Posts Tagged With: 4×4

Sonoita and South, Huachuca Mountains, Miller Canyon

Posted on February 14, 2020 by lasthouseob1

2012 Monsoon Season

We’re reminiscing back to 2012. It was a maiden cruise in the 4×4 that I had just purchased. One thing that I didn’t have for this was my camera. DF’s camera bit the dust soon after we left. It had been acting up. The result had been a picture-less report. I recently pieced together some illustrations and…better late than never:

 

DF and I are waking up at her place on an open calendar Saturday. Lying in bed looking out the window at blue skies and sunshine, I just feels right, “What the heck, Let’s just spontaneously go down to your old a stomping grounds in the Huachuca Mountains. Down there are some spots I haven’t visited in twenty or thirty years and some areas where we have never been.”

We now have this 4×4 truck, so there is no stopping us. We pack up some food, tank up and everything else happens to be all ready to go. I don’t have any clothes, but the “needing to take special care for” light colored ones, that I wore when going out and dancing last night. BUT then, if we play it right, we aren’t going to need clothes anyway. I do have my leather huaraches. That’s good, Arizona can be rough on bare feet.

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The Verde Hot Springs

Posted on January 9, 2020 by lasthouseob1

2019-09-16

Our destination is the ‘ol hot springs on the Verde River. The plan is to spend three days with a couple of side excursions into Fossil Creek’s sweet riparian area.

I am gambling, but thinking that odds are in my favor. After being extremely sick the week previous, I figure that I’m left with just a little recovery to deal with. The hot springs and subsequent skinny dipping in blue green waters in the mountains near here will be my healing.

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New Years Day 2014

Posted on December 27, 2019 by lasthouseob1

We got a late start after a late New Years Eve…of course. When we began our drive up into the mountains, it was around noon plus thirty. The goal was to visit the petroglyphs that we had been to once before:

https://thefreerangenaturist.org/2017/09/08/in-search-of-tortolita-petroglyphs-a-trip-report/

It is winter time and the rattlesnakes are asleep with most of the local reptiles. We can bushwack, step over rocks and climb without fear of disturbing those fellows. The vegetation is more sparse and easier to see under and move around when naked. It is a time when I’ll survey the 55 saguaros that grow on my property and revisit terrain that is too dangerous at other times.

It sounded weird to us as the radio told us the date was in 2014. The reported temp on the radio was 66F downtown as we slowly plodded our way up the 4×4 trail, which has been severely eroded. We weren’t sure what to expect for wind-chill, but the forecast was eight miles per hour at most. To a delight, as we parked and exited the SUV, I was stunned by the absolute surreal silence about us and the warm sun on my nude body. We were in the heart of the Tortolitas.

As we ascended the mountains, a guy on a mountain bike had switched places with us twice, but he was soon going another way. The place was obviously all ours. We had been concerned because people’s New Years Day outdoor activities can detract from our elbow room.

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A little Canyoneering

Posted on February 1, 2019 by lasthouseob1

2018-10-28

Last July, we had made plans to hike into a remote area of Happy Valley, “When the weather cools down.”  Our friend Bruce told me of several fun things back in there and to expect some mild Canyoneering. We’ll follow his lead.

See here: https://thefreerangenaturist.org/2018/10/12/happy-valley-waterfalls/

DF, Bruce and myself, were the ones gathered on Sunday Morning. We loaded ourselves into my SUV.

Back in October, hurricanes in Mexico’s Pacific waters had left us with some hard weather in Southern Arizona, including flooding and golf ball sized hail. When we arrived along the road into Happy Valley, we were pleasantly surprised to find water flowing over the road from the runoff of the mountains. The story begins.

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I keep threatening to splash through these gullies, as we soak up the ambiance of tall trees and grassy hillsides. Blooms are coming out like springtime. Some hilltops in the distance look as if they were sprinkled with a thick layer of mustard.

There is also a change in the colors of some of the trees. Golden hews explode out of the more usual green canopy.

