Abstract Southwest - Photos by John Villinski

I have done many backpacking trips in the Rincon Mountains Wilderness area in the Saguaro National Park east of Tucon, AZ. The area has experienced many large wildfires in recent history. In 1994, the Rincon fire burned 23,300 acres of the scrub, oak, juniper and pine forest of the eastern flank of the Rincon Mountains. I usually hike up Turkey Creek on the east side. The trail goes through manzanita, oak and juniper woodlands at the lower elevations. On my way down after camping at Spud Rock campground in April, 2001, I noticed this pattern within the hollowed-out burnt juniper snag.