12/09/2006
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While waiting at our usual gathering place, we were visited by Santa. Suzana tries to tell Santa what she wants for Christmas.
12/09/2006
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A view of the canyon while climbing the first hill. There is water here, but it does not extend much further.
12/09/2006
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Looking back at Canyon Lake. A portion of the marina (the trail head) can be seen.
12/09/2006
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Slightly off trail on our way up the first hill. Boyd, Ioan, Barb, Sudarshan, and Suzana take in the views (see next photo). Chetan is next to me photographing the canyon view, but where is Devarajan? We misplaced one hiker from our group and had to start looking for him. My suggestion was to just wait for the vultures to start circling.
12/09/2006
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The reason for our little off trail side trip – the view. The cylindrical mountain on the far left is our destination.
12/09/2006
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Continuing across the top of the first hill of the hike.
12/09/2006
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Saguaros lit from the side. I put this in because I really use the hike as an excuse for photographing the landscape.
12/09/2006
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After crossing the first hill, the trail heads down slightly. As you can see there are 7 hikers in the photo. We found our missing hiker.
12/09/2006
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Still heading south (more or less) along the east edge of the canyon.
12/09/2006
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Beautiful terrain, bright sunny (but windy) day. But don't let the appearence of a stroll in the park fool you. Almost the entire trail is covered with broken rock.
12/09/2006
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Sudarshan (leading), Suzana and Chetan have now caught up with me. I think this was the last time I was in the lead. You may have guessed from the attire that it is still pretty cold (at least for folks from the Phoenix area).
12/09/2006
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12/09/2006
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12/09/2006
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St. NichIOANas. My guess is this is what Santa looks like on December 26th.
12/09/2006
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A view north west. Most of the canyon is dry this time of the year.
12/09/2006
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Our destination – Battleship Mountain. The trail will take us down from the canyon side and across the dry creek (LaBarge Creek).
12/09/2006
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The gang heads down to LaBarge Creek.
12/09/2006
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In LaBarge Creek. Battleship Mountain is just ahead. But nobody got to it. I got the closest. The rest... well look at the next photo.
12/09/2006
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Lunch time. Crossing LaBarge Creek is as far as we got. The gang is all here except Santa. He is getting is picture taken with another group of hikers.
12/09/2006
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If the rest of the hikers would have traveled a little further along LaBarge Creek, they would have seen some color in the river bed.
12/09/2006
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A view back the way we have to go to head home.
12/09/2006
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Santa tries his luck hitchhiking. Amazingly it is December 9th, but no one would stop to give Santa a ride to the North Pole. Oh well. We are back at the marina which is the trail head. I offered Santa a ride back to Chandler.
