Salome Creek Hike & Swim
	Mark (solo) 2009
	My third and most exciting hike of this trip was a descent through the Salome Creek granite slot. the creek has carved mesmerizing curves in the granite, and when the water flow is right you can slide down the cascades into clear pools of green water. Click the photos to enlarge.
1. I drove along the A+ road 10 miles to a point NNE of Roosevelt Lake, to the A+ Trailhead.
2. The yuccas were in bloom everywhere, and their color was brilliant.
3. At this point, where the exit trail at the bottom of the canyon reconnects, you can see Salome Creek flowing toward the reservoir.
4. A makeshift gate marks the entry to the Salome Wilderness.
5. Near the entry to the canyon you get a glimpse of the fun swim ahead!
6. In the beginning, the canyon is shallow and the water likewise.
7. Pure happiness! This is one of the most beautiful places I've visited.
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10. Lots of little fishes are prepared to swim along with me!
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12. The canyon and pools begin to deepen and it's time to take a refreshing swim.
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15. The going is easy at this flow, but it's also easy to see how it can get complicated when the flow increases.
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17. This is the top of the Jug where you rappel through a narrow waterfall. The slings already in place were in good shape and all I had to do was run my static line through and drop down through the fall.
18. This was actually my first rappel ever, and I thought about it quite a bit and took lots of pictures, and thought about it some more.
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20. I had read several warnings not to do this alone. I met several people on the way out who shook their heads. But I had to do it. Here, I am procrastinating my first big leap and goofing off with the camera.
21. The swims below the Jug are a bit longer and very refreshing on a hot day.
22. I went through the slot a second time, two days later, and wore a wet suit, because I did the hike in the early morning. It's a good idea to have a shorty on hand for all conditions.
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24. Just left of center in this photo, you can see part of the exit trail. Because of my delight upon completing the rappel, I walked right by it, and even took this picture and didn't see it.
25. As a result, I became lost. I hiked too far down stream, and had to bushwhack up a gully to get back to the old jeep road (A+). This turned out to be much more dangerous than the canyon swim and rappel!
26. I was surprised by this Gila monster immediately upon heading up the gully. I was out of water, and it was around sunset. I then encountered two rattlesnakes in under 10 minutes. I was sufficiently startled and yelled in a lound voice! From then on, I was throwing handfuls of pebbles up ahead of me and singing loudly to herald my arrival and hopefully scare off rattlesnkakes in advance. I just made it out of the gully before dark, completely exhausted.
27. I camped at the trailhead, where I also spent a lot of time studying the mountaineering guide and practiced setting up the rope. Salome Mountain stands in the background. The mountain on the other side of the creek is Dutch Woman.
28. The morning after the first hike, I went back and took this picture of the gully I blazed. I have complained for years about the scarcity of rattlesnakes on our tucson land. Now I know exactly how and where to find them!
29. View of Roosevelt Lake from the A+ Trailhead.
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31. A bumblebee emerges from a sacred datura flower along the A+.
	Can I live at Salome creek?