Drought Engenders Few Flowers But Attractions Remains
©Bert Gildart: Borrego Springs – and much of the Southwest for that matter — is experiencing one of the driest and hottest seasons on record. What that means for those of us Peg Leg is that the multitude of flowers normally carpeting the desert sands at this time of year is nonexistent.
Flowers usually dominate landscape in late February, but not this year. Still palms provide attraction
As a result we must search for other desert attractions, and thankfully, that’s not too hard to do. Two days ago, for instance, Janie and I hiked up Palm Canyon. Along the stream that courses through and past a grove of palms, we found along the banks a few flowering specimens to include the brittle brush, chuparosa, and one species we believe is an aster.
L to R: Chuparosa, possible an aster, brittle brush
But that was about it. Of course we found the palms and they looked as healthy and as lovely as ever.
The hike is but 3 miles total, and includes the very real possibility of seeing sheep, which we have sighted many times on previous excursions. The three-mile round-trip hike to Palm Canyon is one of Janie’s favorite hikes, and she takes a moment (above) to enjoy a view that is immensely panoramic.
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Airstream Travels This Time Last Year:
4th ed. Autographed by the Authors
Hiking Shenandoah National Park
Hiking Shenandoah National Park is the 4th edition of a favorite guide book, created by Bert & Janie, a professional husband-wife journalism team. Lots of updates including more waterfall trails, updated descriptions of confusing trail junctions, and new color photographs. New text describes more of the park’s compelling natural history. Often the descriptions are personal as the Gildarts have hiked virtually every single park trail, sometimes repeatedly.
Big Sky Country is beautiful
Montana Icons: 50 Classic Symbols of the Treasure State
Montana Icons is a book for lovers of the western vista. Features photographs of fifty famous landmarks from what many call the “Last Best Place.” The book will make you feel homesick for Montana even if you already live here. Bert Gildart’s varied careers in Montana (Bus driver on an Indian reservation, a teacher, backcountry ranger, as well as a newspaper reporter, and photographer) have given him a special view of Montana, which he shares in this book. Share the view; click here.
$16.95 + Autographed Copy
What makes Glacier, Glacier?
Glacier Icons: 50 Classic Views of the Crown of the Continent
Glacier Icons: What makes Glacier Park so special? In this book you can discover the story behind fifty of this park’s most amazing features. With this entertaining collection of photos, anecdotes and little known facts, Bert Gildart will be your backcountry guide. A former Glacier backcountry ranger turned writer/photographer, his hundreds of stories and images have appeared in literally dozens of periodicals including Time/Life, Smithsonian, and Field & Stream. Take a look at Glacier Icons
$16.95 + Autographed Copy
