All American deserts experience mild winter rains. This wildflower outbreak has a special impact on the desert due to its open and relatively sparse terrain. The American deserts will generally have a good wildflower bloom every five or six years. The spring of 1979 was also the time of my first desert hiking trip, and I knew nothing about wildflower seasons, monsoons, or any of it. Photography does not adequately portray it.
Washes are usually dry except during heavy thunderstorms.
By the way, at Organ Pipe there are few trails. Above, two of our finest shots from 1979. To the naked eye, the hill left appeared bright gold, clad in poppy, and the hill right appeared blue, clad in lupine. Several photos on this page were taken with a 35mm during the fine 1983 season. The composite photo at the page top which highlights this story was taken in 1979.