Spring Break 2010 - Part 1

This is the northern edge of the town of Summerhaven and part of radio ridge. I just about froze to death taking this photo since it was near hurricane conditions.

This is taken along the Marshall Gulch Trail. I broke trail for about half a mile and decided that was enough.

This was taken just to the north of the Catalina Highway. A fence there was almost completely hidden by the deep snow.

I then spent several days at El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar Sonora. This image is pretty self-explanatory. It is a very tough environment in which to live. This grave marker lies on the rim of Crater El Elegante which is the largest crater in the Pinacate lava field. You can walk completely around the rim.

Here is an ocotillo blooming just below the rim of Crater El Elegante.

Another view of Crater El Elegante.

This was the floral display at the base of El Mayo - the cinder cone right next to the Tecolate campground. All of this is what is commonly referred to as purple mat (nama demissum). I camped for three nights at this location.

This is a detail photo of nama demissum. They really are quite tiny. Only their enormous abundance creates such impressive displays at a distance.

This is a lupine growing near the same campground. Presumably it would have flowered a couple weeks after I left.

This was a view into part of the cinder cone to the south of the campground. It is safe to say that El Pinacate doesn't get this green very often. The winter rains (which led to the deep snow in the earlier images) turned one of the driest parts of the North America into this "lush" paradise....

This shows Crater Cerro Colorado. It is also easy to walk around the rim of this one. If you are interested in more details about the type of volcanism associated with these craters, the link here will provide some details.

Here is a saguaro (carnegiea gigantea) surrounded by a limberbush (jatropha cuneata). These limberbush really do have very flexible branches and they are quite common in this area.

An ocotillo just after sunset near the Tecolate campground.

An ocotillo and a saguaro about to embark on an interesting future. This is also near the campground.

On to Springbreak2010 - Part 2,

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