab.</div>
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Mill Creek Canyon begins in a wide sandy area, but within a quarter mile the canyon walls close in. The canyon soon splits into a north fork and a south fork. Either way, be prepared to cross the stream several times. The water is very cold, since it is snow melt. Which might be nice in the heat of the summer, but is definitely very chilly in fall and winter.</div>
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Immediately after crossing the creek for the first time up the north fork, you will see a large rock containing a couple of dozen ancient petroglyphs. The route weaves in and out of riparian forests, up onto rocky slopes, and across sand dunes. There are many different routes and way-trails, but you just need to find the one that looks good to you and keep heading up the canyon. </div>
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Soon you will encounter a beautiful waterfall. But, there is no feasible way to get up and past it. So, you will need to backtrack and look for where a trail heads up the slope and onto the rocks above and around the waterfalls. The route continues up-and-down sand dunes with towering rock walls drawing you further on.</div>
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Eventually you will come to a large bend in the canyon where the rock walls come to water level and a small waterfall drops over the slick rock. With no feasible way past this second waterfall without wading directly into the pool below it, this might be a good turn around point. If you continue, the canyon continues for miles further. Either way, Mill Creek Canyon rivals almost any other slickrock canyon I have ever seen.</div>
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If this were in another state other than Utah, especially anywhere east of the Rockies, it would be a national park. Here in Moab, it's just a "Wilderness Study Area", not even an officially designated wilderness. Just ho-hum spectacular beauty in the Moab area.</div>
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<br />The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-18842482300104993502012-12-05T16:54:00.000-08:002014-07-12T20:02:02.229-07:00Forca d'Acero Loop, Parco Nazionale delle Abruzzi, Italy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL2Wxej72I/AAAAAAAAAdk/CUI-Y2_bsM0/s1600-h/Forca+D%27Acero+loop2+-+Maile+and+Linda.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" lk="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL2Wxej72I/AAAAAAAAAdk/CUI-Y2_bsM0/s400/Forca+D%27Acero+loop2+-+Maile+and+Linda.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><b><br /></b><b>Distance:</b> 9.3 km (5.8 mi)<br /><b>Difficulty: </b>Moderate<br /><b>Elevation:</b> 1420 - 1880 m (4657 - 6166 ft)<br /><b>Season: </b>late May - November<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL36oG9aDI/AAAAAAAAAes/leK0Jl7mYaY/s1600-h/Forca+D%27Acero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" lk="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL36oG9aDI/AAAAAAAAAes/leK0Jl7mYaY/s400/Forca+D%27Acero.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Forca d’Acero translates to "fork of the maples" and is the main pass providing access to the Parco Nazionale della Abruzzi from the west. Located at 1530 m, it is also an excellent jumping off point for accessing the high alpine meadows of the Abruzzi mountains. Forca d'Acero can be accessed by taking the Cassino exit if coming from Naples or the Frosinone exit if coming from Rome and following signs for Atina and Sora. Take the SS509 from Atina straight there or the SS666 from Sora to the intersection with SS509 and then turn right onto it.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL2pZRP2oI/AAAAAAAAAd0/xCcb-9ImSxw/s1600-h/Forca+D%27Acero+loop1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" lk="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL2pZRP2oI/AAAAAAAAAd0/xCcb-9ImSxw/s400/Forca+D%27Acero+loop1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Approximately 400 meters west of the pass at Forca d'Acero is the trailhead for the P2 trail, which is the entrance and exit for this loop hike. There is a small parking area across from the trailhead, which is not well signed. Look for a blue road sign which says “10 innesto ss83 km 10+000 ss 509 Forca D’Acero” at this parking spot. Should you miss the trailhead or if the pull out is full, it is possible to park at the pass itself, where there is a refugio and plenty of parking, and to walk the road back down approximately 400 meters, looking for the trailhead on the left across from the pullout on the right.<br /><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL2h_WroDI/AAAAAAAAAds/iOBVoUCx284/s1600-h/Forca+D%27Acero+loop3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" lk="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL2h_WroDI/AAAAAAAAAds/iOBVoUCx284/s400/Forca+D%27Acero+loop3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />The trail begins as a pleasant stroll through an old-growth beech forest. Approximate 600 m into the forest, look for blue/white blazes on the trees to the right leading to an opening in the forest at the base of the slope. Turn right and follow the blue/white blazes. Soon the route will climb fairly steeply up the slope through a tangle of young beech up to the treeline. This climb is the most difficult part of the hike both physically and in terms of orientation. It is difficult to follow the blue/white blazes on the rocks and small trees. But, if you lose them, do not be concerned. Just bushwhack your way upward and soon you will emerge out of the trees into the alpine meadows and will intersect a well established trail paralleling the treeline.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL4ol2_6tI/AAAAAAAAAe8/9CNj10DgKWU/s1600-h/Forca+D%27Acero+loop6+-+wild+horses.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" lk="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL4ol2_6tI/AAAAAAAAAe8/9CNj10DgKWU/s400/Forca+D%27Acero+loop6+-+wild+horses.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Turn right onto this trail and follow it as it switchbacks a couple of times and then emerges onto a beautiful promontory with the spectacular view to the north and west across the Abruzzi range, the meadows of Campo Luogo and Campo Rotondo, and the village of Pescasseroli in the distance. Follow the trail around the westside of the ridge until reaching a series of snow fences. The fences were built to prevent landslides and avalanches from reaching the road below. The trail appears to end at this snow fences, with the exception of a myriad of small livestock and game trails. Instead, turn straight up the slope to the saddle above. It is steep, but short, and just walk between the fences and use them for support, if necessary.<br /><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL24D-5PuI/AAAAAAAAAd8/bDWenm8FSxA/s1600-h/Forca+D%27Acero+loop5+-+Pietre+Rosse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" lk="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL24D-5PuI/AAAAAAAAAd8/bDWenm8FSxA/s400/Forca+D%27Acero+loop5+-+Pietre+Rosse.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Once at the saddle, the most spectacular part of this hike is about to begin. The view becomes fully panoramic, with the entire Abruzzi range in view. Below is a beautiful valley, which you will descend into later. You can also see the dominant peak of the range, Monte Marsicano which stands over 2230 m high. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL2_MXsm9I/AAAAAAAAAeE/lv8jc70j4FY/s1600-h/Forca+D%27Acero+loop7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" lk="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL2_MXsm9I/AAAAAAAAAeE/lv8jc70j4FY/s400/Forca+D%27Acero+loop7.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL3xlJWxfI/AAAAAAAAAek/P57DlSY9Tfs/s1600-h/Forca+D%27Acero+loop10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" lk="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL3xlJWxfI/AAAAAAAAAek/P57DlSY9Tfs/s400/Forca+D%27Acero+loop10.