I took a day off from photography to hike up Peralta Canyon in the Superstition Mountains. We’ve been here before, and you may remember the story of our Ill-fated return journey. If not, the short version is that we set out to walk a circular route, the return leg of which turned out to be unexpectedly vertical. We encountered rock chutes that, once descended, were not to be ascended again.
This time, we settled for a straightforward out-and-back route. It proved sufficiently challenging given the temperature, the rocky terrain, and our lack of recent hiking.
The photos, taken under the harsh midday sun, are nothing special. But I thought you deserved a break from flowers.
The canyon mouth, at the end of a ten mile long dusty dirt road, is impressive. You know right away that you’ll see some interesting geology.You’ll also know what lies ahead. We’re going up to the ridgeline in the far distance.Do you remember when I told you that a saguaro doesn’t grow arms until at least sixty years old? This young poseur has decided to fake it. “Look at me! I have two arms!”Yucca are undisputed champions where flower spikes are concerned.I couldn’t pass this beautiful prickly pear by without a photo.Almost there! Looking back from whence we came.Our reward was a nice view of Weaver’s Needle and a shady lunch spot under a rock overhang. Pro tip: always check for rattlesnakes. They also like shade. On our last visit we lunched near the lone tree on the ridge line. The view is fantastic.Back down we go. Note the flowering ocotillo in the foreground. I love these guys. Most of the year they live up to the name my sister-in-law gave them: “dead stick plant.” But this time of year they show that they’re one of the few types of cactus that figured out how to grow leaves.
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