Around, Up & Over - 11/21/19

Snow behind Escarpment Peaks

Amazing Dark Colors

Cotton Barrel, Red with Rain

Cotton Barrels starting to Bloom

 Opting for an adventurous hike today, eight hikers came out for a fast walk in the rain around the hills behind Blue Diamond. It sprinkled rain for the first 4 miles, then the sun came out over our heads. The views were gorgeous with deep wet desert colors. We were enamored with the bright and deep scarlet color of the cotton barrels that the rain had encouraged. The route was a new route for the club that used the Landmine Loop as a base. Other trails that we used were Dave's Driveway, Hurl and two shortcut routes that remain nameless. We didn't see any burros but we heard one yelling in the distance. He was saying "Hi." A couple of bicyclists were out and they seemed to be just as impressed with the beauty of the day as we were. "Glad we didn't stay home!"

6 miles; 900 feet elevation gain; 2.5 hours; average moving speed 2.4 mph

Rain toward the East

Low Hung Clouds