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />From the saddle, turn right and climb up the grassy slope to the summit above. From the summit, the next 2 km is just a pleasant stroll along the ridgeline, with magnificent views all around. There is not much of an established trail, but there is a faint path of beaten down grass caused by the wild horses that live on these slopes and occasional yellow stripes on the rocks indicating some sort of route. However, this faint this trail does not appear on the maps and the way is obvious in this open landscape.<br /><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL3HJ2J-1I/AAAAAAAAAeM/Ed2CpDkVV2E/s1600-h/Forca+D%27Acero+loop9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" lk="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL3HJ2J-1I/AAAAAAAAAeM/Ed2CpDkVV2E/s400/Forca+D%27Acero+loop9.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />The ridge undulates up and down over several short summits and saddles. Across the steep valley to the southwest is Monte San Marcello and in the distance to the west are the 2200 m peaks of Monte Petrose and Monte Altara. Between the last two summits on the ridgeline in the saddle you will come across the F9 trail blazed in orange descending down into the valley to the left. This is the trail down to loop back to Forca D’Acero. But, if you want to make one last climb to the summit of Monte San Nicola, you can stay straight and go up to the top, before returning back to the F9. It will initially descend very steeply into the valley, before becoming more gradual upon entering the beech forest.<br /><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL3kLvnROI/AAAAAAAAAec/dfRmSrEbv0A/s1600-h/Forca+D%27Acero+loop4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" lk="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL3kLvnROI/AAAAAAAAAec/dfRmSrEbv0A/s400/Forca+D%27Acero+loop4.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This is a very pleasant trail and easy to follow as it gradually works its way down the slopes through the old-growth beech trees. Eventually, the F9 trail will descend all the way down to 1420 m and will emerge into the small meadow that you had seen from above. Here, it can get a little confusing with a myriad of blazes heading in several directions. Just head out into the middle of the meadow and look for a large limestone rock with several blazes on it.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL4PROSiOI/AAAAAAAAAe0/gS0gxCUaKyw/s1600-h/Campo+Luogo+Loop+-+beech+forest+in+October.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" lk="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rmav50MtQoU/SqL4PROSiOI/AAAAAAAAAe0/gS0gxCUaKyw/s400/Campo+Luogo+Loop+-+beech+forest+in+October.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />It will read Inizio F8 pointing to the left. Turn left on the F8 following the orange blazes as it climbs up out of the valley and towards the ridgeline above. This is a fairly relentless climb of 200 m, especially since you may not really feel like climbing at this stage of the hike after having descended so far. The F8 will continue until reaching a saddle in the forest. At the saddle, it changes its name to the P2 – the same P2 you started on. Follow this gentle trail back to the trailhead.</div>The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-47904373135427452612012-11-30T20:36:00.000-08:002012-11-30T20:36:12.673-08:00Klondike Bluffs, Arches National Park, Moab<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the biggest issues people have when they come to the Moab area is what to do about their dogs? Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park sit just across from each other separated by just a few miles by Moab and the Spanish Valley. Yet, neither of these amazing geological areas are open to dogs. Just on a hunch, we decided to get as close to Arches as possible and see what we could find that would allow us to take our dogs with us.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up the Salt Valley toward the La Sal Mountains in the distance</td></tr>
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We drove into Arches National Park from the main entrance just a couple of miles north of Moab on US-191. We then drove almost completely through the park until arriving at the Salt Valley Road on the left. This dirt road drops off the spectacular red-finned bluffs into the desolate Salt Valley, which is a down-drop basin associated with faulting in the region and the Paradox formation, which is a thousand-foot thick layer of salt associated when the region was a warm, shallow sea surrounded by hot desert climates. As the salt dissolved away with groundwater intrusion, the area sunk downward to form the valley.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Following the fenceline of Arches National Park toward Klondike Bluffs</td></tr>
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We drove 10.1 miles across the valley to the north until we reached the Klondike Bluffs trail access road. However, that trailhead is still within the park and does not allow dogs. So, we continued for one mile further until we saw a sign indicating we were leaving the park boundary. Safely on BLM lands, we parked the car and began walking the fenceline toward the bluffs, dogs in tow.</div>
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At one point we looked up and saw a whole herd of Mule Deer on the rocky slopes. They saw the dogs and took off up what was almost a vertical slope. But, that gave us an idea, let's follow their route to the top of the bluffs for a panoramic view. Surely if they can do it, so can we.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of Klondike Bluffs with the La Sal Mountains in the distance</td></tr>
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We began climbing the slope, hand-over-hand in places toward the first of several false summits. But, really it wasn't too bad in most places, as we just followed the deer tracks on already laid game trails. Upon reaching the top, there was a spectacular 360 degree view of the region.</div>
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Hilina is turning into a real hiker and rock climber. She loved scrambling up the slopes and did not complain one time. In fact, she was even laughing and excited about each new rocky reach to scale. I know our old bones and joints were far worse off than her spry little body, even if her limbs are not as long.</div>
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From the top, we could see across the Moab Fault and off toward the distant Henry Mountains. You could see north toward the San Rafael Swell, the cliffs of Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point, and south across all of Arches National Park.</div>
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It was a fun off-trail adventure. The dogs loved climbing the rocks and exploring the game trails. It was like being in Arches National Park, without the rules.</div>
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<br />The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-70523432348752618512012-11-12T19:41:00.001-08:002012-11-12T19:41:17.561-08:00West Clear Creek Wilderness, Arizona<br />
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With temperatures dropping into the 30's (teens at night) at 7,000 feet this weekend, we decided to descend in elevation and see what was happening in the Verde Valley at 3,000 feet. We went up into the West Clear Creek Wilderness. West Clear Creek cuts a deep canyon some 20 miles long and 1,000 feet deep into the Mogollon Rim. Most of it is only about 1 mile wide.<br />
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Back in 2006, the Arizona Department of Fish and Game reintroduced Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep into the wilderness as part of their greater efforts to restore bighorn sheep to the state after nearly the entire population was extirpated in the early 20th century. We saw two of them on the rocky slopes along the way.</div>
