While Mike has been visiting the last month we drove up and down the Yarnell Hill a lot, or so it seems.
It’s a great drive 2500 feet up a very curvy road. But please use caution, this road sees a lot of accidents.
Within four miles the environment changes from Sonoran desert to oak woodland.
Just over the western edge of the Weaver Mountains grows saguaro and ocotillo.
Sunset over the desert from Yarnell Hill
From bottom to top the temperature changes at least 10 degrees.
Which keeps me living in the mountain air.
Such a beautiful part of the country and your captures are terrific! I do love the skies/view in your last shot! Hope you have a great week, Gaelyn!
Sylvia
It's amazing the temperature differences with elevation. Miss that here in Oklahoma.
You live with one foot in the mountains and the other in the desert (while I think maybe your heart remains at the Canyon).
Lovely views and scenery, Gaelyn! I love the last shot!
It's January but I can still feel the summer heat from the lower elevations dissipate as the road climb higher and higher.
Gaelyn, it is like that on Mt. Lemmon in Tucson. You start out in the Sonoran desert and end up in ponderosa Pine forest! only that drive up is about 25 miles I think. in the summer it can be 20 to 30 degrees cooler up there and in the winter it snows!
I'm back from holiday and catching up. I missed my favorite blogs and you are right at the top.
Its always amazing how the environment can change by crossing a mountain or climbing in elevation.
Such vast scenery you have over there, so different to where I live in the Yorkshire dales – and you would think our roads are teeny-tiny compared to those you travel!! 🙂
Reminds me of some of the scenery I saw last May in California…saw no accidents though!
Beautiful drive!
brilliant shots, gaylyn!
fantastic scenery, too.
Beautiful views from up there. A ten degree drop at this time of year might be pretty chilly.