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| | Car Camping | | 3 Days | | |
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| no partners | | Time to escape the Heat!!! With the Holiday Weekend approaching, I knew it would be short so I didn't want to make too long of a drive of it...The Eagles at Woods Canyon Lake begged to be photographed and I've been wanting to get up there before they leave the Nest...The Birding Site I frequent was also a determining factor and it was also time to get in some Fishing...  There really was no Master Plan other than I wanted to Hike the Woods Canyon Lake Trail around the Lake, and try to get Pics of the Eagles at the Nest. I also wanted to pay Willow Springs Lake a visit and possibly get a line wet there, as I have heard reports that the Fishing was good...A lot less people at Willow Springs as well... 
This turned into a Car Camping/Hiking/Birding/Fishing/Fauna Photography Event...  Throw in the Cool Clouds of Monsoon 2013 and it was a great 3 Days!!!
I haven't been to Woods Canyon Lake in 19 years!!! It seems like it is always so crowded that I just have not had the desire...And the last time I actually Hiked around the Lake was 1974...I was 11...  So, ya, I think I'm overdue to go back...As it turns out, I ended up there all three days, if just for a brief visit on 2 of the Days...
Day 1
Got a late start (surprise...   ) and didn't get up on top of the Rim until around 4:00. The Monsoon Clouds were already in Full Swing. Drove to Woods Canyon Lake to check out the Campgrounds and decided that even with just a few spaces available, there was no way I was Camping there... Tons of people...Thought maybe I could get a quick Hike in to see the Eagles, but the Weather was really threatening and it was getting dark...Talked to the Store Keeper for a few minutes about the Eagles and then just checked out the Shoreline on the South Side for a bit. The Opreys and Adult Eagles were on a Full Hunt for Fish so it was very cool to watch them for a bit...Lots of very vocal Osprey and every once in awhile, you would catch one of the adult Eagles chasing them...Did get a few pictures, but the Lighting was Harsh and Dark...Will post a few of the Successful Fishing though...
Decided with the weather that it was time to find a Camp Spot and I decided my best bet would be dispersed Camping somewhere in the area. I ended up Disperse Camping on FR181 off the Young Highway for the 2 Nights...I had to go in about 1.3 Miles on FR181 before I felt any seclusion at all...Couldn't believe how many people were up there already, on a Monday no less...Just a note, that whole area down that Road would make a great spot for a future HAZfest...The site I Camped at could fit a small Army and had several Fire Rings including a pretty good sized one...I included some pictures of my Site, but the whole area is very flat and makes for good Tent/Car Camping...
Got Camp set up just as the Rain hit...Still sleeping in my Car so I had my large Tarp set up so I could move around and sleep with the Hatch open and still stay dry....Haven't bought a Tent yet, been buying a Camera and Backpacking Gear instead...
Day 2
Finally got to sleep Monday night after the folks camped across the small draw finally turned off their Bass Thumping Music... Slept in a bit and then got up and proceeded to do a Photo Shoot in Camp of all the Birds and Squirrels in Camp...
Left what little Camp I had, set up, and took off for Woods Canyon Lake. (Triplog of Hike to follow) After a zillion pictures of my Trek and the local Fauna, I returned to Camp during the late afternoon downpours...
Interesting tidbit about Camp...The Big Fire Ring had a dead Squirrel in it when I got up on Day 2...Looked like it's neck had been chewed on, on both sides, but if there was blood, it was dry...The Squirrel wasn't there Monday night...Left it in the Fire Ring when I took off for the Day, figuring I'd collect it into the "Camp Trash" when I left for good...Got back from my day and it's completely gone..."Poof", completely disappeared... Apparently something has been visiting Camp and took a Doggie Bag home...  Just thought that that was kind of interesting....
Dried the Camera a little and then pretty much Camped under the Tarp listening and watching the Rain...Discovered I had Cell Service so used my Tablet to have a little fun on HAZ, passing the time...Sacked out watching a distant Light Show as the Lightning lit up the Rim, way into the Evening...
Day 3
More Photo Ops in Camp, then I packed it all up and headed back to Woods Canyon Lake for a brief Hunt of a Bird that I missed the opportunity to get good Photos of, the day before. I was hoping that it would be back in that area and it was!!! Did not miss the Photo Opportunities presented this time, it was very cool!!! He was not too skittish and posed for some nice Shots... And then it was on to Willow Springs Lake for some Fishing...Have not been to that Lake since I was a Teenager either... The Monsoons were building early and Rain was already threatening by Noon, so decided to just Fish and not Hike...(Fishing Triplog will follow). After an awesome day at that Lake, I headed on down the Rim, not wanting to leave the Cool Temperatures and the area, but glad to be avoiding the Hordes that were forming long Traffic lines going up... Had a non-impressive Dinner at El Rancho in Payson and then hit the Valley right at darkness...Still a 105 degrees at 8:00 P.M...Ah...Summer in Phoenix...
Wrap Up
It was a Photo Extravaganza with a majority being Fauna Shots...I think I set a record...567 Photos in 2 1/2 days...The Sports Mode on that Camera (3 Frames a second)really tacks on the number... Most of the Photos are not good quality and I deleted a good third right off the bat...A lot of them are just "stock" Bird Photos that I'll keep until I get something better, but I posted some of the Best ones and a few "interesting" ones...
Fauna Counts
Bald Eagles - 2 Adults, 2 Juveniles
Osprey - At least 4 at Woods Canyon Lake and at least 2 more at Willow Springs Lake
Other Birds - Didn't even try to keep track
Chipmunks, Ground Squirrels and Aberts Squirrels - I lost count after an hour the first day...
Elk - 4
Butterflies - Some, but they haven't really gotten going yet...
Reptiles - A few Lizards, but they were really shy...
Mosquitos, Gnats, and other things that fly and bite - Almost non-existent, didn't even think about spraying... 
Another great Outdoors Trip in the Books!!! |
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
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| Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out & proclaiming, "Wow What a Ride!" |
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