The day after it snowed off and on covering the landscape the white stuff had melted away leaving a fresh new look behind. Snow was still evident on the mountains especially at the higher elevations but even this would be short lived and by the middle of the afternoon Golden Gate Mountain pictured above was completely bare.
This photo was taken from Saguaro National Park looking west out across the valley toward Kitt Peak which can be seen still covered in snow. The saguaro in the center of the photo has multiple arms which start to develop at around sixty-five years so I would estimate this one to be around ninety to one hundred years old.
It's especially nice to hike in Saguaro National Park West this time of year with the temperatures today in the fifties. It's a short drive from my house and the park has panoramic views and many hiking trails and a diverse compliment of plants and animals.
Kitt Peak which can be seen in the background is over fifty miles away. Route 86 which heads west towards California takes you through the Tohono O'odham reservation where the world class Kitt Peak National Observatory is located at the summit. I have visited the observatory a few times and I will tell you it's worth the trip. http://www.noao.edu/kpno/
What a difference a day makes here in the desert. In a couple of days it will push into the seventies and very soon the wildflower season will color the landscape in yellows and pinks and purples.I have to say I simply cannot wait. I have included a link to the park if you're interested in visiting the saguaros. http://www.nps.gov/sagu/index.htm
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