Madera Canyon

For the last few days, we've been at the Escapees park in Benson, Arizona. Although the name Escapees brings to mind several different possible meanings, it is the name of an RV club started by Joe and Kay Peterson. The park in Benson was developed by the Escapees club, but is actually a co-op owned by the residents. We were only going to stay one night, but ran into some people we know and stayed for three. This is why we move so slowly.

On Saturday, we joined the park hiking club for a hike up Madera Canyon south of Tucson. The Mt. Baldy Trail we took was only 2.2 miles but rose 2000 feet in elevation. This was quite a climb. I have no pictures of this because we were too busy trying to breathe.

Here we are posing at our turn-around point which is called Josephine Saddle. (photo provided by Stan - standing, second from left - and taken by some passer-by)

We look pretty good, huh? But. . . .

Here's what the group looked like right after reaching the top.



There is a sad memorial at Josephine Saddle. It seems that when a troop of boy scouts were there in 1958, three of the boys got separated from the rest in a freak snowstorm. Their bodies were not found for two weeks.



Coming down, our group split up. (I know, you'd think we would have learned something from the memorial.) Three of us went back down the way we came up and three took the Super Trail which is longer but not as steep. This is Ron's picture of the valley as he started down the Super Trail. As you can see, it was not a good day for pictures.



It seems the Super Trail was more scenic. Here Ron and Mary are hiking down along the stream and one of those beautiful Arizona sycamores. (another of Stan's pictures since I was one of the wimps who took the shorter route)