What I thought was Pinon Pine on the lower slopes of Mt. Graham was indeed "Chihuahuan Pine." Pinon Pine grows only as far south as Roosevelt Lake in Arizona!! A Banner at Earth First Camp said: "UA ... come back to earth. Don't Rape Mt. Graham."
WATSON WASH HOT WELL - I didn't stay too long at the Earth First Camp. I went to soak again and who pulls up in his bubble-gum machine .. a BLM ranger. Nice, but same old stuff. He said:
1. "What are you doing in this area?" - I answer "visiting friends"
2. "Are you retired?" - "No"
3. "Are you an Engineer?" - "yes, bad job market, etc."
4. "You know the concrete TUB is illegal someone built it without a permit"
I saw a roadrunner - Luckily, this uplifted my spirits after being interrogated by the BLM corporate spy.
MT. WRIGHTSON - 9450' (6-.~30-93) - After a day In Tucson, Arizona (yes, it's 10 am and 98 degrees Fahrenheit) I camped out at 4500' just north of Mt. Wrightson. It was hot at 7 am at 4500'. I took the "old baldy" trail to the summit (5.4 miles one way) not the super-trail (16.2 miles round trip). I left the lot at 7:30 am and was on top at 10:45 am. Three hours 15 minutes for 4000' gain - pretty good!! There is a nice spring at 8000' called Bellows Spring - Good Water. As soon as I got back down to Baldy Saddle, the skies opened with torrential rains and hail. Luckily, I brought my parka and sweater. I think the air temperature must have dropped 30 degrees F!! The summit of Mt. Wrightson is relatively pure ... only the foundation of an old fire lookout exists. However, the view to the east to Mt. Hopkins (8585') is spoiled by a big telescope and its associated road switch-backing up the peak with the roads erosion gullies streaming down the peak. In fact, this giant white telescope is easily visible from Hwy 19, the main route south of Tucson to Nogales. Arizona is insane with scopes. Mt. Wrightson is the queen of the Santa Rita Mtn Wilderness and provides fine views of the desert, is the highest point in Santa Cruz County, but the view is spoiled to the east due to greedy U of A Astronomers. The White Pine Trees crowning the summit did look a bit different than our Sierra White Pine. I found out later they are indeed "Mexican White Pine."
I drove from Tucson to the San Diego County highlands from 8 pm to 4 am to avoid the hot sun. End of trip.
9-5-93
Hi Ron, I sure value those articles about the desert. Many of them we never see anywhere else but in the SAGE.
Thanks for printing my proposed BAJA LIST. Although it is Cerro 2uillermo not Cerro Guillermo. I indeed hope that someone can translate my notes into a nice formal list like the DPS list (Quads, TM, class, elevation etc) and have it for sale by the DPS.
I agree, Cerro Matomi would be a great peak to add to the DPS list. I wonder why no one has proposed it? (Ed. It has been twice). I would sign up for it anytime! Also the highest point in Baja Sur, Cerro de la Laguna (7,894 ft) should be an immediate candidate since it is so high and you can see the entire circular tip of baja from the top!
Cerro de Cedros (3950') on Cedros Island has always appealed to me. What's out there? I know that a boat and plane go there from Ensenada (Ed. It's where the salt used to be loaded from Guerro Negro).
Bill Hauser - 48 Westridge Dr, San Jose 95117, 408-243-4566.