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To access the trail, take Hwy 260 east out of Camp Verde for 5 miles. Just before the Clear Creek Campground, look for a forest service road heading off to the left. There is a sign for Bull Pen and Beaver Creek. Drive down this road for 2 miles and then look for FR 215 branching right. Follow this rough dirt road until it ends at a fence under the canopy of sycamores.</div>
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The trail starts out in an open mesquite-juniper shrubland just on the bench above the creek's bottomland riparian forest of Arizona sycamores, alders, and ash. There are magnificent views of the cliffs on the opposite side of the canyon. Seeps flow where the volcanic rocks meet the limestone layers below and deciduous trees hang from the cliff face like some tropical vision. After about a mile the trail will approach a redrock cliff and descend down to the creekside itself.</div>
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Eventually, after following the creek for a short distance, you will reach the first crossing. There really is no way to get across without getting wet. We tried many different approaches, but the boulders were always just a bit too far apart. So, we just waded into the foot deep water.</div>
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After a short distance on the cobbles of the old river bed, it was back across yet again toward the redrock cliff. The trail then climbs out of the bottomland and back up onto the mesquite flats. The views are spectacular up and down the canyon.</div>
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At about two miles you will reach creek crossing #3. The trail will then climb up a hill into the juniper stand. There are tantalizing glimpses down the canyon, but no completely open views due to the canopy cover.</div>
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Eventually the trail crosses for a fourth time before eventually heading steeply upslope to the canyon rim. We didn't go that far, turning back just before the fourth crossing. West Clear Creek is a great place to go in the heat of the summer to cool down under the shade of the riparian trees and take a cool dip in the deep pools along the cliff faces. In November, the temperatures have finally dropped into the 70s and the trees are just beginning to change color.</div>
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While the colors are not quite as spectacular as Sycamore Canyon or West Fork Oak Creek Canyon, there is a different quality here. The bronze of the sycamores, the orange/brown hues of the ash and walnut, the subtle yellows and pale greens of the alders and netleaf hackberries give it a calm late fall glow.</div>
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<br />The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-18427683770540628082012-10-23T20:19:00.003-07:002012-10-23T20:19:47.054-07:00Huckaby Trail, Oak Creek Canyon, near Sedona, AZ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Fall is such an amazing time in Northern Arizona. Brilliant blue skies, warm temperatures, and hikes available at every elevation. Fall colors start high up on the peaks in September and migrate down to the deserts in November. As the fall colors have past peak in Flagstaff, we decided to see what was happening 2,000 feet lower in Sedona. We drove down to Oak Creek Canyon. West Fork Oak Creek, the world famous canyon I have written about previously is at full peak color and was jammed packed with people. We decided to avoid the crowds and head further downstream to the Huckaby Trail to follow the mainstem of Oak Creek just above Sedona. While temperatures remain in the upper-60's in Flagstaff, they were in the mid-70's in Sedona. What a comfortable temperature for late October.</div>
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We parked at Midgely Bridge, which spans a side canyon. The parking is tight, but if you go early enough, you can find a spot. The trail then descends under the bridge and heads downslope toward the bottom of the canyon. Upon arriving at the creek, you find yourself under a canopy of large sycamores, alders, and willows. Interestingly, the trees really have not yet started changing colors at 5,000 feet yet. Most of them were still completely green.</div>
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There are two sections of the creek you have to cross, but the stones are large and piled up nicely to cross without getting wet. On the otherside of Oak Creek, you will pass an old orchard of what look like apricots or peaches, although the trees are so old and spindly, it's hard to tell. The site must be well over 100 years old.</div>
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The trail follows the edge of the riparian strip for the next mile or so. Most of the large trees are sycamores, but there are some cottonwoods, as well as, some large Ponderosa pines growing at the edge of the riparian zone and 2,000 feet below the main portion of their range. The ground water and shade of the canyon must allow them to just hang on.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful fall colors of poison ivy along the river</td></tr>
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Eventually the trail climbs out of the canyon floor and onto the slides of the slopes. The vegetation transitions into the typical juniper and desert scrub of the area with lots of prickly pears, sugar sumac, manzanita, and even a few ocotillos. Once it rises out of the canyon, you get some great views of the surrounding landscape.</div>
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The trail continues onto Schnebly Hill Road where there is another parking area. Linda and Hilina continued down the road to Tlaaquepaque for ice cream and then into Uptown Sedona. I walked back with Sophie the way we came to get the car and then meet them in Uptown.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back up Oak Creek Canyon to Midgely Bridge with Mount Wilson above to the left</td></tr>
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All-in-all, this 6 mile round trip makes for a wonderful fall hike to do.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view into Uptown Sedona</td></tr>
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<br />The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-73833075976544904642012-06-11T20:47:00.002-07:002012-06-11T20:47:51.388-07:00Copper Ridge Dinosaur Tracks and Petroglyphs, Moab, UT<i>This is a post I had written up back in November, but forgot to post and has been sitting in my archives. Better late than never...</i><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view north from Copper Ridge</td></tr>
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Just north of Moab on your way to Green River, there is an unsigned dirt road that heads 2 miles out to the base of Copper Ridge. At the parking area, there is a short trail up the slope to the Jurassic Age dinosaur tracks. There is a platform of wavy mudstone, only about 30 feet long where the tracks are located. There are two specific tracks. </div>
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One set of tracks include a sauropod, thought to be either a Diplodocus or Apatosaurus. What is amazing about this particular set of tracks, is that it is the only set of tracks known where a dinosaur made a 90 degree turn.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Above, you can see where the in the image, <br />
the sauropod was walking (what appears to be downhill) and then turns right.</td></tr>
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Unfortunately, the image of the Allosaurus tracks at this site will not load properly into this blog. But, here it is sideways. </div>
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But, at another site, down the Potash Road just outside of Moab, there is a set of Allosaurus tracks located at the trailhead for the Poison Spider Trail.
