Early morning at Carney springs - Superstition Wilderness - Zen climbing

"Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you're no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn't just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are the things you should notice anyway. To live for only some future goal is shallow. It's the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow. But, of course, without the top you can't have any sides. It's the top that defines the sides. So on we go . . . we have a long way . . . no hurry . . . just one step after the next . . . with a little Chautaugua for entertainment . . . Mental reflection is so much more interesting than TV, it's a shame more people don't switch over to it. They probably think what they hear is unimportant, but it never is." Robert Pirsig from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

“The only Zen you find on tops of mountains is the Zen you bring there.” Robert Pirsig

The Superstition Wilderness is part of the Tonto National Forest Mesa Arizona District.

We started this Superstition Ridgeline hike really early and I got lucky to catch some good morning light. This was a volcanic region. As earth eroded away from the lava columns, these hoodoos remain. These are actually huge, it is hard to get a good gauge of the scale in this photo. This is also one of the reasons I carry a camera. This was a difficult climb and rather than asking my hiking partners for a breather I can say "Oh let me get this shot". So as my hiking skills diminish with age, I've got to make sure that my photographic skills improve.

Here's a view from higher up the mountain on a different hike to put this in perspective:
www.flickr.com/photos/7202153@N03/3298384651/

Arizona Passages

Taken in: United States / Arizona / Pinal (show map)

Taken on: February 3, 2006

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Camera: NIKON COOLPIX P1, f/5.4, 1/146 sec, 7.5mm, ISO 50 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	NIKON COOLPIX P1
Aperture:	f/5.4
Exposure Time:	0.007 sec (1/146)
Focal Length:	7.5mm
ISO:	50
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Auto, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	ACD Systems Digital Imaging
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