Shaka Cave, Superstition Mountains

09/02/2026

Malapais Mountain summit in the Superstition Mountains, Arizona. Battleship lies below like a snake, with Geronimo Head and its war bonnet rising to the right. Canyon Lake sits full from the monsoon rains as evening falls.

08/14/2026

Early monsoon, Superstition Mountains, Arizona.

07/20/2026

07/17/2026

The Shaka Cave Lion, Superstition Mountains, Arizona
Some people see nothing but rock. Others see a lion’s face guarding a desert cave. That’s pareidolia, when the brain finds familiar shapes in stone. Shaka Cave is one of the best examples in the Superstitions. The small inset of a real lion helps the illusion, but the cave itself really does look like this when photographed from a very specific angle. No AI, no tricks, just the mysterious mountains doing what they do.
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Summer 2026 monsoons are slowly wetting the dry Sonoran Desert, and with enough rain the nearby Carney Springs waterfall can roar like a lion of its own. The lion sleeps but the mountains can awaken this time of year.

07/10/2026

Lower Fish Creek, Superstition Mountains. Long before the Apache Trail, this canyon was already marked and known. Its cliffs and saguaros keep the same raw, enduring feel they’ve had for generations.

06/17/2026

Looking out from Hermans Cave into upper LaBarge Canyon, Superstition Mountains, Arizona. LaBarge, one of the major canyons slicing through the Superstition desert, was named for early mountain man John LaBarge. Outside, the saguaro cacti are concluding their flowering cycle.

06/08/2026

Herman Petrash Camp, Upper La Barge Box, Superstition Wilderness (spring throwback photo)

Most who stumble across this quiet place have no idea what they’re looking at. Few realize that Hermann Petrasch, one of the most dedicated Lost Dutchman Mine searchers, camped under this boulder for months at a time a century ago. Herman Mountain nearby still carries his name.

A thousand years earlier, the Hohokam also made use of this shelter. Potsherds scattered here hint at their ancient presence.
Another quiet chapter in the layered history of the Superstition Wilderness. Leave no trace.

05/31/2026

One hundred degrees of June heat settles over the Superstitions.

Pinned against the sheer cliffs of Bluff Springs Mountain, this seldom seen eastern angle reveals Weaver’s Needle splitting into its true form. Most hikers only ever see the iconic single spire, but out here where no trails exist, the landscape tells a different story.

05/21/2026

Memorial Day in the Superstitions.

May 25th we pause to remember those Americans who never made the journey home, and the freedom their sacrifice secured for the trails, wild places, and quiet moments we often take for granted.
Remembered with gratitude.

05/19/2026

Dacite Peak 3802 Superstition Mountains, Arizona
The world drops away from the southern summit of Dacite Mesa in this rare panorama. Can you recognize the landmarks?