az adventure, see canyon - 09.05

See Spring Creek, Arizona Summers in the Phoenix area are brutal. It is the Sonoran Desert, so of course the daytime temperatures are extremely high. Think 110-115 degrees. But it is the "low" temps that erode resolve. It isn't unusual for the coolest part of the morning to register in the upper 80's, or low 90's. To add insult to injury, one can be justified in describing summer as ranging between May and mid-October. There are cool places to retreat in Arizona. Flagstaff. Payson. Sedona. Pinetop. During summer weekends, Phoenix residents flock to these places where crowds reduce their appeal (at least for me). When my brother recently suggested a day trip near Payson (with my nephews), on Labor Day weekend, I was skeptical. But I tagged along for a short hike on See Canyon Trail, near Christopher Creek, Arizona. This way! The See Canyon trailhead parking lot was not promising. Packed! We found a parking spot, gathered our gear, and headed up the trail. About 100 yards into our hike,…