Catalina: the desert

The changing moods of the Arizona-Sonora desert surprise those who think of a desert as barren, lifeless or without plants. This was taken Saturday morning looking toward the Catalina Mountains, where on some of the higher reaches snow could still be seen. The evidence of the storm of the day before was through a few clouds it had left behind and the flow in the creek.

To hike the canyon loop trail at Catalina State Park, you often wade the stream that you see in this picture. Sometimes the stream bed is totally dry; but after heavy rains, it can flood, ripping up trees, changing its bed totally, or be easily crossed by wading. Before the 2.3 mile loop trail has been ridden, walked, or run, a hiker will have crossed the stream 5 places.
My favorite trail at Catalina State Park loops across a ridge that extends to about where you see that steep point. There is a bit of a climb to reach this particular sentinel saguaro, which has lived long enough to have seen Apaches, Pimas (sometimes called Akimel O'odhams , Tohono O'odhams (formerly Papago), Yaquis, miners, cattlemen, hikers, horseback riders, and mountain bikers.

On Saturday, the desert had been brown as we hiked this trail. This tree probably had plant buds but nothing like this. The rain had come and the desert plants know to not wait to utilize what comes along. This tree is a mesquite, and its seeds are edible and provide food for desert dwellers.

One of the most beautiful things about the desert is the lessons it teaches. Life here waits for the rain and when it comes, it wastes no time in utilizing it. When we hiked the trail on Saturday it was still dry looking but by Monday, it had changed and opened up, the butterflies were along the creek floor, the leaves had popped up and the land sang with the new song rain had brought. We should sing our own songs when life gives us the chance.

(Next blog: the creek)