Well, the wife had to work today (Christmas Eve), which was unfortunate, but it gave me the opportunity to get out and explore a little. I ventured into the Gardner Canyon area outside of Sonoita on the aptly named Gardner Canyon Trail. The trail itself is about 18 miles long, with many off chutes leading into other trail networks. It is bordered mostly by cattle ranches, but is also spotted with federally procured mining claims. Overall, it was an easy trail, with some harder sections with steep, rocky climbs. There was even a picturesque water crossing. Enjoy the pictures!
Much of the trail was just scenic dirt road:
Although prepared with my mobile sluice, I opted not to pirate this claim.
The xterra did well on the trail, really impressed with the OME setup.
The ruins of and old mining encampment, known as "Kentucky Camp":
As previously stated, some parts of the trail were a little trickier. This picture is deceiving, this hill was quite steep and rutted/rocky.
Near the bottom of the canyon proper, there was a mountain-fed creek (hence the existence of actual trees).
Simple, scenic water crossing.
Hard to tell from the picture, but this puddle was actually frozen. It was 65 degrees and sunny out. A testament to the wild day/night temperature swings in the high desert.
Overall, it was a worthwhile trip. I definitely appreciate the terrain here, being accustomed to the mud, roots, and murk of the East Coast.
