March 21, 2023
Winter has been unusually cold and wet this year. Shockingly we even awoke to several inches of snow a few weeks ago. Thankfully snow doesn’t last but a few hours in Tucson. While beautiful, the snow did a number on our gorgeous lime tree. It was already burdened with a bumper crop of juicy limes. The heavy wet snow was the straw that broke the camel's back. I had to remove all but a few branches. We are surely missing Global Warming.
The one advantage of a wet winter is wildflowers. They are abundant this year. Since it has been several months since our hiking adventure in New Zealand, Aimee and I decide to visit a local wildflower hotspot, Picacho Peak State Park, a half hour north. Even though it is Monday, apparently many others had the same idea. We wait in line over a half hour to get through the gate. Once in, we luckily find a parking spot on the road and begin the hike to the summit along the Hunter Trail. The base of the peak is filled with patches of blue Lupines and Mexican Gold Poppies. Not as thick as I expected, but the mountain is unusually green and verdant.
After the initial few hundred yards, I put away the camera and concentrate on the ascent. It seems to be much steeper and rugged than we remember. Have we aged that much since MacKinnon Pass just a few months ago? We persevere and make it to the summit and back without incident, but both of us are feeling it. In particular, my ankles are burning on the long descent.
Before leaving the park, we stop at the Memorial Loop that has several Interpretative Boards commemorating the Civil War battle that took place here, the only one in Arizona. Southern rebels intent on taking California were repelled in a small skirmish.
