On October 26 and 27 I hiked Mount Baldy and Escudilla Mountain in the White Mountains of Arizona. These two peaks had been on my want list for several years, but needed to be hiked in the autumn before snowfall covered the White Mountains.
Mount Baldy from Escudilla Mountain
Thick smoke filled the air as I drove in towards Mount Baldy on October 25. I hoped for better weather the next day and continued towards the Winn Campground beyond the trailhead. The campground was closed so instead I found a dispersed campsite nearby. After a pleasant dinner I discovered parts of an elk carcass nearby. It was a breezy and cool evening and after sunset I heard coyotes howling and elk bugling. After the moon set the sky filled with many stars. The White Mountains are far from population centers and the high open country makes for excellent night sky watching.