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Carr Peak…Perfect! Part III: THE RETURN:

Posted on January 18, 2019 by lasthouseob1

2018-09-08

We have been up Carr Peak in the Huachuca Mountains. There could be a chance of rain on this mountaintop. We have a downhill walk after a long days hiking in wonderment.

The previous Part I can be found here:

https://thefreerangenaturist.org/2019/01/02/carr-peakperfect/

and Part II:

https://thefreerangenaturist.org/2019/01/11/carr-peakperfect-part-ii/

When it feels like time to return, I look to see what is happening with that large storm out west. It seems to be heading down into Mexico and might pass south of us. We haven’t brought our rain ponchos, Arizonans that we are. We speculate the chill that a storm like that could have on our unprotected bodies. We’ll keep one eye open.

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Carr Peak…Perfect! Part II

Posted on January 11, 2019 by lasthouseob1

2018-09-08

We’re walking up Carr Peak in the Huachuca Mountains. This day trip is exploratory and an experiment to gather full confidence to backpack to Miller Peak before the season’s end our opportunities.

Last week, we began our foray up Carr Peak, which may be found here:

https://thefreerangenaturist.org/2019/01/02/carr-peakperfect/

We are about to venture into one of the most astounding moments of a lifetime…naked.

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Carr Peak…Perfect!

Posted on January 2, 2019 by lasthouseob1

2018-09-08

We have been doing more and more difficult climbs to be in shape for backpacking up to Miller Peak in the Huachuca Mountains. Carr Peak is a neighbor. Climbing it will tell us how much water we will have to carry to Miller Peak and give us a better idea of what is in store for us. By the end of this day, we will have had a cumulative elevation gain of around 2800 ft. and then back down, all in about six and a half miles. This will cover about half of the trek to Miller Peak.

The monsoon rains are winding down. After weeks of nearly daily rains, these mountains may be in a floral splendor according to a Forest Ranger that I talked to. The weather is looking perfect, it’s in the mid-seventies and there is little chance of rain.

We drive up Friday evening after work. I have the back of the SUV set up as a bed, so all that we have to do is eat, grab our bags and hit the trail Saturday morning.

Looking Up at Carr Peak from the Campground

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Cochise Stronghold and the Great Mushroom Hunt: Part III

Posted on November 25, 2018 by lasthouseob1

2018-08-18

 

Next Morning:

We are at Cochise Stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains. We have a wonderful campsite and have hiked to the pass on the previous day. The story of that is in two parts is here:

https://thefreerangenaturist.org/2018/11/02/cochise-stronghold-i/

And here:

https://thefreerangenaturist.org/2018/11/12/cochise-stronghold-ii/

We have a short sunrise wander, just before the morning begins to warm. The tent is already heating up, but we slide back into bed.

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Cochise Stronghold II

Posted on November 12, 2018 by lasthouseob1

2018-08-17

We are on a hike along the trail at Cochise Stronghold. We have found a pocket just before the season’s campground opening and been blessed with a cool day with the shade of a parade of fluffy clouds.

The first part of the story can be found here:

https://thefreerangenaturist.org/2018/11/02/cochise-stronghold-i/

We have reached our water source at Half Moon Tank.

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Cochise Stronghold I

Posted on November 2, 2018 by lasthouseob1

2018-08-17

Cochise Stronghold is a part of the habitat of the Chiricahua Apaches. When settlers began to make their way into the area, destroying the lives of those who lived there, a “war” eventually broke out.

To put it briefly, Apache raids could be conducted from these safe rugged mountains. Cochise, who was initially prone to a peace, found himself accused of a crime. Then, members of his family were taken hostage. He then saw futility. There were white betrayals, which lead to more decades of war.

Eventually, Cochise died and was secretly buried in these mountains.

As I walk through this incredible landscape of fortress-like boulders and hoodoos, I watch water leach out of rocks and then stream down them. I sit in the shade of many types of trees and consider the abundance hidden here. I hold thoughts of Apache lives. I ponder some nebulous foreign peoples beginning to force the takeover of my own homeland. I can imagine how I might feel and how I might react.

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