Picket Post - Feeling creative

 This morning I decided to reach back into my archive of pictures from this past winter and found a collection from some of our hikes around Picket Post mountain.  It is truly one of my favourite hikes as the variety in the scenery and terrain always makes for an interesting hike.  It takes you up and around the side of the mountain on an easily traversed path through cactus, sand, gravel and all varieties of brush.  That turns into a walk through tall grasses and saplings which reach well overhead creating the feel of travelling through a tunnel.  Soon you come to a creek bed which we follow for a few miles having to make frequent crossings.  Towering Cottonwoods line the creek creating the feel of walking through a forest and not at all like a desert hike.  We frequently pass a small heard of cattle munching on the grass growing on the banks of the creek.  One one occasion, around Christmas if memory serves, we decided to head out on this hike after a few days of rain.  We only got as far as the first creek crossing as the usual method of crossing by hopping from one flat, hopefully stable, rock to another was not available to us.  The creek had turned into a torrent of water, easily 3 feet deep and ripping new paths out of the creek bed.  If one persists the trail is about a 9 mile hike and takes you from the creek and up and around the other side of the mountain.  We didn't make the whole loop this year but have in the past and its a real workout.  

We took this hike a number of times this past year from November right through into the late winter.  Often during the early morning but also a few late afternoons to catch the better light.  The different conditions led to some interesting shots and I let my creative juices flow on a few of the pictures below.  

Enjoy. 

The trail follows a fence line meant to keep the cattle in certain parts of the desert.  We had to pass through a number of gates and have to make sure we close and latch them once were through.

This was a shot taken late in the afternoon on a beautiful day in November.  We went out to catch the last of the beautiful fall gold colours.  The creek was almost dry at this point but a month of so later it was a torrent of water. 

This day we got out early and the sun was just breaking over Picket Post.  Apparently the mountain got its name back in the day when the US soldiers would have to haul all their supplies up the mountain to keep watch for invading Mexicans or Indians.  I think the story regarding who the invaders were changes depending who you ask.  

Thats it for today.  Stay tuned