Rim Hike

[Arizonaheat]

Did a off trail hike on the Rim, Sunday, off Forest Road 300, near the General Crook Trailhead.
Truly enjoyed the cool, fresh mountain air and the scent of pine in the air.
One thing I really enjoyed was a couple of different areas with heavy fern growth were inundated with thousands of ladybugs. I had never seen this phenomenon before, just heard about it.
One thing that saddened me was the amount of trees that have alreadly succumbed to the bark beatle and have turned brown. The area around Pine is especially hard hit, preditctions are: 90% of the Ponderosa Pine in the State will be dead by the time it is all said and done. So far 800.000 acres are dead. 640 acres per square mile.
Looking forward to many more hikes this summer up north as long as the forest remains open.