Just to the beginning

There's a canyon in Bulldog Canyon OHV area that I've wanted to explore for quite a while. I haven't been able to find a way to get to it, though, except for walking a long way. For a while I thought I might be able to wade across the Salt River to get to it, but the Salt is deeper than I thought. There aren't any official roads that go out there, so I can't take the ATV. I decided I'm just going to have to walk. My scouting trip last Tuesday was to check out the first part of the route I planned to take. The scouting trip made the first part of Sunday's hike easier and quicker.

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The canyon I want to explore.

Still, it took me two hours to get to the beginning of the canyon. I had to cross several washes with steep sides, so my legs were tired. I really like my new boots. They provide great protection for my feet and ankles. Still, it was mostly very rough terrain, so my ankles were getting achy. Yep, just when I got there, I turned back. Well, I had fun, saw lots of cool stuff, and learned a few things to apply to the next attempt. I'm out there to have fun, not to prove anything, so I'm not going to push myself to injury or danger.

On the drive out to my parking spot, I saw lots of colorful flowers on buckhorn cholla. I hadn't realized before how much variety there was in the color of its flowers. I decided I would try to get a picture of each color on the hike, but quickly realized I didn't have time to take that many pictures.

It's almost like looking at a rose garden.

The canyon I want to explore is on the other side of that ridge.

If I could use some of the illegal roads, this would be much easier. They go right up to the canyon entrance.

Some of the roads I can't use follow the power lines, and may be used by servicemen.

I took this balloon back to my trash can.

The ridge from up close.

The roads come right up to where I stopped hiking, which explains why I found a beer bottle up there.

Here's the canyon I want to explore. It's much bigger than this picture makes it look.

There were kayaks on the river. I could hear the people in them when I couldn't see them. I could hear a radio playing lousy music, too, but I think that was coming from the park near the bridge.

Looks like a trail going into the canyon. I have GOT to get on that trail.

I had a big surprise on the way back. I was almost to the bottom of a wash. The side got steep at the bottom, but it looked like solid rock with lots of bumps and knobs to step on. I stepped on a bump and it broke off. I didn't fall, but the adrenaline kept me engergized for a while.

There are lots more pictures on the web album.

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