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| Hiking | 7.32 Miles |
2,092 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.32 Miles | 4 Hrs 12 Mns | | 1.91 mph |
| 2,092 ft AEG | 22 Mns Break | 8 LBS Pack | | |
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[ show ]
| partners | | In search of spring's floral show (Changed "flora" to "floral" for better flow)
Last year around this time, Turtle and I stumbled upon a bonanza of color. With the rains this year, we were hoping for a repeat. Dave joined us for the hike and became our personal photographer.
We were one of the first three cars in the lot and started our ascent on Hunter in a brisk, chilly wind. The scenery seemed unchanged from last year. We took a break at the first saddle, where Denny requested a Christmas card photo on the bench. A passerby stopped to ask if we had any spare water, as his hydration pack malfunctioned. As we began our descent, a lone F-35 fighter jet barrel rolled overhead, dipping low towards the desert floor in a southwesterly direction. Dave even saw it kick up dust!
Reaching the summit, we enjoyed a snack break. On the way down to Sunset, Dave and I decided to conquer the secondary peak.
Sunset has a steep section with cables, followed by a smooth path to the trailhead. This is where the flowers truly came into view.
Scorpion weed, desert chicory, lupine, buckwheat, fiddle-neck, and pockets of vibrant poppies adorned the landscape. While not as spectacular as last year's display, it certainly satisfied our craving for springtime blooms. The rest of the hike was along a trail that ran parallel to the road.
We encountered several police cars with pulled-over vehicles, and a few accidents caused delays. One involved a five-car pileup with a rolled-over Jeep, leaving debris scattered on the road. |
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Wildflowers Observation Moderate
Scorpion weed, desert chicory, lupine, buckwheat, fiddle-neck, and poppies |
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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry  |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
Route 
. After that, it was a full on ant trail. Each ascent on the next set of cables got my comfort level higher each time. At the last nearly vertical section I had to wait a good 10 minutes while a group of ladies took their time not letting the hike get in the way of their conversation about extra-terrestrial life 
. At the top of that climb I was again gassed. The wait for people coming and going was less of an annoyance at this point trying to breathe. At one point I offered 2 other guys to go ahead of me and the one responded, "No, I need to breathe first". 
) at one point. On this section I saw a young couple on their way down and the dad had a baby backpack on with a 2 year old in tow 
. The child was sleeping which was probably best for all involved. I remember a few hikes when my daughter was little and a grumpy baby yelling in your ear does not make a hike more enjoyable, let alone a challenging one like this. 
