On our last day, Mike wanted to drive up Mt. Lemmon....something we had never done before. It is a 9000+ mountain in the Santa Catalinas. I'm splitting this into two posts to get everything in and finish up my Tucson photos!
This was a nice house right before heading up the mountain. I meant to take more photos of the houses and buildings in the southwest, but never got around to it. I also took a whole lot of cactus shots I was going to identify....sigh.....too much going on!
The drive up the mountain begins in a cactus forest.
We were too early this year for the desert wildflowers, but I saw this purple bush at one of the vista areas.
This is only about 2000 ft. looking back towards Tucson.
I thought the grasses and cacti were pretty together.
I can tell by the trees that this is out of order, but I wanted to show one of the many bikers we passed going up and down! I cannot imagine biking up a 9000 ft. mountain!!!! It is around 20 miles of road.....uphill!
The land begins to change to low trees and shrubs with less cacti as you go up.
We marveled at the stacked rocks and wondered why many of them didn't topple over.
At one vista area we saw a Rock Wren....a new bird for me. I wish my shots had been a bit better.
I didn't get him identified until I got home. Luckily he was in my eastern Sibley, because the pictures in it are so superior to the guide book my sister has! You can see the stripes under his tail and the slight marks on his chest.
This is a wonderful vista area called "7 Cataracts" (put that on your waterfall list Betsy and George :-) I know that I could see at least 4 of them looking down.
A closer view of two of them.
A really nice one.
The pool at the top of that one.
Another.
While I was busy photographing cataracts.........
......Mike was looking up!
He saw them as they were disappearing over a ridge. He thought they looked like eagles, but we have no idea for sure. I've never had flight photos with the legs hanging down like that.
This was a nice house right before heading up the mountain. I meant to take more photos of the houses and buildings in the southwest, but never got around to it. I also took a whole lot of cactus shots I was going to identify....sigh.....too much going on!
The drive up the mountain begins in a cactus forest.
We were too early this year for the desert wildflowers, but I saw this purple bush at one of the vista areas.
This is only about 2000 ft. looking back towards Tucson.
I thought the grasses and cacti were pretty together.
I can tell by the trees that this is out of order, but I wanted to show one of the many bikers we passed going up and down! I cannot imagine biking up a 9000 ft. mountain!!!! It is around 20 miles of road.....uphill!
The land begins to change to low trees and shrubs with less cacti as you go up.
We marveled at the stacked rocks and wondered why many of them didn't topple over.
At one vista area we saw a Rock Wren....a new bird for me. I wish my shots had been a bit better.
I didn't get him identified until I got home. Luckily he was in my eastern Sibley, because the pictures in it are so superior to the guide book my sister has! You can see the stripes under his tail and the slight marks on his chest.
This is a wonderful vista area called "7 Cataracts" (put that on your waterfall list Betsy and George :-) I know that I could see at least 4 of them looking down.
A closer view of two of them.
A really nice one.
The pool at the top of that one.
Another.While I was busy photographing cataracts.........
......Mike was looking up!
He saw them as they were disappearing over a ridge. He thought they looked like eagles, but we have no idea for sure. I've never had flight photos with the legs hanging down like that.Tomorrow......Part 2 of Mt. Lemmon.
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17 comments:
A terrific trip, what a priviledge to share it with you.
What a grat trip. The the photos of the rock wren and waterfall.
Thanks for taking us up the hill Mary! If it was me, I'd have to have someone drive me up so I could coast down!! Ha Ha! I'm not sure but I would guess the hawks are Ferruginous Hawks. Juvies maybe. Maybe someone knows for sure.
Mary what awesome photos. Thats an interesting question on why those rocks don't tumble off. Love those waterfall shots. Looks like you had a great time on your trip.
Arija: It's good to be back home, but we had a great time.
Kallen: the waterfalls were really neat even at that distance.
Eve:LOL! I think that coasting down might be a bit scary, too! Thanks for the possible ID on the birds!
Kathy: There were stacks of rocks everywhere and you just looked and wondered what it would take to send them crashing.
Lovely! Makes me want to go back to AZ. It's been way too long.
Your photo journey is just great.Thanks for allowing me to join in.
Blessings,Ruth
Lovely post again Mary, I'm drooling. Such great scenery and plantlife and wildlife there! I can't help with the birds of prey photos this time around.
Annie: It's a nice place to visit :-)
Ruth: Thanks! Any time.
Jenny: Thanks...I know you would persevere and see much more than I do when I am there and hope you get to go some day.
Oh Mary, I'd love to see those waterfalls... Is there a certain time of the year when there is alot of water?? I know that that is desert-area--so they may never get much rain...
Thanks for sharing these wonderful pictures. Glad you got to see a new bird also... How many different birds are on your 'maaster' list now???
Can't wait for Part II
Hugs,
Betsy
I enjoyed this trip! The Rock Wren was cute! I think the bikers are crazy! And the cactus' look like someone arranged them into a pattern.
Another marvelous trip Mary. Thanks so much for showing them. I love each one ! Those cactus are so typical, but I've never seen one in person.
I thing Mike did a splendid job. I thought they looked like some sort of Hawk? ?
B.
Biking? Uphill? No way!! Amazing what some people will get up to!! LOL!!
Beautiful shots Mary. I especially like those of the cascades.
Betsy: I knew you would like the waterfalls :-) Spring is probably always a good time when the snow is melting on Mt. Lemmon, there would be water flowing. Not sure about later...will ask my sister. We saw plenty of water there and Sabino Canyon both at this time of year. March would find more wildflowers in bloom everywhere...we were there for them last year.
Shelley: Thanks! Yeah, biking uphill may be good exercise, but I think it would kill me...even if I didn't fall off the mountain!
Becky: Cacti are interesting to look at, but I just can't imagine living with them all the time. Probably right about the hawks. I didn't see them and Mike just said they were big :-)
Joan:I guess we all have to have a hobby :-)
What a great trip up the mountain. Arizona is a beautiful state and I would love to visit. I've already added the seven cataracts to our 'waterfalls to see' list!
Fantastic! Those birds must have been a wonderful sight, interesting about their legs hanging down like that.
George: I know you and Betsy would enjoy Arizona. So different from the midwest and south!
Denise: Believe it or not I missed them, but Mike got good shots.
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