Hawthorn Survey

Last week I was walking in a brush filled tributary of Soldier Creek when I noticed a tree that I couldn't identify.  It was somewhat familiar, but I could not place it.  Was it invasive?  Where did it come from?  Why was there just a single specimen?  I made a picture and took it home to look it up.  Crataegus douglasii.  Black hawthorn.

The specimen I'd noticed is native to Utah, but was outside the range map for the species.   It made me curious, so I went back the next day and surveyed from the tributary's confluence with Soldier Creek to the first main branch of the canyon, a distance of about 1.5 miles.  I found eleven, including the one from the day before:  Ten of them were alive and one was dead.  It makes up less than one percent of the riparian vegetation, but it certainly seems well established.  Perhaps we should extend the range map?

Darkness at Noon

We didn't plan to make a big deal about it and never took the time to find a pair of eclipse glasses.  In the event, I figured the totality of the eclipse and the magic of the camera lens would be good enough.  It wasn't (above).

Fortunately, the brightest (har har) member of the family thought to grab a roll of over-exposed analog film.  VSO taped a strip to each side of her glasses and invented the perfect home-made eclipse viewer.  She shared a piece with me so that I could put it over the camera lens.  Voila.  The Ring of Fire!

Marathon Prep

EDO is training for the inaugural Bears Ears Marathon on November 4th.  Today she got a 14 mile out-n-back in Spring Canyon.  I went, too, and carried the camera.  My out-n-back was about four miles.

First Water

We tried to go to Second Water, but found our way blocked by a hunting camp.  We proceeded to First Water.  The trail has not been maintained in some years and was difficult to find.  When we were on it, and it wasn't blocked by downed wood, we went fast.  Otherwise, it was a thrashing.

Beautiful, though.  Everything was just past peak color:  The aspens, the oaks, the maples, and the cottonwoods.  In the late day sun, the world glowed.

Pinnacle Canyon

I've not done a lot of hiking on the west side of town, but yesterday I drove out the Pinnacle Canyon road until it turned to go up the bench.  I parked and continued walking in the canyon.  It is actually in the middle of the gas field, so not at all remote.

But, from the canyon bottom the roads and rigs are invisible (and mostly inaudible).  I went all the way up one of the forks until it reached a well pad and road on the bench.  It was a nice early fall hike.