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Anxious hikers at the trailhead,
including one chomping-at-the-bit Labrador retriever.
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From left to right: Sandy, Sheila (either with three legs or with Glenn
behind her), Doug, Mike & Zeke, Debbie, Ray, and Barry (with Chuck
behind the camera lens).
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Hikers pose for a quick group picture around the West Fork of the Black River
Trailhead sign.
We are about to start the first hike on our second annual car camping trip
to the Big Lake area in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona.
The weather on this mid-June day couldn’t be more perfect, with clear
sunny skies and a temperature of 78 degrees.
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Fields of Flowers
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The abundant snowfall of this past winter and spring in the White Mountains
has helped to restore a long-parched land and its vast forest cover.
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Wildflowers, such as this colorful field of wild Mountain Iris, have benefited
as well and carpet large tracks of mountain meadows with a spectacular display
that hasn’t been seen in recent memory because of Arizona’s
prolonged drought period.
The drought isn’t over yet, but this will surely help to loosen its
vice-like grip over the land.
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Iris Close-Up
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Signs of Big Bruin
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This fallen aspen shows tell-tale signs of a recent visit by a brown bear.
Bears frequently use trees and rocks as nature’s files to help sharpen
their huge four-inch claws.
Downed trees like this aspen lay across the West Fork Trail by the dozens
on this hike, especially along the first mile or so of trail.
We determine that it’s probably heavy wet snow, high winds, dead or
dying trees weakened by invading armies of pine bark beetles, or some
combination of these factors that brought down all of these trees.
We are forced to make our way over, under, or around these fallen giants
of the forest blocking the trail.
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Numerous budding pine cones from pine and spruce trees lining the trail are
another positive sign of a recovering forest after the trees have soaked up
generous amounts of moisture this spring from heavy blankets of melting snow.
Many areas of the White Mountains saw near-record amounts of snowfall over
the winter and spring months, including another 18-24 inches over the Memorial
Day weekend, one of the latest spring snowfalls.
Ray, Debbie, Glenn, Doug, and Barry stop for a short rest break in the shade
along the West Fork Trail.
Although we are hiking at an elevation of about 8,700 feet, as the day
progresses the temperature is also rising and now stands at about 83°.
However, we are only too aware that the Phoenix metro area is currently
sizzling under 110° temperatures, so far be it from us to complain.
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new generation of pine cones
Taking a break in the shade.
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No siree—we are perfectly happy and content hiking in this mountain
paradise with temps in the mid-80s.
Anyone ready to head back to Phoenix now? Didn’t think so.
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Fording the West Fork [photo by Sandy D.]
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Ray offers a helping hand to Sheila and Barry, with Chuck waiting a turn
in the background, as we wade almost knee-deep across the icy waters of the
West Fork of the Black River.
The river crossing marks the junction of the West Fork and Thompson Trails.
This time last year when we crossed the West Fork, strategically placed
rocks and small boulders in the riverbed allowed us to easily step across
without getting wet.
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With the large snow pack from this past winter and spring, snow is still
melting in the higher elevations of the White Mountains, and all rivers and
streams are flowing faster and deeper than normal with the resulting runoff.
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Zeke, the happy Lab. [photo by Mike A.]
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Zeke is grinning ear to ear, as he races across large grassy meadows alongside
the West Fork and leaps and bounds through the cold waters.
He is truly in his element here and having the time of his life at one of the
most scenic spots along the entire trail.
If you were a dog, where else would you possibly want to be?
We stop here and find a nice shady area in the trees for a lunch break, as
we watch Zeke play and frolic in the water.
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The West Fork of the Black River, swollen by the still-melting snows in the high
country, follows a meandering course through pristine alpine meadows, deep valleys,
and rugged mountain terrain with thick conifer forests of Douglas fir, ponderosa pine,
and Colorado blue spruce as it continues on its journey to the confluence with the
East Fork of the Black River about five miles north of Hannigan Meadow.
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West Fork of the Black River
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Where these two forks merge, the Black River begins its fifty-mile journey
through the White Mountains, dropping 2,000 feet in elevation before merging
with the White River.
This confluence then marks the beginning of the Salt River.
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Cataracts along the West Fork
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Doe Elk and Fawn [photo by Mike A.]
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On the drive to the trailhead we discover this doe and her fawn crossing
a meadow after some early-morning grazing.
Alpine meadows throughout the White Mountains are now lush with nutritious
green grasses, giving rise to a new generation of deer and elk.
Abundant rain and snow benefit all wildlife, from the top of the food chain
all the way down to the rodents and insects at the bottom.
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Although we don’t see a lot of deer and elk, we certainly come across
plenty of their calling cards along the trail.
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Ray and the Magic Spud Gun [photo by Sandy D.]
Look, up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Superman?
What the heck is Ray doing with a bazooka, anyway?
Trying to shoot down Superman?
