Carr Peak with Sadie and Minnie

Today was the first day in a week that we didn't have high winds. The sky was clear and it was noticably cooler today (thanks to a front coming in off southwestern Mexico and TS Bud). I putzed around in the garden early in the morning, but my big goal was to hike up Carr Peak with both Sadie and Minnie. It was a perfect day for a hike, with a cool breeze and blue skies.

 

We made it to the trailhead at 11:37am. My van registered 69F. That's 25F cooler than a week ago! Several other cars were already in the parking lot, and many more campers were set up in both campsites along the road. I could hear adults and children at the nearby campgrounds. 

Minnie did very well. I had no idea what to expect. The vet told me she needed ten days rest after her spay surgery, but I couldn't wait too long. She seemed well, although she followed Sadie for guidance and went where she went. Her only flaw as a hiker right now is that as a novice German Shepherd Dog (GSD) she tends to hug my side as protector, rather than take a lead up front. I fell over her a few times because of that.

The six-mile hike was rough on Minnie. I stopped half-way to give the girls some water. I walked at her pace. I stopped plenty of times to photograph the scenery. Despite the lack of any water along the trail, all the trees looked well-leafed. More herbaceous plants mean more seed-eaters are coming back, and indeed I did see more songbirds this time. That freak storm we had a few weeks ago did wonders as the area looked so green this time. The lower aspen grove was full, but was infested with the Western Tent Caterpillar that makes its appearance along the San Pedro River as well. They weave their heavy nests inbetween young tree branches and suck the tree of its new leaves. Luckily many of the caterpillars were weaved in dead trees.

 

Life is coming back to the mountains. Seed-eating birds are back.  I could hear them but not always see them. Lots more herbaceous plants are also up, adding to the recovery of this area. Only the pestemons remain elusive. The varied wild flowers continue to stay away. 

Once I reached the Crest Trail and the intersection for the Carr Peak segment, I could see the burn area of the Campini fire. The fire remained mostly in Mexico, and it seemed to have started near a small lake. (A campground fire?) West of Bear Canyon the burn area became more wild, so it's good that this fire has been extinquished.

 

I maintained a pleasant pace all throughout the hike. Apparently other people felt hiking in the early afternoon was ideal as I met several groups going up and coming down the peak. Minnie barked at some of them, especially a young family that brought a small dog along. To give that family some safety, I sat off the peak with the dogs while they were on the peak, then resumed my spot at the peak for a while longer. 

It was after 2pm before I descended, and Minnie was just as energetic as before, only this time wanting me to throw her sticks along the way! At one point she picked up rocks! I let the dogs determine the pace and again we stopped at the same areas for 15 minutes that we used hiking up. 

The sun was getting to the dogs, but their spirits remained high. Both dogs stayed close by and on the trail. The loud sound of either cicadas or hungry beetles surrounded me in that last half mile to the truck. I couldn't see the insects but I could hear them around me. When we got back to the van at 4:25pm Minnie did not hesitate to jump in. She is slowly feeling at ease now with her new pack. She rested for the rest of the day.

 

I will definitely be bringing Minnie on more hikes with me. She is much more focused on staying near me than Zeke, who chases after everything on the trail. I can't have that kind of behavior in a dog on a hike.