Shortened Trek

Heading up the squiggly trail

Tuesday is errand day for me, so I had to cut this morning's trek a little short; not so much so, though, as to disappoint Becca, my favorite hiking companion.  We paralleled the west side of the mountain in the high foothills, descended into the lower desert, did a counterclockwise loop on the dirt road west of Tortugas, climbed back into the high foothills before dropping back down into the valley near the Sunset Area parking lot where our car waited patiently by the trailhead.

More squiggles ahead

Turning right onto the single-track . . .

. . . down into the lower desert

Claret Cup, natch

Further down the single-track

Buggy Whips blooming out

Spotting something back on the mountain

A large Torrey Yucca

Desert Marigold

Mormon tea budding . . .

. . . and flowering

Desert in bloom

Just west of Tortugas Mountain

Small Mesquite Tree leafing out in the valley