2021 Snowbirds - Part 4

 After Tucson we went to an area outside of Tombstone Arizona called The Dragoon Mountains.  We didn't even look at Tombstone.  It's just a big tourist trap.  Someday we will have to tour the town, especially since it is so close to Tucson.  We turned off the highway just before getting to Tombstone and drove about 13 miles of gravel to get to the spot where Jim and Vicki suggested we meet up.

This is where we were camped.  Not bad, huh?  Looking the other directions we could see the lights of Tombstone at night some 15 miles away.

 

 These "Mountains" are no taller than the hills in North Idaho but they are very steep.  We soon found out that this is a rock climbing mecca.  This photo of a rock climber  was taken with a telephoto lens from our trailer.  As the weekend approached we were gradually being surrounded by young adult climbers.  It turns out that the local climbing club had scheduled a "festival" for the weekend.  We decided to move a few hundred feet further down the road closer to Jim and Vicki and not so close to the party.

 

There are these crazy rock formations all over the place.  We thought this one looked like a bear.  I wanted to get a picture of Mona on top, as if she was riding it.  Unfortunately, it didn't happen.  I'm not sure we could have gotten her up there anyway.

 

One day the four of us hiked up the trail towards the other side of the mountain range.  About half way there is a "climber's trail" marked with a cairn that leads down into "Cochise Stronghold".   Apparently Cochise used these canyons to avoid the army which was trying to capture him.  What a great area!  We pretty much had the trail and canyon to ourselves.

 

Jim and Vicki left shortly after our hike to the Stronghold.  We had many great times with them riding bicycles, hiking, Mona joining them for morning yoga, etc.  They also introduced us to a few new camping destinations in the area.  We really enjoyed meeting up with them at times.  But, they were heading further east and we were going north to meet up kids and grandchildren in Colorado.

 

  We hung around for a few days to explore The Dragoons some more.  The weather turned cold but that didn't stop us from hiking.  One day we hiked to an area called Council Rocks.  It looks like some very large rocks were just thrown together on top of this short plateau.  They were stacked in such a way that this chamber we formed in the middle.  

 

Just outside the chamber, on the face of this large boulder, pictographs were painted. They are pretty faded now, but still visible after 1000 years or so. 

Near the chamber is this rock.  I hate to say it, but it is unremarkable because there are so many rock formations like it in the area.  
 

We were treated to some truly amazing sunsets.  These two pictures were taken from our campsite.  Needless to say, we will be back.  Now it is time to head north.