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Also down the Potash Road are numerous petroglyphs on the cliffs right along the Colorado River. Many of them appeared to be "alien-like" creatures, as well as, the normal assortment of bighorn sheep, deer, and snakes.</div>
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But, one petroglyph that really stood out was a very clear image of a bear. It's unlikely bear were living down in the Colorado River Gorge at the time, but the nearby La Sal Mountains would most definitely have been a habitat for them. In addition, often the images on petroglyphs are thought to represent clans and spiritual beings rather than the animals themselves.</div>
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Below are some additional petroglyphs. Just be careful because there are so many that you don't want to be looking up and swerve into on-coming traffic. It's much better just to pull over a bunch of times.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EDC1tOFOD1w/Ttw82UnCVzI/AAAAAAAAGDQ/npGWgIT81u8/s1600/IMG_2446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EDC1tOFOD1w/Ttw82UnCVzI/AAAAAAAAGDQ/npGWgIT81u8/s400/IMG_2446.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-52195438160697060442012-06-10T21:38:00.003-07:002012-06-10T21:38:57.296-07:00East Clear Creek, Mogollon Rim, AZ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We leave Arizona on Tuesday for summer up in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, but before we do, I wanted to pass along some photos of our camping trip out at East Clear Creek near the edge of the Mogollon Rim at 7,400 feet.</div>
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Due to the porous nature of the rocks in this region, surface water is rare. East Clear Creek offers one of the few, non-muddy, opportunities to enjoy the lush riparian zone on top of the rim. This creek heads across the rim and then down to the north through Winslow before meeting up with the Little Colorado River, which eventually joins the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon.</div>
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The site is about 70 miles from Flagstaff in the Coconino National Forest. Upon arrival, we set up camp along the banks of the creek under the shade of majestic Ponderosa pines.</div>
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The substrate is Coconino Sandstone, which are the remains of an ancient desert that once covered this region with sand dunes hundreds of feet high. The cross-bedding is evident in the image below. Each change of angle represents a new sand dune that formed on top of the older ones that lithified when water drained through the sand and cemented the sand particles together.</div>
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Hilina absolutely loved playing in the creek, trying to catch crawdads and little fish fry, and otherwise having a grand time.</div>
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A few miles further south came the edge of the Mogollon Rim. The edge of the rim sits 2,000 feet above the Tonto Basin below. This escarpment runs over 200 miles from west of Williams all the way to New Mexico. In the image above, you can see the effects of a fire that ran up this canyon.</div>
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From here, you can look across the Tonto Basin to the Mazatzal Mountains and out to the Sonoran Desert beyond. The town of Payson is visible in places. We used to live at the base of the Mogollon Rim in Young, AZ some years back and to get to town for groceries always had to ascent and then descend the rim (2,000 feet each way) to get to Payson. It was a 20 mile dirt road off of Highway 260 and then 30 more miles on pavement to Payson.</div>
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On the way back, we traveled past Mormon Lake. This odd geologic feature looks like a large volcanic caldera filled with a very shallow muddy lake. The lake expands and contracts through the year, but is rarely more than a few feet thick. I've researched it before and have never found any evidence that it is volcanic in origin (other than the lava rocks on the surface). The San Francisco Peaks and Flagstaff are visible in the distance about 30 miles to the north. I actually have some students of mine who live along the lakeshore in a small private enclave surrounded by national forest land.</div>
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<br /></div>The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-9842398121380434752012-06-03T20:37:00.001-07:002012-06-03T20:38:22.722-07:00Early June on Mount Elden, Flagstaff, AZ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Only one week until we begin out journey north to the Olympic Peninsula. But, with temperatures in the 80's, it was a great weekend to head up onto the 9,000 foot summit of Mount Elden, which is literally in our backyard. Both Linda and I had been to the summit by hiking the 2,000 foot slope previously (and individually), but we wanted Hilina to have a chance to go up there as well, so we drove up the radio tower access road to the ridgeline and then began hiking from there on the Sunset Trail.</div>
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The sky was clear, but a bit smoky from the big fires in New Mexico. But, being up on these slopes is a great lesson in fire ecology, as Mount Elden burned in a catastrophic human-caused fire in 1977. Since the fire occurred in the driest part of the year (May and June) before the summer monsoons arrived, once the fire was out and the heavy monsoon rains begun, it literally washed away all of the soil. Thus, regeneration has been painfully slow. In fact, scientists believe it will take more than 1,000 years for the ponderosa pine forest to return to its slopes.</div>
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In fact, the historically, fires in this region would not have begun until lightning strikes during the wet monsoon season started them. But, since conditions were wetter, the fires were smaller and mostly stayed on the ground, actually improving the forest ecosystems. But, most major fires of the southwest today are human caused and occur during the ultra-dry late spring (May and June) before the monsoons arrive to put them out.</div>
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But, on the north-facing slopes, which were cooler, wetter, and where the fires would have to go downslope after reaching the crest did not burn or only burned on the forest floor. As such, there trees are dense and there is a plethora of regrowth of young conifers and aspens.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The aspens are regenerating on the north-slope (left), while the south-slope is barren</td></tr>
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Another interesting ecological concept easy to see up on this ridge are the climatic differences between north and south aspect. North-facing slopes are cooler and wetter because they remain in the shade all winter, while south-facing slopes get the direct sunlight. Thus, snow and rain linger longer on north-facing slopes, the soils do not dry out as quickly, and the trees are less exposed to the desiccating effects of the sun. In addition, since most of the prevailing winds come from the southwest, these south-facing slopes also experience more of the desiccating winds and hoar-frost in winter.</div>
