March 8, 2008

March 8, 2008

Aimee has developed some unexpected hiking courage so we have been attempting some of the shorter peaks in the area. We have summitted Picacho Peak twice and Mt Wasson once. Today we are going off the beaten path a little and scaling Safford Peak. To the locals, it is known as Sombrero Mountain because of its domed top. The trail to the top is poorly maintained so we end up backtracking several times. That is a problem since Aimee’s favorite part of our hikes is when we turn and head home. So every time we backtrack Aimee thinks we are done and wants to head back for good.

What has made the last two hikes memorable has been the sudden explosion of color up the mountains. Rainfall has been heavy this winter giving Tucson the best wildflowers in ten years. Especially bright and cheery are the yellow poppies. They make the hillsides glisten like gold and stand in sharp contrast to the normally subdued desert colors. We need to enjoy them while we can as they wont last long in the desert.