This spring has been mild so far here in southern Arizona. To take advantage of the weather and to get away from nagging tasks for a couple of days, we took a trip to the eastern part of the state, to visit the Blue Range Primitive Area, which is a part of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. We hiked several miles into the primitive area on the Raspberry Trail, which leads eventually to the Blue River. The trail crosses numerous perennial spring-fed streams as it winds from pinion pine to juniper and then to lower canyons full of oaks. Like my last backpack trip, I wasn’t quite in prime hiking shape, but I did all right. We all returned to Tucson a little sore, but glad for the short time out of town.

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