Turns out this is no ordinary bazooka.
It’s a high-tech, super-deluxe,
whiz-bang, belch-fire spud gun.
What the heck is a spud gun, you ask?
It shoots spuds, of course.
Ray claims that he can shoot an ordinary garden variety spud almost into
sub-orbit, and when his spud flinger is switched into hyper-velocity mode
the spud is then capable of penetrating an armored tank.
Sounds a bit far-fetched to me, but he sounds pretty danged serious about it.
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Relaxing by the fire after a hard day of hiking.
[by Sandy D.]
A new day and a new trail
Glenn unwinds and relaxes by the campfire after a long day of hiking the West
Fork and Thompson Trails. Tomorrow will bring an even longer hike on the
Indian Springs Trail. We brought along plenty of firewood for this trip and
had a nice campfire going every night.
One of the best things about camping is gathering around the campfire at night
for warmth and companionship, lively conversation, a bit of revelry, and
soaking up a few suds after a long day of hiking in the mountains.
Mike and Zeke, Sandy, Karen, and Glenn (with Chuck behind the lens as usual)
stand in front of the weathered hollowed-out logs that serve as watering
troughs at Spillman Spring on the Indian Springs Trail.
Indian Springs is a 7.5-mile loop trail through the heavily forested
highlands and expansive meadows surrounding Big Lake.
We will also be hiking the half-mile spur trail up to the Big Lake Lookout
tower for a better view of the surrounding area which will make the total
hiking distance 8.5 miles, a couple more miles than Saturday’s hike.
But it’s a brand new day in paradise, and we’re up for the
challenge.
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Big Lake Lookout Tower
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“Hello! Is anyone home up there in the tower?” No answer.
We trudge up a long series of steps to the base of the tower, finding to
our dismay that the entrance to the bottom of the stairway leading to the
top of the tower is securely padlocked. Strange.
Why wouldn’t the tower have a 24/7 lookout watching for signs of smoke
and fire in the forest by the middle of June, we wonder?
Probably because of the heavy snow pack the White Mountains received this
winter, which ensured plenty of ground moisture and little chance of fire
until the dry lightening storms of late June and early July start to hit.
Disappointed, we head back down the steep half-mile spur trail that brought
us to the tower and rejoin the main Indian Springs Trail.
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Meadows and Forests
Surrounded by Aspen
Big puffy cumulus clouds begin to move in over the thick forests and rolling meadows
of the White Mountains, providing temporary relief from the broiling overhead sun.
Despite our 9,000 foot elevation, the thermometer dangling from my camera bag is
showing an unseasonably warm 90 degrees along the open, sunny areas of the trail.
Fortunately for us, most of the Indian Springs Trail runs through heavily-forested
areas that provide plenty of shade on this warm June day in the White Mountains.
A circle of tightly clustered Aspen trees provides an interesting prospective looking
straight up into the overhead canopy, as they conceal all but a small bright blue circle
of the Arizona sky.
Sandy, Glenn, and I were walking along near this area when we suddenly heard a loud
crashing noise and looked up just in time to see a long-dead ponderosa pine falling
down less than 100 feet away on the other side of the trail.
Unfortunately, this is becoming a more common occurrence throughout
Arizona’s vast pine forests as increasing numbers of pine trees,
especially the stately ponderosa, continue to fall victim to marauding
armies of voracious pine-bark beetles.
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Taking a shade break.
Moving Day [photo by Sandy D.]
Sunset over Big Lake [photo by Barry A.]
Mike, Zeke, Karen, and Sandy take a long rest break under the cool welcoming shade of
a tall ponderosa pine at the edge of a large open meadow. We are finally getting closer
to the end of the trail, but as the day wears on into early afternoon and the sun
continues to bear down on us along this long open stretch of trail, the heat is
gradually wearing us down. We are forced to take longer and longer breaks in the shade
to cool down and drink plenty of water.
Zeke isn’t complaining one bit, since his jet-black coat is the perfect
heat magnet in the hot sun.
It’s Monday morning at Rainbow Campground, and a large tent with eight
legs is walking down the road.
Now that’s a sight you certainly don’t see every day.
We get a few surprised looks as we re-locate Karen’s new tent to another
campsite across the road from our large group site.
She wants to stay another day for some additional hiking, while the rest of us
are packing up and getting ready to head back home.
Unfortunately the camp host will not let her stay in the large group site by
herself, which is why her tent suddenly grew legs and walked off.
The setting sun slowly dips below a long forested ridge behind Big Lake in
this beautiful silhouette shot taken by Barry.
This sunset marks the end of another great day in the White Mountains, as well
as the end of our four-day retreat from the desert heat to one of the most
beautiful and spectacular places in this state of seemingly endless beautiful
and spectacular places.
In addition to the great memories, great pictures, and renewed friendships we
will take away with us, we can always look forward to a future return to Big Lake
and the White Mountains.
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