Organ Pipe, last day

We came for 3 days and stayed for a week.  We like it here!
Today's hike was twofold.  First we went to the Arch Trail in the Ajo Mountains.  You may recall seeing the arch in a photo from about 6 days ago.  The trail goes around behind the arch into the canyon.  Nice trail for the official trail section.  Then the social trail, that's what they call a trail that is not an official park service trail but is allowed to exist anyway.  That was steep and very rocky.  Easy to see why they don't sanction it as an official trail.  We got up 1/4 of it and decided it was getting too rugged.  There were a couple parts we had been a bit concerned about on the way up but coming down was not nearly as bad as we had expected.  Our neighbor here at camp told us later about a portion that is narrow and steep on both sides.  Not something either of us would have liked so it is just as well that we turned around.
Next we went north a bit to the Alamo Canyon trail.  This follows a wash up to an old ranch site.  This had a lot of nice Saguaro in some odd shapes for amusement.  There is an old brick ranch house and falling down corral with traces of the old water system.  Then on the way out Carlene spots a snake in the trail.  Not very big and it was stretched out crossing the trail, but sure enough, it was a rattlesnake!  We just let him move along and didn't get him to rattle or coil up.  Just took his picture!
Walked around the campground a bit more and got a few photos from the hillside above camp.

Arch Trail photos:

Alamo Canyon photos:

Rattlesnake photos:

Campground:

Organ Pipe, Senita Loop Basin hike

Drove up to Senita Basin and hiked the loop trail, with a side trip too the Red Tanks Tinaja, all adding up to 5.5 miles.  The basin is pretty flat so we enjoyed the walking in the wash going to the tinaja and back.  About 2 miles total of soft gravel, kind of like beach sand.  Made it nice to get back out of the wash to where we could see our surroundings better again.  The wash was about 5' deep which limited visibility.

Tonight was a ranger presentation on cacti, their role in desert life, diversity and identity.  We have been wondering about the Senita cactus, the namesake of the basin we hiked today.  It is supposed to be present in the basin and we thought we had seen it.  But after the presentation we know we have not seen it yet.

One of the many old mines

Not what I expected to find in a wash 2 miles from the road

Red Tank Tinaja (pothole)

The wash (streambed)

Carlene's desert icecube (piece of quartz)

Organ Pipe, Baker Mine hike

We hiked out to Baker Mine today, about 5 miles round trip.  Mostly flat and rolling country.  Lots of Organ Pipe cactus in the area.  The mine was, well, just a hole in the ground.  We knew that from the other mine hike.  This was just a place to go.  Did see a hare on the trail.  But despite all the signs we have not seen any Mexicans.  We have seen a lot of Border Patrol, including one on an ATV out cruising the back country.  The other day we had the Air Force out doing exercises overhead.  Major sonic booms too, echoing off the mountains like some huge thunder storm on a clear day.

Sunset on the hills east of us was quite good tonight.  Then after dark there was a presentation in the outdoor amphitheater on constellations and some of the different ways various peoples from around the world have seen them.  It has always impressed me that very different cultures from all across the world and across time have seen much of the same things in the night sky.  The stories have been different sometimes but not always.  Like Orion has been a hunter to both the ancient Greeks and the tribes that became the Russians. 

A Saguaro just beginning to grow arms

Organ Pipe, big loop drive

Took a 40 mile loop drive around the Puerto Blanco mountains today.  Nice sunny day and it turned out warm too.  Lots of great views, saw rabbit and coyote(s).  Two coyote sightings but they may have been the same critter, if he moved faster than the truck.  Now these roads are gravel and only graded occasionally, so it's slow going.  15 mph speed limit but driveable between 10 and 30 depending on the location.

Got back to camp about 3 and sat in the sun with our books.  Then walked around and met the other Vermonter in camp.  Mike is from Belvediere, left home Nov.2 and due back second week of April (like us).  His third winter of travel but first time west, he's been wintering in FL but had enough of that.  Likes this place.

We like it here too.  First planned on 3 nights, now 4, can't decide where to go next so we're staying until Monday!  Still no idea where to go next but we have 5-6 weeks to get home so why rush it.  This place is beautiful, quiet, uncluttered and uncrowded.  It's hard to think of a better place.  And only $16/night.

Humane Borders Inc maintains water stations in the area so the illegal immigrants won't die of thirst in the desert

Callahan enjoying the view as we drive

Emergency radio stations, push the red button and emergency help will come soon.

Quitobaquito Spring

The border fence

A little farm house in Mexico

The newer 2008 border fence

I have to wonder why they need a gate in the border fence

This 2008 generation of border fence is mesh you can see through