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| Bison at Cape Canyon Reservoir |
Date: 11 July 2011
Who hiked: Me, Things 1 and 2
Where: Cape Canyon Road (out and back)
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| Click to enlarge elevation profile |
Weather: starting overcast, clearing to mostly cloudy and warm (70s)
Distance: 6.8 miles (measured on GPS)
Elevation range: just over 400 ft, but felt less because of distance
After too many days parked in front of the television, watching cyclists crash at the Tour de France, I decided it was time for a hike. Monday was a rest day at the Tour, so I set my sights on Cape Canyon for Monday morning.
The hike is long, but flat. There is not much shade, but we saw a lot of wildlife and a lot of wildflowers blooming. And because it's an out-and-back route, you can adjust the length to suit your tastes, time, or ability.
After buying bribes candy at the General Store in Two Harbors, the Things and I piled into the truck and drove to Middle Ranch. We parked the car at the intersection of Middle Ranch Road and Cape Canyon Road. We set out on the road and walked past bison pens that are used when managing the bison herds on Catalina. Along the way we passed several groups of school-age kids, probably from one of the many camps on the island.
The path is completely flat and parallels a stream for much of its length. At intervals, the stream is dammed and small wetlands form. In the cat tails we saw bullfrogs and heard a yellowthroat singing. There were also a number of dragonflies and damselflies all along the path.
Thing 2 started complaining at about 1115, which did not bode well for our 6+ mile hike. He had already eaten his goldfish crackers and he was saving hisbribe candy for lunch. We took a short break at a small wetland and I told Thing 2 that we could stop for lunch at 1145. That placated him.
About 30 minutes later, we found a wide, but sunny, spot in the road and sat down for a lunch of cheese, tortillas, and apples. Thing 2 ate his candy first. (Thing 1 had finished his candy long ago...)
Shortly after continuing on the road, we saw a rattlesnake in the road. I caught sight of it before the boys did, so pointed it out to them. We got about four feet away before it began moving -- it was pretty grumpy, rattling at us while it moved off the road. We waited a bit before passing the place where it had disappeared, just to give it a sufficient head-start.
It was only about 15 minutes after seeing the rattler that we came across a herd of bison. There was a large group (~20 animals) on the left side of the road and a smaller group (~10) on the right. The ones on the right all seemed to be juveniles, who were mostly interested in bellowing, running, and (maybe) getting to the larger group on the other side of the road. They were a lot like teenagers who are somewhere with their families, but who don't want to be seen with them.
Thing 2 wanted to turn around at this point but I moved up cautiously and the young bison all moved away. Using the combination of moving, waiting, and moving again we slowly moved them off the road so that we could pass. Between the rattlesnake and the bison, Thing 2 was feeling very brave.
Near the reservoir, we saw pine trees -- it reminded me a lot of Black Jack Campground, which was only about a mile away.
The Trans-Catalina Trail intersects Cape Canyon Road at the reservoir, but it veers off toward Black Jack Campground. The reservoir is small and picturesque. There is a small grove of oaks that the boys played in. Thing 1 tried to make a sling out of a handkerchief and practiced throwing rocks into the water. His accuracy left something to be desired and after watching a rock fly haphazardly out of the sling, I suggested that he stop.
We left the reservoir at around 1315. Along the way back to the truck, we had to shoosh the bison out of the way again, but the trip back was uneventful.
On the drive back home, we saw a fox and a bald eagle sitting on a rock outcrop above Cottonwood Beach.
The hike is long, but flat. There is not much shade, but we saw a lot of wildlife and a lot of wildflowers blooming. And because it's an out-and-back route, you can adjust the length to suit your tastes, time, or ability.
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| White sage (Salvia apiana) blooming along the road |
The path is completely flat and parallels a stream for much of its length. At intervals, the stream is dammed and small wetlands form. In the cat tails we saw bullfrogs and heard a yellowthroat singing. There were also a number of dragonflies and damselflies all along the path.
Thing 2 started complaining at about 1115, which did not bode well for our 6+ mile hike. He had already eaten his goldfish crackers and he was saving his
About 30 minutes later, we found a wide, but sunny, spot in the road and sat down for a lunch of cheese, tortillas, and apples. Thing 2 ate his candy first. (Thing 1 had finished his candy long ago...)
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| The grouchy rattlesnake |
It was only about 15 minutes after seeing the rattler that we came across a herd of bison. There was a large group (~20 animals) on the left side of the road and a smaller group (~10) on the right. The ones on the right all seemed to be juveniles, who were mostly interested in bellowing, running, and (maybe) getting to the larger group on the other side of the road. They were a lot like teenagers who are somewhere with their families, but who don't want to be seen with them.
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| Thing 2 was amazed at the size of this pine cone. |
Near the reservoir, we saw pine trees -- it reminded me a lot of Black Jack Campground, which was only about a mile away.
The Trans-Catalina Trail intersects Cape Canyon Road at the reservoir, but it veers off toward Black Jack Campground. The reservoir is small and picturesque. There is a small grove of oaks that the boys played in. Thing 1 tried to make a sling out of a handkerchief and practiced throwing rocks into the water. His accuracy left something to be desired and after watching a rock fly haphazardly out of the sling, I suggested that he stop.
We left the reservoir at around 1315. Along the way back to the truck, we had to shoosh the bison out of the way again, but the trip back was uneventful.
On the drive back home, we saw a fox and a bald eagle sitting on a rock outcrop above Cottonwood Beach.
Bird List: Western peewee, House finch, Spotted towhee, Red-tailed hawk, Northern raven, Northern mockingbird, Black phoebe, Killdeer, Barn swallow, American coot, Acorn woodpecker, Common yellowthroat
Herps: Pacific rattlesnake, Bullfrog
Plants flowering (woefully incomplete list): bush monkeyflower, Scarlet monkeyflower, Climbing penstemon, chamise, White sage, Prickly pear, Indian paintbrush, Star thistle, Scarlet pimpernel, Bindweed, Jimson weed, Toyon, tree tobacco, St. Catherine's lace
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