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The Four Forests Restoration Initiative is an attempt by the U.S. Forest Service to restore these forests back to their originally ecological state. That was large ponderosa pines, widely spaced apart, with frequent (every 5 years) low-intensity ground fires that burn off shrubs, fallen branches, and small trees that create ladders for fires to climb up into the canopy. The four national forests of Northern Arizona include the Coconino, Kaibab, Apache-Sitgreaves, and Tonto. The best way to restore these forests is through the use of thinning of small and dense trees and through frequent prescribed burns. It is critical no human-caused fires occur during the hot-dry period in May and June, but are allowed to burn (under strict monitoring) during the monsoon season of July-September.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view down to our house, located about in the exact center of this image</td></tr>
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From the top of Mount Elden, you can see the entire city of Flagstaff. It is quite obvious that the city is a long linear strip following the railroad tracks and I-40 only about 2 miles wide and about 10 miles long. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hilina and Linda relaxing on a huge old southwestern white pine snag</td></tr>
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Hiking up here, literally one mile as the crow flies from our home, reminded us why we moved here to Northern Arizona. The recreational opportunities are boundless. There is so much diversity, from the Sonoran Desert to dense forests to alpine meadows all within 2 hours of Flagstaff.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 12,630 foot San Francisco Peaks from Mount Elden.<br />
They are the highest peaks in Arizona and the only true alpine area in the state.</td></tr>
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<br />The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-15689851383145258282012-05-28T21:36:00.002-07:002012-05-28T21:36:41.038-07:00Spring in the Aspen-Mixed Conifer Meadows of the San Francisco Peaks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This Memorial Day Weekend, the weather was absolutely stunning. With temperatures in the mid-70's, we headed up onto the slopes of the San Francisco Peaks to check out the aspens leafing out and what wildflowers may be showing up in the meadows.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of Mount Humphrey's (12,637 feet) from Aspen Corner (8,900 feet)</td></tr>
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May and June are the driest time of the year. It is the period before the summer monsoons arrive in July and August, and thus it is the time when fire danger is the highest and the large man-made catastrophic are most likely to occur. Thus, all campfires are banned in forest areas across Arizona. What this means is that the mountain meadows of the peaks are also very dry and the wildflowers will not come out until the monsoons arrive.</div>
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But, there were a number of flowers in the meadows, including irises and old man's beard. The aspens were leafed out at 9,000 feet, but were still emerging on the higher slopes around 10,000 feet.</div>
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We hiked along the Arizona Trail. This trail is 800 miles long, heading from Utah to Mexico. We have hiked a number of sections of this trail, including at Coronado National Monument on the Mexican border (when I "illegally" crossed into Mexico). This is certainly one of the nicest sections. You can even see the Rim of the Grand Canyon far off in the distance.</div>
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Well, we'll be heading off back up to Washington for the summer in a couple of weeks. We'll spend a couple of weeks traveling north via the La Sal Mountains, Dinosaur National Monument, Uinta Mountains, Montana, and through the North Cascades.</div>The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-2425440819595291582012-03-25T17:33:00.000-07:002012-03-25T17:33:49.290-07:00Arroyo Sequit and Leo Carillo Campground<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ewXrHS8GA4U/T2f4iDg_ERI/AAAAAAAAGUA/z4RL7rQeH14/s1600/DSCF0139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ewXrHS8GA4U/T2f4iDg_ERI/AAAAAAAAGUA/z4RL7rQeH14/s400/DSCF0139.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Leo Carillo State Beach is located at the mouth of Arroyo Sequit, a small creek emerging from the Santa Monica Mountains paralleled by Mulholland Drive. The campsite is tucked in a wide section of the canyon underneath majestic old sycamores, willows, and walnuts.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of the campground</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From the campground, a trail leads up a few hundred feet to the top of a peak overlooking the ocean. This peak offers a great bird's eye view of the campground and Leo Carillo beach and tidepools.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qNk_Vwik3YI/T2f3Ji9lI8I/AAAAAAAAGTo/p9dDUZo3vb8/s1600/DSCF0099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qNk_Vwik3YI/T2f3Ji9lI8I/AAAAAAAAGTo/p9dDUZo3vb8/s400/DSCF0099.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We really enjoyed our time at this park. We had campfires every night, with the mandatory two roasted marshmallows once the coals developed. Rosie the kitty was tied to a long-line that was attached to the picnic table and then was allowed to wander around. She was particularly happy climbing up about 12 feet into the trees to survey the landscape. When birds and squirrels would come visit the campsite to raid for crumbs, Rosie would go into stalk mode. But, alas she was unable to get near them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At one point, about 10 crows landed in the tree she was in, and their cackling sure sounded like they were laughing at her and her inability to get to them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of the ocean from the top of the hill</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the days, we decided to just go hike down the Arroyo Sequit to see what it was like. Near the campground it was completely dry. Makes sense given that there was virtually no rain in Southern California all winter. But, there were several sections where it cut through the rocks into a narrow canyon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was interesting to see the vegetation of this riparian forest. It isn't quite like that of Arizona (lacking the Fremont cottonwoods, box elders, and Arizona ash) or of the Pacific Northwest (lacking the big-leaf maples, red alders, and black cottonwoods). It contained its own mix of sycamores, willows, and California black walnut.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Further upstream, we came across a slow trickle of water and the later larger pools. The water was filled with aquatic insects and it was easy to imagine it being pull of tadpoles in a few weeks. In addition, poison oak began to show up in thickets all alongside the stream bed, making traversing further more difficult.