Up and at it

Got an early start on the trail and lasted 3 hours. I didn't make it to the lower landing, but got close.

I could easily have made it if I hadn't been so nit-PICKy about the trail quality. Roughing it in isn't my style. I can't leave a place alone until it suits me. The part I'm working on now may be the worst part of the trail to do. At one place I couldn't pick enough rock from the slope so had to widen a spot or two with rubble. 

Here's looking down and back on part of what I did today. There are lots of steps cut into that slope, but the photo deceivingly makes it look flat. On the above photo it doesn't show how steep the slope below the trail is either. That was a horrible slope to climb before the trail because it's all loose rubble. I'm looking forward to being able to sit in my red folding stool at the landing. As you can see in the next photo, I've been lugging it along with me.

Funny how the peak at the bottom of the ridge looks so steep and the section by the trail doesn't. They're both the same degree of steepness though.

Back at the oasis there's tons of Soapberry blooming.

And what a delight to see these purple hibiscus blooming near the beginning of my trail.

UPDATE: ID'd by Patricia Manning as Paleface Mallow (Hibiscus denudatus).