Heading way south in the Southwest

[balzaccom]

We're just back from a two-week adventure through Arizona and New Mexico. The primary focus was a few pueblo and petroglyph sites, but since we were in the area, we took in a a few other things as well. We began with a couple of days in Joshua Tree, hiking around the Black Rock Campground (a first for us) and then staying at Cottonwood the second night.

From there we visited Casa Grande in Arizona, and day-hiked the Aravaipa Canyon (we were too late with our reservations to get an overnight permit). Down through San Xavier del Bac, Tubac, and Tumacacori, with a stop at Patagonia Lake to see birds--the Vermillion flycatcher was striking!

And then through Tombstone (yawn) and Bisbee to Douglas, up into New Mexico for Rock Hound State Park--a real gem, pun intended. Gila Cliff Dwelling was maybe our favorite stop on the whole trip, but we also really loved Three Rivers Petroglyphs, on BLM land. We stopped to see Quarai of the Salinas Pueblos, and then camped in tiny Tajique--two campsites, no fees.

Finally drove through Santa Fe to spend three days exploring in an around Bandelier, which was also magical, including La CIeneguilla petroglyphs. And after Petroglyph National Monument, we took in El Morro (WAY better than we expected) Petrified Forest/Painted Desert, and then called off a visit to the Grand Canyon because it was going to snow there, with temps down into the teens.

Not good if you're planning to hike some of those trails started at the South Rim...

The whole story is here: https://www.backpackthesierra.com/post/ ... -southwest

and the photos, including more petroglyphs than you will ever want to see, is here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YKxsvXvKzDLeBE6N7

[Wandering Daisy]

My husband and I hiked down to the river from the South Rim in mid-November 2004. It had snowed about a foot the day before and people cancelled their trips, so we easily got a permit without reservation- even got a cancelled meal in the lodge! It was a bit icy at top, but we did OK. And the lower elevations were perfect temperatures. Snow had melted by the time we went back up. I think we went down Kiabab?, back up Bright Angel, camped mid-way up and day-hiked the Tonto trail. This is one of my favorite photos.

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[balzaccom]

HI Daisy

We had some real issues last March in the Grand Canyon. We did hike the Boucher Trail down into the canyon that was lovely, but Grand View was solid ice for the first half-mile, and that is not a trail you want to slip on. You might only slip once, but it would be a doozy. We did hike Bright Angel last year...and poor M slipped and feel down hard on the upper section. She wasn't seriously injured, but it sure wasn't fun. All of that despite the fact that the weather was clear, and lows were only in the 30s.

This trip, it was going to be snowing, and temps down into the teens. Not our cup of tea--especially because we wanted to hike Grand View on this trip...sigh.