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_kFfxarGgpQ/T2-2EgDotQI/AAAAAAAAGUY/lfsS1NwOpbw/s1600/DSCF0140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_kFfxarGgpQ/T2-2EgDotQI/AAAAAAAAGUY/lfsS1NwOpbw/s400/DSCF0140.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We eventually ended out adventure when we came across a steep and narrow section of the canyon choked with boulders and blocked by poison oak. But, there was a beautiful swimming hole below that clearly had been used on hot days as evidenced by the graffiti on the boulders and cliff faces.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The most unfortunate part of this fun little adventure were the numerous ticks we had to pull of Sophie. While the three humans apparently avoided getting any on us, Sophie was covered in them. We pulled off several on the walk back and a couple dozen immediately upon returning to the campsite. But, even that wasn't enough. Despite extensive searches, we found probably another 10 of so stuck onto her upon our return to Flagstaff. Even two weeks later we found a giant blood engorged one on her ear. Not sure how we missed it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-25629363852798385682012-03-20T08:55:00.000-07:002012-03-20T08:55:49.301-07:00Leo Carillo State Beach, Santa Monica Mts, California<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ILCqwjjf9u8/T2fj7z3itgI/AAAAAAAAGSo/BWksoSrJIp0/s1600/IMG_3023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295px" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ILCqwjjf9u8/T2fj7z3itgI/AAAAAAAAGSo/BWksoSrJIp0/s400/IMG_3023.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
After a couple of days in Los Angeles, we camped for three nights at Leo Carillo State Beach just past Malibu in the Santa Monica Mountains. The weather was beautiful and warm and we had a great time just hanging out. We had originally planned to stay for four nights, but the impending rain storm caused us to leave after three days.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dried up chaparral slopes in March 2012</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same area in March 2010</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div>But, the recent rain was desperately needed in Southern California. With virtually no rain all winter, the chaparral covered slopes were brown and devoid of wildflowers. It looked like mid-July rather than mid-March in this region. It certainly looked a lot different than it did when we were in the <a href="http://www.hikemasters.com/2010/03/la-jolla-canyon-loop-point-mugu-state.html">area two years ago</a>. But, with the fine weather we experienced, we definitely had some nice time to get in a long hike and spend some quality time at the beach.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two baby octopi were found amongst the rocks in the tide pools.</td></tr>
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One day, while cruising the beaches, I discovered nine dead common murres on the beach, many covered with oil. First of all, I was surprised to see that common murres actually came this far south. But, I wasn't shocked to see them covered with oil, as it is well known that just to the north, in the Santa Barbara Channel, there are natural oil seeps (similar to La Brea Tar Pits) that leak thousands of gallons of oil into the ocean every day.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O6kAisrjUHQ/T2fmpX-pl4I/AAAAAAAAGTA/8eDk4OOi3fs/s1600/DSCF0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O6kAisrjUHQ/T2fmpX-pl4I/AAAAAAAAGTA/8eDk4OOi3fs/s400/DSCF0153.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>What I did not realize until I got home was that just a few days earlier an <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/07/local/la-me-oil-birds-20120307">article in the LA Times </a>detailed a sudden and massive increase in the number of dead seabirds showing up on beaches in Southern California soiled by oil. In addition, nearly all of them are common murres.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tar balls and oil splotches like this above are a common site on the beaches in this area</td></tr>
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</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Apparently the common murres only recently returned to this region of California after having been absent since 1912. They established a breeding colony on one of the small uninhabited Channel Islands. Since they are not used to the oil seeps, they have been coming in contact with the oil and ending up on the beaches dead or sick. One nature center has recovered and cleaned up 140 common murres just since January 1st. Anyways, I collected some tar balls off the rocks to take back to my Chemistry and AP Environmental Science classes for discussion and lab demonstrations.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the oil stuck to the breast of this dead common murre.<br />
This indicates it was floating on top of the water and then swam into the oil slick</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We took Hilina to the beach every day we were there, in morning fog and afternoon sun. It was glorious to be back on the Pacific Ocean again. I tell you, we've love to live in California if it were not for two reasons...Too many people and too expensive to live there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hilina checking out seastars on some sea stacks</td></tr>
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On the next post, I'll discuss our adventures inland along Arroyo Sequit and up to Nicholas Flat over 2000 feet above the ocean.<br />
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</div></div>The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-40119351817867683952012-01-07T19:27:00.000-08:002012-01-07T19:27:58.039-08:00Mountain Palms Oasis at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CqScn8YnvVU/Tv6Mbo1SPsI/AAAAAAAAGLk/_vx6y2ov-Ow/s1600/IMG_2792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" rea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CqScn8YnvVU/Tv6Mbo1SPsI/AAAAAAAAGLk/_vx6y2ov-Ow/s400/IMG_2792.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a few days in the urban jungle of San Diego, it was off to Mountain Palm Springs Oasis in Anza Borrego Desert State Park. Located about 2 hours east of San Diego, this is the state park where we spent several weeks during the winter of 2010. So, if these pictures seem familiar, that's why. In fact, we decided to disperse camp at our favorite site from that trip, which is at Mountain Palm Springs.</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mountain Palms Springs Oasis is located just off the Imperial Highway that cuts up from I-8 at Ocotillo and heads north to Borrego Springs. It's pretty close to the border, so there's lots of Border Patrol activity in the area, including a checkpoint and helicopters that fly over head. But, most of the aliens we encountered were Canadians who camp out in the desert all winter before heading back north in summer.