The Sky Islands of Saguaro

“In lushness and variety of life, the Sonoran Desert far surpasses all other North American deserts. And yet it is one of the hottest and driest regions on the continent. Summer midday temperatures commonly climb above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Less than 12 inches of rain falls in a typical year. Between the summer and winter rainy seasons, it is not unusual for months to pass without a drop of rain.”

— National Park Service, US Department of the Interior

I ran out of water about a mile from Manning Camp. My premonition about this trip suddenly becomes fulfilled: I’m wandering through the desert, alone, looking for water. The only way to water is to keep climbing, I tell myself. And I keep going.

“I’m walking through the desert; my sunburnt skin is streaked with salt and sunscreen; I’ve run out of water, so that’s what I’m looking for, now; and I’m alone. ”

As this trip has been approaching, there’s been this image that’s been burned in my mind: I’m walking through the desert; my sunburnt skin is streaked with salt and sunscreen; I’ve run out of water, so that’s what I’m looking for, now; and I’m alone. Every time I’ve thought about the Saguaro Wilderness, that’s the image that comes to mind.