Dad and MJ were on their last weekend in Arizona, so we wanted to get out and do something. When they're here, it brings out the cultural in us, and we'd been talking about going down to see the Biosphere just north of Tucson. Turns out, it's actually on the OTHER side of Mount Lemmon from Tucson, in the foothills off the north side of the mountain. Last night's storm system certainly made for an interesting day. There was snow on the Superstitions and as we drove south from Florence Junction, we started picking up more snow on the sides of the road and pretty much we were driving in mixed snow and sleet. Luckily, it let up as we arrived, but the high desert covered with snow was very pretty.
On the long driveway into the Biosphere, there were tons of cars pulled off the sides of the road with familys making snowmen and having snowball fights all over the place.
We finally arrived... and found out where science lives! After the initial two long-term experiments shutting teams into the sealed environment of the $150 million facility, the management changed hands several times over the years. It was all bought for $50 million in 2006 by a residential home development company and was slated for a master planned community. We figure they'll eventually put up condos and call it Biospa, or something.
Looking south across at part of Mount Lemmon, doused in snow. Picture doesn't do the view justice.
The main facility. Environmental research is done here now under the management of the University of Arizona (Tucson).
Walking down to start the tour. You're taken around by a "biospherian", who gives short talks on each part of the facility at each stop.
I think this is part of the "control" area of the facility, but not sure.
The 1/2 acre area known as "the farm". It was in this area that they set out plots and raised different crops for food during the two year shut-in between 1991 and 1993. Each plot had different crops for high-nutrient foods like sweet potatoes, beets, peanuts, lablab and cowpea beans, rice, and wheat. Right now, all the soil has been removed and they're going to start a new experiment in soil erosion soon.
The office area, where the biospherian teams received and sent communications to the outside world.
Another shot of "the farm" area.
A shot of the outside with clearing sky.
The Ocean area and the Savannah area down on the far end.
The rain forest area.
Another shot over the ocean area.
A boojum tree in the desert area.
This was one of the coolest parts of the tour. In order to handle pressure changes in the facility due to heating and cooling of air inside the sealed environment, they built these "lungs" inside big domes (there are two of them) so the air can contract and expand. The lung room is 180 feet across and the ceiling is this huge metal disk suspended from this synthetic rubber grommet deal. As the air expands, the huge metal disk rises, and as it contracts, it moves towards the floor below. This incredible mechanism was crucial for maintaining the sealed environment.
Here's one of the "lung" domes.
A shot looking across the back of "the farm" section.
That's about it... was an interesting tour.
For more info, go here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosphere_2
With a holiday weekend looming, I decided to work half a day Friday and see if I could dig up some climbing for the afternoon. I thought I had Fred on the line for a few pitches, but he had an appt. in the mid-morning and then needed to be back in town to walk his daughter home from school early, so that killed that off. That left me with two partners, so we all loaded up in the truck to go put in a few pitches. I hadn't been out to climb at Sven Slab in a couple of years, and I wanted to see where those Scottsdale knuckleheads had moved the parking lot to, so that was the spot for the day. It's always fun to go to Sven every once in a while as it's where I started climbing and is heavy on nostalgia-factor for me. I took the camper truck for the clearance, but I swear I could make the lot with my low-rider Toyota.
Looks like they have a zoning hearing all lined up so they can move the trailhead back to 128th and Pinnacle Peak, and ADD more than half a mile to every approach in the place.
A shot of the north side of the McDowells from Morrell's Wall over to Tom's Thumb. 
I was headed for the main slab area of Sven (see arrow). There's a nice selection of easy to moderate slab routes to get the toes warmed up on and the fingertips tingling.
The lot for Sven (at the moment) is just northwest of the crags. They made a little parking circle off the old road. This will eventually be eradicated when they put in their main 300 spot parking lot at the intersection of 128th Street and Pinnacle Peak road and you get to hoof a mile or more to get over to Sven. So much for the days of the three and a half minute approach hike.
My partner put me on belay and I headed up Quaker Oats. Here's a shot of me styling up the knobby slab.
Hey there say... this is a nice hold right here!
I had to go back down and take another lap up Quaker Oats for good measure. It was even easier the second time.
