Summit Hike

I hiked up an unnammed summit today. Met a lot of people on this unofficial, unnamed, unsustainable (steep) trail, so it is no secret.

After heading up the old dirt road scar, the trail starts and heads up between these two giants. Unfortunately, one is already dead.

Not too far up (it is quite steep) the view is already spectacular.

Barrel cacti do not generally clump like this one right on the edge of the trail.

 Don't know the cause of all this damage, but it shows how tenacious these cacti are.

Side-blotched lizard scampered across and stood still long enough for me to get this quick shot.

The view from the top is very nice. I can see my house from here. Or I could see it if it weren't for the dust in the air.  I would guess our house is just right of center - maybe just left of Camelback.

Another great view. The Superstitions are lit up by the setting sun.

Dust in the air does make for some better sunsset shots.

This tiger rattlesnake is just uncoiling (after I passed him in the trail) and heading for cover.  I heard a couple small rattles turned and thought I saw a very small rattler.  This one is well over 2 and a half feet long and I must have passed within a foot or so of where it was coiled up!  Tigers are very thin, and their heads aren't a large when compared to other rattlers.  Apparently frequently sighted in PMP, but it was my first tiger rattler.

 This one didn't like my taking pictures too well.  It did continue moving away from the trail, so I felt better about leaving it alone.

 Part of my job is naming trails, so if this one becomes an official trail, I am thinking of going for Vulture Peak Trail.  There was a vulture crying as it flew around the summit as I approached - thought that might be a good name.