</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We set up our little tent city and enjoyed several beautiful sunny and warm days in the desert. The mornings were chilly, but nothing a little campfire of some dead creosote bush and chollas can't fix. We took Hello Kitty and Sophie with us, and Kitty was just find wandering around the campsite. We had a long line for her, but she got tangled up so often, we finally gave up on it. She never ventured more than about 50 feet away, but we always had someone assigned to keep an eye on her so she didn't get lost or become coyote food.</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From the camping area, there are two palm groves that are visible about 1/2 mile away. These California fan palms are relicts of the Ice Age when they were distributed all across Southern California and Arizona. But, with the warming and drying of the region, they are now limited to just 153 distinct groves, each containing just a few to a few dozen individuals.</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One morning I hiked up to the northern grove, the one we went to on our previous visit. It was that previous visit where I decided to climb up onto the ridge above the grove and peek around and noticed another grove in the next valley over. However, I did not descend the ridge into that grove that time, so I decided to do it this time and see if I could make a loop out of the hike.</div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bunches of palm fruits hanging down</td></tr>
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What I noticed in this second grove was that many of the palms had plumes of fruit hanging down. I read at Joshua Tree that these fruit were really important to the native peoples of the area because it was one of the only sources of sugar in the desert. The birds certainly love them, as they are all over these groves (the available water in the desert is also the key). So, I decided I needed to try them. First I grabbed a large fallen palm frond to try and smack a bunch off the tree. But, it was not quite large enough. So, I resorted to throwing rocks. Eventually I hit the clump and a bunch of the tiny fruits fell to the ground. Maybe it was late in the season and they had started to dry out, but there isn't much flesh on them. It's like a slightly sweet layer of leather over a large nut.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coyote scat consisting of almost nothing but palm fruits</td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">From this grove, I decided to start walking up the ravine, where I quickly encountered another grove. From there I spotted the tops of two more palms above the rocks, so I continued up the wash and found those two. At this stage the wash entered a deep narrow canyon. I continued up past the shady canyon and into a large open amphitheater at the base of the mountains. It was there that I found the motherlode.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look back at the north grove from the ridgetop before I began my explorations</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There was an old faded sign that called this the "Palm Bowl Grove" and there must have been well over 100 mature palms in the grove. In the middle of the grove was a large mound of deposits where the spring at the base of the mountain has flowed for millenia despositing sediments and evaporites (like calcium carbonate). No water was present on the surface (but the ground was moist), but it appeared based on the shape of the mound as though it must have flowed more vigorously in wetter times.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sample of the Palm Bowl Gove with the sediment mounds in front</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">During our stay at Anza Borrego Desert State Park, we also made a return trip to Agua Caliente County Park to soak in the hot springs. You can read about what I wrote about that in 2010 here: <a href="http://www.taylorlenz.com/2010/03/agua-caliente-county-park-in-anza.html">http://www.taylorlenz.com/2010/03/agua-caliente-county-park-in-anza.html</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hilina and Linda hiking down Moonlight Canyon</td></tr>
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But, instead of carrying Hilina on my back for the Moonlight Canyon Hike, she was able to do the entire loop this time! My final post of this series will be a hike description for Garnet Peak in the Laguna Mountains nearly 6000 feet above where we were camping. That'll be posted over at the Hikemasters site in the coming days.</div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view out to Whale Peak from Agua Caliente County Park </td></tr>
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</div>The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-6787081002948839642012-01-04T10:34:00.000-08:002012-01-04T10:34:38.525-08:00Torrey Pines State Reserve, San Diego County<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xlDl4yJgG3o/Tv6BTi7C3aI/AAAAAAAAGH8/Ge1NQ7ikxJI/s1600/IMG_2674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288px" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xlDl4yJgG3o/Tv6BTi7C3aI/AAAAAAAAGH8/Ge1NQ7ikxJI/s400/IMG_2674.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Torrey Pines State Reserve, just north of La Jolla, is home to the rarest pine tree on the planet. The Torrey pine exists at only two places on the planet, in this small reserve on a hilltop above the sea and in a grove on Santa Rosa Island, 175 miles away, in the Channel Islands.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Psw8WxOUCoI/Tv6Bf7_CAMI/AAAAAAAAGII/6HyZc1Es0vk/s1600/IMG_2677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297px" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Psw8WxOUCoI/Tv6Bf7_CAMI/AAAAAAAAGII/6HyZc1Es0vk/s400/IMG_2677.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
Scientists hypothesize that the pine was probably much more common during the Ice Age, with a range all up and down the Southern California Coast. As conditions warmed and dried out, they disappeared from everywhere except these two groves. They are dependent on coastal fogs for much of their moisture, and as such, have very long needles to catch the fog droplets and direct them down to the ground. Their closest relatives genetically are down in central Mexico.<br />
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Torrey Pines State Reserve sits on a highly eroded hillside of weak sandstones. Where no trees grow, coastal sage scrub and head-high chapparral shrub grows. It is a heavily visited site with lots of hikers on its short trails across the hilltop and down to the beach. There is a nice visitor center that discusses the natural history of not just the trees, but the animals and other plants who live in the area.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you head out onto the trails in the reserve, panoramic views of the coast and ocean. Many people drive up the hill to the visitor center, but if you park in the lower lot near the beach, then you can walk up the hill and do a loop across the reserve. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NN3OK9lGRvQ/Tv6B-E_rrZI/AAAAAAAAGIk/dIAWUK_0VtQ/s1600/IMG_2685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298px" rea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NN3OK9lGRvQ/Tv6B-E_rrZI/AAAAAAAAGIk/dIAWUK_0VtQ/s400/IMG_2685.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">The salty air and warm sunshine make this a wonderful place to spend an afternoon. As you approach the steep cliffs above the beach, there is only one way down. The other side trails that take you to the panoramic overlooks site precariously on the edge. Even the official way down is slick and steep.</div><br />
