Ironwood National Monument Trip

[Robert Kennedy]

A couple of years ago, Ironwood National Monument was created here in Southern Arizona. It is an amazing area filled with wildlife, ancient ruins, and some great vistas.

It is seemingly a bit neglected though. The BLM who run it are slowly surveying it and cataloging it, but it seems to get few visitors and little press. Probably because it is on the western side of the Tucson Mountains and is relatively dry compared to the Rincons and Santa Catalinas. It also requires a 4WD vehicle, and the roads are poorly mapped.

Anyway, I am organizing a photo expedition to head out there for the day this March. The goal being to just get people out there and see what comes of it all. I personally have a Jeep and can take 3 people with me. Any other 4WD vehicles are welcome of course and highly appreciated.

A date in March has not been set yet. I am HOPING to set one that coincides with the predicted bloom of the wildflowers down here. It looks like there may be some good spots in Ironwood for wildflower shoots. Rain there has been a bit above normal and some areas have carpets of green shoots which I am told might very well be wildflowers.

So if anyone is interested either e-mail me, or post here. Southern AZ is a great place to shoot in March and all are welcome.

Plus it is free. What more do ya want?

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[lee]

I am trying to find Ironwood National Monument but maybe my map is to old. I am useing MS streets and trips on the computer. Can you give me towns or Indian Rez's for reference.

lee\c

ps I have a 4 wheel drive pickup.

l\c

 

[lee]

I am considering making this trip. I would have to drive from Fort Worth and that would take at least a couple of days. It is around 600 miles from Ft Worth to El Paso and then probably 350 to Tucson. So two hard days. I have invited a fellow from LA to come if that is ok. After all, it is only one day. I have a friend in Tucson that is a large format guy and he might want to come. I have open the week of the 10th as my wife will be in Branson, Mo with her sisters. I would just need to find someone I could trust to feed the livestock (2 dogs). Is there a way to start to plan more on this deal? Are you talking about the weekend like Saturday? Inquiring minds want to know.

lee\c

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[lee]

Robert,
Has anymore been done for the trip to Ironwood National Monument? The reason I ask is I have a pretty narrow time frame to work with. If I left on the
5th or 6th I would be in Tucson on the 8th baring any auto related problems. Actually I would be there on the eve of Friday the 7 and would be ready for Sat the 8th to go down and photograph. If you are thinking a Sunday I could just leave a day later. My friend fom LA will attend and there might be another guy I know that lives in Tucson that will want to go. My LA friend and I plan on photographing in the southern AZ area for at least another 3 or 4 days. I would like to go over to Bisbee and photograph in that country for a day or two.
So, what is your plan?

lee\c

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[lee]

Aggie,
Where will you be flying into? SWA goes to Pheonix and I think Tucson. WE can get you to the airport. Do you still want to fly to Dallas for the day and then fly over to Tucson. I am gonna drive but it will be at least a two day trip each way.

lee\c

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[Robert Kennedy]

Wow! Talk about a response.

O.k. First off. Location.

Ironwood is new. VERY new. Like 2 years old or something like that. Clinton had it desiginated before he left office, although the plan for it was in the works for a long time. It is basically an aggregate of federal land that was sort of just sitting there and turned out to be one of the last real places for the Ironwood tree. So they merged it.

Here is the website with some info on it.

Dead Link Removed

Ironwood is located to the west of Saguaro National Park West. It is about 15 minutes from the Desert Museum to Ironwood. Basically Ironwood covers parts of the Silverbell Mountains between Tucson and the Tohono O'Odham reservation.

As for dates and time -

Any weekend will work for me at this point. Early March looks great. Saturday or Sunday. I'll let you guys sort of work out the details on this so we can figure out the ideal day. Then we can figure out transportation and other things.

 

[Robert Kennedy]

Just to update you -

The outlook for wildflowers this year is pretty bleak in most of the state. Escept for Ironwood! Apparently they got quite a bit of rain (relative term here). When I was out there a couple of weeks ago I saw large areas of small green plants which are apparently the wildflowers. They just need to grow a bit and they should produce some nice blooms. This might get a bit tricky. The weather has been warm, but no rain. Some say these flowers need a bit more rain to really do well. The good news is that this weekend it looks like we might get some. Hopefully this will help the flowers. I am hoping to head out to Ironwood again in a week or so to see how things are out there flower-wise. I'll update you when I do.

Also, I'd like to talk about sights to visit there. There are a lot of things to see in Ironwood. There are petroglyph sites, the old Silverbell cemetary (which is very interesting), lots of scenic vistas, tons of cacti and other desert plants, as well as ghost town called Sasco on the way out. If anyone has any preferences or things they'd like to see in particular, let me know and we can kind of work on the various options for our route.

I am also not "locked into" Ironwood 100%. If there are a few other places or things people want to see in the area, we can do that too.

 

[lee]

Thanks Robert,
I looked up Ironwood on Google and the NPS has a map and I was able to locate it. Since I shoot primerly b\w flowers are not really my bag. Don't get me wrong I will shoot flowers but prefer graveyards and ghost towns and the like. I am trying to become a landscape shooter but it is hard to do. The other stuff comes more naturally. Is the weekend in March still around the 8th of that month?

lee\c

 

[Robert Kennedy]

Yes. The 8th is the Saturday. And if you want graveyards, the one at Silverbell is amazing. Very old.

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[Robert Kennedy]

Lots of that out there. We could probably even squeeze in San Xavier or someplace similar. We will definately be able to hit Sasco, and if people want I know of some petroglyphs up by Picacho that are supposed to be great and seldom visited (and accessible). Since the exit from Ironwood will be Red Rock, a quick jaunt to Pichacho would be very doable.

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[lee]

I have a back seat in my truck but no one has ever sat there. That is usually where all the crap I haul around goes. Stuff I don't want to grow legs and walk off. You are welcome to sit in the middle of the truck. That is the bst seet anyway. You don't have to drive and you don't have to get out and open any gates either.

lee/c

 

[lee]

Robert,
Disregard my email. I figured out how I can make this work. I am gonna go out to Tucson early and be there by the 02-28. My friend and I will photograph on our own and then meet you guys on Sat the 8th. Then I will beat feet to the hacienda. That way I won't interupt your trip.

Aggie,
If you want me to meet you at the airport, you will need to give me the flight info before Feb 26 as I am gonna leave that day.


lee\c

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[lee]

sounds good to me just let me know the time and flight number and the airport. I am assuming SWA and Tucson but if you get a better deal just let me know the details before the drop dead date. Or make Robert pick you up.


lee\c

 

[Robert Kennedy]

I can do that if the time is right.

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[lee]

I have accommodations at a friends house for as long as we are in the Tucson area. I am sure we can find a NO TELL MOTEL in the area. No just joking. I am sure my friend might know of something. Steve will probably be joining us on the Ironwood part of the trip, He is a working stiff and not like me. Hardcore unemployed.

 

[Robert Kennedy]

Actually there is a hotel called "No Tel Motel" in town. I think it is by Oracle and Speedway....

 

[lee]

Do you live in Tucson, Robert?


lee\c