A shot of the truck from the slab area. This is NOT where the parking will eventually be!! Think another half a mile or more west of this.
On rappel!! That was it for the day... up, down, up down... 
The BEST shoes ever made by the hand of man! 5.10 Huecos. I'll cry when these are done. The TC Pros are good, don't get me wrong, but the Huecos are gold!!!
A shot looking over at my rope hanging down Cakewalk (5.8), the third route left of Quaker Oats. There's some really nice footwork routes on this wall, but it could use one just a smidge harder!
The mushroom rock off the parking lot. I always wanted a picture standing on top of that thing!! Have to talk someone in to getting up there with me. I wonder if it would fall over...
The old road that goes west to east past below Sven. I guess this is Scottsdales version of "revegitation" or something. I think this is going to be the trail for getting to the areas east and south of here (Rock Knob, Sven Towers, Rosetta Stone, etc.). Seems curious they would spread cholla all over it.
A shot of Morrell's Wall on the way out. This is next on my hit list. It's been 9 years since I've been up there. About time... need to do a lap on Eat Sh*t and Die for old time's sake!
My partners for the day. They're a little short on conversation, but they get the job done!
It's apparently my time to revisit climbing locales from the way back machine. Today, I got Fred to join me for a trip over to Lost Bandana Wall at Little Granite Mountain. According to my notes, I was last at Lost Bandana in December of 2003, so just over 7 years. My how time flies!We drove over via 118th street and it looks like they're poised to make that in to a real street any time now. Of course it could have been ready to go when the housing market crashed and then just sitting there since then, who knows. The road in from that side is about like it used to be... mostly no big deal, other than the whooptie-doos that run all the way east to the parking area. We parked in the old spot, replete with spent shotgun shells, .22 shells, broken glass, half burned wood in a fire ring, old broken clay pigeons, and the other assorted junk that a lot of your "regular" folk leave laying in the desert when they head for home. Sort of sad.
There's a really nice array of saguaros spread across the desert on Little Granite Mountain. A lot of them look pretty good this year, loaded up with water. This skeleton wasn't having such a good year.
The Cone (lower left) and Lost Bandana Wall (upper right), our climbing destination for the day.
Kind of a cool saguaro with a triple-top growing out of it.
The only other climbers we saw all day was a family of four that was climbing some of the easy routes down on The Cone. A shot of one of the kids at the top of Three Dopes on a Rope.
Fred topping out on the first pitch of Limbo.
A rare shot of Fred leading a pitch with gear!! Second pitch of Limbo. Super short, but kind of a nice little pitch.
A shot down past Pinnacle Peak looking straight at downtown Phoenix. How now, brown cloud?
Fred sort of inspecting the Scorpion Flake route while rappelling back down from Limbo.
After all these years, Spectrum hasn't lost it's bite or aura. Rated 5.7, it would probably weigh in more like 5.9- at most areas. Who knows, maybe we give it more credit than it deserves, but I was pretty happy to lead it with no problem given the problems I've had with it in the past.
Fred pulling up into the flake section of Spectrum.
Given the age and condition of the old bolts on Lawless and Free (9+), we decided to just give it a TR and call it good. Dang... my fingertips are NOT tough enough for this rock!! We have work to do!!!
Fred working on the start of the crux to Lawless and Free.
A shot for Dave and Callie. A hummingbird that was perched on a tree while I was hanging out enjoying the quiet while Fred scrambled down from the top of the wall.
And a shot of the hummingbird in action. Best I could do.
Saguaro forest looking off west toward Cholla Mountain. Might have to go over there next and see how that's looking these days. Been over ten years since I've been over there, I'm sure.
Cool saguaro that had lots of little "nubbins" starting out of it.
On the long driveway into the Biosphere, there were tons of cars pulled off the sides of the road with familys making snowmen and having snowball fights all over the place.
We finally arrived... and found out where science lives! After the initial two long-term experiments shutting teams into the sealed environment of the $150 million facility, the management changed hands several times over the years. It was all bought for $50 million in 2006 by a residential home development company and was slated for a master planned community. We figure they'll eventually put up condos and call it Biospa, or something.
