French Joe Canyon (Whetstone Mountain range)

We never got any rain from Hurricane Don. The rain we did get was monsoon related and happened late last night.

So, after some gardening with Kevin in the morning, I decided to take our recyclables to the Whetsone drop-off site in the early afternoon and while there hike in French Joe Canyon. The mission was to check out any water in the pools. We started just before 1:30pm. I ended up finding water pools and small waterfalls and followed the water uphill to its source. There was more water than expected! I could have gone longer but it was already 3:45pm and I needed to get back down; by 5:30pm in town a small rain cell exploded over the area.

I was surprised to see the water. The first waterfall was dry and I almost turned around here, but the dogs were having fun and I needed some exercise.
Although nowhere near as wet as it was early last year, there was plenty of lush green growth. And I saw plenty of wildife and fauna. I came across several young common puffball fungi, later spotted two young garter snakes hiding in the second pool, then later spooked two Great Horned Owls away before I could photograph them, and later still spotted what looked like a medium-sized orangy lizard skither behind me. I also saw several swallowtail butterflies and a few other insects.

It turned out to be a lovely day for a hike. Although it was very warm in the sun (temps today were in the upper 80s) and the two older dogs were getting tired, they always livened up when we got to the next pool. Sara dunked into the water up to her neck several times. She usually just wants to get her belly wet.

I wore my water sandals but there were times the light footwear wasn't enough. There are a lot of shindaggers here that poked into my ankles. Black lichen along the rock slabs also was very slipperly. Even the dogs slipped a few times.

And I should add that I saw no one here. These mountains are popular with illegal border crossers as the remoteness keeps the USBP agents out. The only form of life I saw was while entering the foothills off the highway. A full-sized pick-up truck saw me coming and pulled over until I passed. The driver was a young Hispanic man who didn't wave or look at me through his dark-teinted windows.

The dogs were exhausted when we got back to the mud-covered truck. It's now four hours since I have been back and all three are sleeping soundly.

French Joe Canyon is a little-known canyon in the Whetstone mountains north of Sierra Vista. The access road from Highway 90 is unmarked. One turns west on a dirt road just a few yards north of mile marker 300. Several other unmarked ATV roads intersect the main road into French Joe Canyon. The driver must stay oriented to the mouth of the canyon going west. Once over the cattle guard it's straight down the road and into a small oak-covered parking area large enough for 2-3 cars. The first quarter mile are along the old mining trail, but after that it's either following the drainage or rock hopping like I did.

I estimate today's exploratory hike was 4-4.5 miles long. It took us three hours out and back.
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