Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Trail Trees

The Flagstaff trails offer a variety of sights: birds, deer, squirrels, horned frogs, distant vistas and numerous trees. Old, broken oaks seem to end up looking the most interesting.

This old cedar is on the Fat Man's Loop and looked just like this when I first hiked the trail in 1989. Many hands touch the branch that is about chest high which is why it's smooth.

The opposite side


Flagstaff

Looking up from the start of the Sandy Seep Trail
Josh and I visited Flagstaff last week--our home for 17 years. I hiked up the Sandy Seep Trail, then over to the Fat Man's Loop and up Mt. Eldon a bit--not too far since the snow was packed and slippery.


A sign on the Fat Man's Loop. I went up (to the right)

The Loop isn't hard, but it is steep.

A view to the north from the highest part of the Loop. The Painted Desert is in the distance.


Looking up a Ponderosa


Back to the trailhead--a round trip of about 9 miles.