I hiked in the North Access of the Preserve late afternoon yesterday and on the way back, I almost stepped on a Diamondback! Can you see him? Look to the left about center. Great camouflage! A good lesson to be extra careful in low light because you won’t see them!
I documented all the things needed for the Herp Survey and then left without disturbing him. (Click on photos for full size)
This morning I went back out on the same trail and there he was in the exact same spot! Maybe he had a big meal and needed the rest? Anyway…he was just starting to move so I quickly took some more photos and made note of his length (33 inches). (Click on photos for full size)
I owe this photo to my hiking companions this morning. We were just ending our hike when someone spotted these Mule Deer behind the Palo Verde tree on the right. We stood very still hoping they would come out into the open and Voila! They walked right in front of one of the most recognized rock formations up in the North Preserve. Awesome 🙂
So…besides avoiding the heat, Mule Deer are yet another reason to get out early to hike! (click photo for full size)
Too hot to hike, you say? Here is a reason to get up very early and head into the desert. The Arizona Queen of the Night are beginning to bloom! (pg 18 Flora Guide)
The rest of the year, this cactus is almost impossible to find because it looks very much like a dead branch but when they bloom, the large white flowers are very easy to spot! Your best bet for finding this cactus is head up to the North Preserve (Toms Thumb area or Browns Ranch) or drive along 118th or 128th street heading South from Dynamite and start looking closely on both sides of the road. The earlier you go, the better. The flowers have already been open all night so they will fade fast. Good luck!
Very early this morning….with permit in hand…. I decided to look for snakes on the soon to be finished Marcus Landslide trail and all I can say is WOW! It is a spectacular trail that winds in and around humongous boulders and the views from all points on the trail are also spectacular! This photo shows one of the huge boulders with a hiker close by for scale. Note that the boulder also has a face 🙂 (click photo for full size)
Earlier this week (still looking for snakes), I got a few photos of the guys building the trail. (Click photos for full size).
