Today's dayhike was cut short by bears (a mother and two cubs) gorging on the skunk cabbage that abounds along the trail. It's the first plant that wakes up in the spring, so it's a key food for bears. Normally it would be easy to scare them off, but not when the trailside is where all the best food...

azbackpackr wrote: ↑Mar 30 2026 5:27 pm @hikeaz
I've lost track of when the new transcanyon pipeline is supposed to be finished. Do you know?

2027, according the NPS.

Woohoo! That's a bigger scope of reopening than I expected.

I'm here in Phoenix to "enjoy" the unprecedented early heat. At least it's been possible to enjoy mornings. I feel sluggish when afternoon rolls around.

If I remember it right, the vehicle belongs to one of the victims. This is going to be a weird story.

Recent-- three women found dead two on a hiking trail and one in a residence in Torrey Utah; one of the gateways to Capitol Reef. While likely a local issue Torrey has less than 300 people so not sure if some of these were tourists or relatives or what. News reports state looking for a white Subaru...

azbackpackr wrote: ↑Feb 24 2026 4:32 pm [Edit] I Googled it and it said that it is found on the San Carlos reservation but not in the Springerville volcanic field.

And if you're unlucky, you'll find asbestos instead (or at least in addition).

Nighthiker wrote: ↑Feb 24 2026 10:52 am Does include a chapter on SE Arizona roads including I10 Tucson to New Mexico, I 19, AZ 77, 79, AZ 80, 82, 83, 86 and the Catalina Highway.

Hmm, maybe there's more discussion of the Jemez Lineament.

The second edition authors are Stephen J. Reynolds and Julia K Johnson have done a great job of presenting the Roadside Geology of Arizona's roads. Well illustrated with diagrams,grape and pictures. Also included is a chapter or rocks and the geological history of Arizona. Next time you are on AZ 8...

@RedRoxx44 Wow! I was just laughing about how my phone reports the pollen count every day in winter (always none). The closest thing I have to wildflowers is that the deer have pawed through a foot and a half of snow to eat what little is left of the moss and grass in my yard, so now there's a bunc...

@chumley
That looks to be about as bad as it gets. Are cannibalism and abandonment looming?

NBC (Janice Huff) says that from Dec 1 through Feb 8, this has been the coldest winter in NYC in 30 years. That seems about right to me, although it's milder than typical Iowa winter. My biggest complaint is that I'm running out of places to put snow.

Mission accomplished! My pictures aren't great, but it was a big site and some of the glyphs are different than any I've seen before.

@overthehillsfaraway Linked-In says Todd Bostwick is now Director of Archaeology at Verde Valley Archaeology Center. An expert on South Mountain petroglyphs who is still very active is Aaron Wright at Southwest Archaeology. You may be able to find his email address. But I also suggest you post your...

chumley wrote: ↑Feb 03 2026 10:24 pm Just a random observation. The normal high temperature at this time of year in Phoenix should be in the 60s. SIXTIES.

I could use some normal temperatures. Even NJ normal temperatures would be nice.

That seems reasonable, but apart from the North Kaibab Trail, it's hard to guess what else may open in 2026. A lot boils down to how much of Highway 67 can be reopened. I still tend to believe that they'll keep it closed even if the road itself could be made passable in order simplify management of ...

@Alston_Neal I theorize that the daily construction closures of the US60 east of Superior this week may have prompted this routing. But until an actual journalist speaks to somebody who knows, we'll be left with social media speculation (which currently ranges from the trailer needing to be cut up ...

RedRoxx44 wrote: ↑Jan 10 2026 7:25 am News outlets announcing that California as a whole is out of their drought status for the first time in 25 years. Not so most of the rest of the southwest.

Meanwhile, much of NJ is now in "severe drought", parts of it for the third year in row.

@chumley
It's too bad that "wintry mix" isn't a salty snack. I'm getting tired of shoveling and breaking up the ice.

In the case of Crestone, I think it was understood among serious peak baggers that the peaks don't differ much in height. However, there are doubtless plenty of pedantic gatekeepers who would disallow claims of previous Crestone ascents based on this information. (That wouldn't affect me - I've been...