Hike of the Month

HIKE OF THE MONTH Seeing Forever Is Just One of the Scenic Delights Experienced Atop Silver Peak

About halfway up the 4.6mile Silver Peak Trail, I found myself in need of a psychological "carrot" to motivate Donna, my wife and hiking companion.

It wasn't that the trail was too steep or daunting.

It was merely that Donna had settled down for a brief break on a remarkably comfortable rock under a remarkably beautiful juniper tree at a spot that provided remarkably commanding views of the surrounding Chiricahua Mountains' splendor.

And now, when I suggested that we proceed promptly to the 7,975-foot summit of Silver Peak, she revealed that she could think of "no earthly reason"

to leave such a lovely spot. In fact it was hard to argue with her. It was difficult to come up with a conceptual carrot capable of luring her higher on this route, which I considered one of the most exhilarating hikes in the Chiricahuas of southeastern Arizona.

From our high vantage point under the juniper tree, we had many of the trail's visual delights laid out at our feet.

The big picture, the distant view, was dominated by Cave Creek Canyon, a broad and deeply gouged gorge that many visitors liken to a sort of miniYosemite Valley.

The canyon bottom, where the Silver Peak Trail originates at an altitude of about 4,900 feet, is a cottonwood-cloaked watercourse known for one of the richest concentrations of birdlife in the Southwest. Towering above this slice of riparian heaven are the polished stone ramparts of Cathedral Rock and Portal Peak. At the mouth of the canyon is the tiny community of Portal, where a general store, restaurant, and lodge provide all the essentials for a pleasant overnight stay.

Closer to our aerie, which lay in an ecological transition zone between oak woodlands and piñon pine and juniper forests, autumn had decorated the deciduous trees and shrubs with hues of red and gold. Nearer still to the eye, the trailside was graced here and there with remnant wildflowers of summer: red paintbrush, pink penstemon, and white fleabane.

"Let's go!" I coaxed Donna after 15 minutes of reverie and a juicy orange. "Believe it or not, there's much more to see. Really! You'll regret it if we don't go all the way to the top."

It wasn't an eloquent verbal carrot. But it worked.

We hiked higher under blue skies and a few fluffed clouds, savoring ever-expanding views across the canyon. About twothirds of the way up the trail, the landscape changed abruptly from "pygmy woodlands" of oak and juniper to a full-fledged forest where ponderosa pines and ferns made green the main theme.

After walking in low gear up the steep final stretch, we arrived at the summit, a solid block of rock where the foundation of a former fire lookout provided a comfortable table for a simple lunch of cheese and fruit.

We could see the tiny community of Paradise far below to the northwest and the lush grounds of the Southwestern Research Station of the American Museum of Natural History to the south. An enormous birdmost likely an eagle - winged over a distant ridge while we lolled in the warm October sunshine. We descended leisurely in late afternoon and were well rewarded for taking our sweet time in completing the hike. The last rays of the day erupted into a deep-blushing sunset that not only turned the high clouds shocking violet, but also painted the trailside rocks faintly pink with reflected light.

We had seen no sign of the peak's namesake silver, but we didn't care. We had partaken of its true treasures.

WHEN YOU GO

To reach the Silver Peak Trail, travel 123 miles east of Tucson on Interstate 10 to the turnoff for Portal. The turnoff is four miles east of the exit for the town of San Simon. Drive 25 miles south and southeast to Portal and proceed to the Forest Service ranger station in Cave Creek Canyon. The marked trailhead is .2 of a mile south of the ranger station. Lodging is available in Portal, and the Forest Service operates campgrounds in Cave Creek Canyon. For information, call the Douglas Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest, (520) 364-3468.