Tortolita Traverse Completed

2020-03-22
We’re supposed to have a mostly cloudy day today. We’ve run out to Tortolita to get my mail. My friend called to tell us that the desert was in a full bloom after the rains.
In January, we had discovered a well-groomed surprise trail. I have now seen satellite photos and heard where that trail goes. Although it is not on the maps, we were told that it can be used to traverse the Tortolita Mountains to my usual and familiar territory. It would be a sort of back door. I’ve looked at the topo maps. Those images and knowledge of the terrain tell me that we will end up near a familiar area, but it seems to disappear at a point. I don’t know why and I have never come across this trail in my hiking.

We’re to embark on a nude exploration. I suspect that we will see no one else out there.

Here’s how we discovered the trail and how far we got on that day:
Surprised! A New Tortolita Trail
When we arrive, my friend suggests, well insists, that we just head out through the desert straight to the cliff face. We would certainly bump into the trail which runs across the hill, before that cliff face.
My plan had been to take the familiar wash and leave the clothing behind. We take off, zigzagging the rough, thick, but low growth. I am not happy with its difficulty, but it is beautiful, with a plethora of various flowering plants in green grasses.

The grass however, helps to hide errant balls of cholla prickers and the remains of prickley pear plants, all thick with needles.

We have to be careful.

Surprise!
We find the trail, disrobe, me losing a kilt …

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