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Sonoran Desert, Arizona
April 1-11 and April 11-18, 2009
THE LOCATION THE TRIP A lush desert? Is it possible? Yes — The Sonoran. This is the wettest of the American deserts. Its two rainy seasons support forests of giant saguaro cacti, as well as many species of trees and shrubs and, when winter rains have cooperated, spectacular displays of annual wildflowers. Thousands of birds funnel through the area during migration, making it one of the country’s birding hot spots.
Arizona (and the rest of the Sonoran, which lies mostly in Mexico) is famous for its “sky islands”, mountain ranges that jut up from the desert to 10,000 feet in elevation or more. Climbing from bottom to top can take a hiker through seven life zones, the biological equivalent of a trip from Mexico to the Canadian Rockies.
The cultural history of this area is as rich as its biological heritage. It combines Native American, Spanish, and Mexican experience, as well as more recent reminders of the era of the United States’ westward expansion.
This is a week-long camping and hiking trip that includes time to sample the natural and cultural history of Tucson and southern Arizona. Casual round-trip day hikes of 5 to 8 miles allow time to stop along the way for photos or for any plants and animals that catch our fancy. If the winter rains have been right, we’ll see carpets of wildflowers.
A visit early in the trip to the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, one of the great museums/botanical gardens/zoos of the world, is an excellent introduction to desert adaptations. We’ll visit the San Xavier del Bac mission to get a sense of early Spanish influence, and hike through the hoodoos of the Chiricahua Mountains, one of the isolated “sky islands” of the Sonoran Desert. Along the way, there will be great birding, with vermillion flycatchers guaranteed.
Price is $1000. This includes all transportation, camping fees, and food in Arizona, with the exception of one dinner out at your expense. Air fare and travel arrangements are up to you. Some people choose to get here early and stay in a motel on arrival and/or departure. The group will be made up of 2 crew members and 6 guests.
© Flying Squirrel 2009. All rights reserved. Website created by Maya Machin
