Salt River Sunrise, August 30, 2014 | GPS Map |
Thanks to my daughter Clara for going with me! Pleistocene river terraces, the geologists call them, left over from the last ice age. These hills have rounded river rocks on top and on the sides. The rocks, cobblestones rounded by tumbling down the river bottom, could have been brought to the hilltop only in a flood. It happened half a million years ago. Glad I wasn’t there. These hills also have steeper slopes on the sides than on the top. We found an easy descent most of the way down, but it got so steep near the wash that we had to butt-slide the rest of the way. |
![]() Pre-dawn hours are peaceful in the Salt River valley. |
![]() Salt River and Four Peaks, just before sunrise. |
![]() Red Mountain is the first to catch the sunlight. |
![]() Fountain Hills and the McDowell Mountains. |
![]() Usery Mountains. The middle peak on the right is highest. |
![]() Bulldog Ridge, with Peak 3195 catching its first rays. |
![]() Peak 3004, Pass Mountain, and Lone Mountain as sunlight fills the valley. |
Arizona Hike Pictures | updated October 15, 2017 |