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Sycamore Canyon Backpack
October 2006
This month we backpacked into Sycamore Canyon in southern Arizona in the Pajarita Wilderness. This is a beautiful, remote area full of plant life, animal life, insect life, and adventure! |
Saturday morning before we started hiking we talked about some of the rare plants and animals we'll be looking for while we hike, including the Goodding ash, the butterfly pea, trailing rhynchosia, and the Mexican vine snake.
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| We start our hike into the Canyon with Mr. Smith leading the way! |
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Along the trail we meet an entomologist who is collecting butterflies for the university museum and he teaches us about the butterflies that live in the canyon
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Queen Butterfly
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Gulf Fritillary Butterfly
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Mr. Frantz points out another unusual plant, probably more poison oak!
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Time for a water and snack break!
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Climbing around our first obstacle -
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This spot of full of places to explore and climb
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Blaze finds some rocks to climb - this pool is full of Sonoran chub
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| and Augie finds a rock to take a nap on |
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Next we come to our biggest challenge on our hike - the canyon narrows and we have to climb around a deep pool. Mr. Smith and Mr. Pendleton help everyone across with the help of a rope!
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Mr. Vullo loves all the flowers and dogface butterflies! |
We get to camp and set up our tents before we start exploring this part of the canyon
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 | After lunch we do some more work on the nature merit badge - the Scouts collect plant and seed samples to try and identify
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| Blaze works with the Raccoons and they clean out and rebuild the fire circle |
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Mr. Pendleton teaches the boys how to light a fire with a flint and spark
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and now it's time for the annual Vullo - Moreash bake - off!! This year we are making pound cakes with whipped cream and raspberries.
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 | What should we do with all this leftover whipped cream?? |
Sunday morning we wake up early and get ready to hike out. |
| The hike back on Sunday is just as exciting as yesterday's! Everyone spots lots of plants and insects and animal signs. |
wolf spider
 | praying mantis
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yellow spider
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invisible leopard frog
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sycamore bogeyman
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The climb over the rocks doesn't seem quite as bad today - the boys all do a great job. Thank you again to Mr. Smith and Mr. Pendleton!
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| Hey, it's Hank and Yank! |
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