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But, once you are on the beach, then it is miles of sandy comfort on your feet and waves crashing offshore. The walk back to the lower parking lot is quite easy and enjoyable if the tide is low or the wave action is not too rough.<br />
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</div>The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777320524993895057.post-70151003766288232342011-12-30T19:26:00.000-08:002011-12-30T19:26:11.061-08:00Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-st20dl_Pgs4/Tvze0nhU-TI/AAAAAAAAGGQ/15QjujbA8wM/s1600/IMG_2644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-st20dl_Pgs4/Tvze0nhU-TI/AAAAAAAAGGQ/15QjujbA8wM/s400/IMG_2644.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Cabrillo National Monument sits out at the end of Point Loma, marking the northern entrance to San Diego Bay. This was the first place in what is now United States territory, that a European set foot on the Pacific Coast when Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed here in 1542. Woodrow Wilson set this area at the end of Point Loma aside in 1913 to commemorate his landing here. Today it serves as a rare island of preserved coastal sage scrub and rocky tidepools in a sea of urban development that is now San Diego.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Extreme low tide at Cabrillo National Monument</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">When we arrived, it was extreme low tide along the coast, exposing huge sections of boulders and tide pools. There were tons of people out there playing amongst the seaweed and pools. I spoke to a park ranger who was out on patrol. She explained to me that while they want people to experience and appreciate these tidepools, the sheer number of them is having an affect. They have seen the populations of a variety of coastal species decline dramatically in the last 20 years, abalone being the hardest hit. They have been discussing what can be done to mitigate the impacts of so many shoes and fingers on these creatures.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hilina examining some creatures in a tidepool</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">However, the good news is that the tip of Point Loma, out by the lighthouse is closed to the public and thus those pools have not been affected. So, they do have some direct comparisons they can show between the two main areas. Unfortunately, for reasons not entirely explainable, abalones have all but disappeared from that area too. Some speculate it could be illegal poaching to sell on the Asian markets.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lighthouse at the tip of Point Loma with exposed tidepools</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The geology of Point Loma is equally fascinating. The rocks at the lower levels are near horizontal layers of rocks laid down in an underwater canyon some 70 million years ago. They are called turbidites and they represent silt and sand that flowed down and accumulated in the canyon crevices, almost like a slow-moving river of sediment. Within those layers are fossils of clams and other marine organisms. Above those horizontal layers are weakly cemented sandstones that are much more recent. These sandstones erode easily into deep gullies and steep cliffs. Without the fragile coastal sage scrub holding it together, it virtually melts into the sea.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lbX2yC6YBxg/Tvzg98QUQwI/AAAAAAAAGHA/tag8CT-4tPs/s1600/IMG_2640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="303" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lbX2yC6YBxg/Tvzg98QUQwI/AAAAAAAAGHA/tag8CT-4tPs/s400/IMG_2640.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cliffs along the coast of Point Loma</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The area that this sandstone exists in (across much of Southern California) has experienced a great deal of erosion over the decades, first by the grazing of animals like sheep and later by urban development. Only protecting these sage scrub ecosystems, which thrive in the dry, hot, salty environment of this region, keeps the entire hillside of melting away.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vCD5iwCobiU/Tvzj64RQ_0I/AAAAAAAAGHk/qKhp21NaVd8/s1600/IMG_2634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vCD5iwCobiU/Tvzj64RQ_0I/AAAAAAAAGHk/qKhp21NaVd8/s400/IMG_2634.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turbidite layers along the tidepools</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the top of Point Loma is the visitor center with spectacular views out across San Diego Bay to downtown and off to the Laguna Mountains beyond, south into Mexico, and out across the Pacific Ocean.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-blWvG07Qxt0/TvzjrFhxs7I/AAAAAAAAGHY/qVrKPoiPD-I/s1600/IMG_2650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-blWvG07Qxt0/TvzjrFhxs7I/AAAAAAAAGHY/qVrKPoiPD-I/s400/IMG_2650.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view out toward Tijuana (white area in distance) with Cabrillo status on right</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is also a whale watching platform facing the ocean, where we saw several gray whales spouting offshore. They are just beginning their slow migration northward to Alaska, although the prime month of migration is in February.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vbdu1jlabj8/Tvzk19pDKhI/AAAAAAAAGHw/_h0poVrpzMI/s1600/IMG_2648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vbdu1jlabj8/Tvzk19pDKhI/AAAAAAAAGHw/_h0poVrpzMI/s400/IMG_2648.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown San Diego across the bay from Cabrillo National Monument</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Being up here gave us a real idea of the topography and geography of the region. We could see Cayamaca Peak (the highest mountain in San Diego County) to the east, the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles way off to the north, Otay Mesa and mountains of northern Baja to the south, the Coronado Islands off Baja to the southwest, and San Clemente and San Nicholas island to the northwest.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m2mGf22aug0/TvzihfEqZuI/AAAAAAAAGHM/nk-VM81I7xs/s1600/IMG_2655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m2mGf22aug0/TvzihfEqZuI/AAAAAAAAGHM/nk-VM81I7xs/s400/IMG_2655.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hilina catching a breeze by the whale viewing platform</td></tr>
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</div>The Hikemastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00247921774221355204noreply@blogger.com0