December 6-7, 2021
Picacho Excursion
Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 15 and 16
Monday by noon we were packed and ready for one more overnight excursion in the desert. We wanted to do some further exploring in the mountains surrounding Picacho Peak.
We traveled along the ridges in the foothills. We saw just two other Jeeps out on the trails.
At last, we found our campsite…complete with magnificent views.
As we were getting set up, Tim realized that our propane burner was not working. He decided that he would build a stone stove so that we could prepare our dinner.
Suddenly, we heard the powerful thrum of a jet overhead. Practicing low altitude maneuvers, we could see the numbers on the plane…so thrilling!
Before dinner, we could see billowing dust in the distance. A pair of ATV’s was approaching. They must have seen us and they chose to turn back, leaving us once again in peace.
Outdoor cooking…chorizo and eggs…nothing tastes better than food eaten outside!
For the rest of the evening, we were mesmerized by the changing light and lengthening shadows on the rocks around us.
The sky was clouded and so the sunset was particularly stunning.
Because of the clouds, the moon and stars were eventually obscured and it was very dark. We settled for bed early. Soon thereafter, the winds began and it was after midnight before it was quiet.
In the morning, Tim got up to watch the sun come up while I dozed.
Once we had gathered everything, we set out for more adventure. We decided to take a different way home…it’s one of the “rules”…always try to go on a road you have never been on before!
We reached an impasse here…not worth the risk to try it…even though Tim hates to turn around…we did!
We spooked an owl that had been resting in a tree. We could hear the great flapping of his wings as he took off, flying through the wash.
There was a herd of burros on the crest of this hill. They were shy though and took shelter as we approached.
We had heard from a neighbor about a trail into the Narrows. We found the access road and enjoyed our ride through this slot canyon.
In this last video, at the end, we were not sure if we were going to fit through the “squeeze” or the “pinch” as it is called. Tim stopped to look and then got us through! It was really a fun ride. In some places, the canyon walls were 40 feet high.
Finally, we found our way to the power line trail which led us back to the highway.
This is Picacho Peak from a distance…we were camped all the way out there!
It will be a while before we get back…but we know that there is more to see and experience and we cannot wait!
