March 24th

Although chilly early on, it didn't last long because as soon as the sun rises the temperature starts to soar.  Mercifully, much of the first half of the day was in the shadow of the hills or under tree cover.  The saddle before Casa Blanca Canyon would make a fine camp since a large log has been set up as a bench.  It's also the high point in this area, so I took a breather and had a snack.
The path angling downward along the ridgeline made for smooth sailing all the way to Bear Spring, which was accessed by a side trail.  A sizable, wooden, moss-covered tub with a small flow of clear water dropping into it from a pipe is surrounded by shady trees that create a cool oasis.  Taking the opportunity to fill up on agua and have a refreshing scrub down, I suppose I lingered a little too long because twittering birds seemed to be asking me to move on so that they could have their turn.
The big storm a week ago is in evidence as Gardner Canyon Creek had good flow and there's still snow on the northern slopes of Mt. Josephine and the rest of the Santa Rita.  Since it's Saturday today, I met a few bikers and hikers taking advantage of the weekend.  The trail they'd come down was the trail I was on, which led to Kentucky Camp.  From time to time there were interesting information plaques which explained the remnants/ruins from the mining that had gone on here.  Some of the most astounding to me were the ones that showed how they moved water uphill against the force of gravity.  Ingenious!  Shade was at a premium on the grass and scrubland that surrounded the camp so when I dragged in at two in the afternoon, I was pleased to see the covered porch that surrounded the huge, ranch-style house.  With water from a faucet around back and an excellent pit toilet, I was only too happy/weary to kick back in a chair and let the hours pass until four.  The only other people around were a few weekenders down by the guest houses.
Fortunately, by the time I set out again, the first clouds I've seen since the start of my trek had appeared in the sky.  They were so thin and windblown that you could see blue on the other side, yet still thick enough to take the edge off the sun.  Most of the walking out of camp was on dirt roads winding gradually back up into the hills.  Cowboy camping was again under the low branches of a juniper, a crescent moon highlighting a star-lit heaven.


Photo 1:  Bear Spring
Photo 2:  Gardner Canyon
Photo 3:  Looking Back at Mt. Josephine and the Santa Rita
Photo 4:  Kentucky Camp

Distance Hiked:  25.6 Miles