Silver Cholla Cactus below Superstition Mountain

Some hoodoos at the base of Superstition Mountain, with sunset lit clouds, make up the background with the foreground a close crop of a Silver Cholla cactus in the plain leading up to the mountain's rugged terrain. Visitors to Lost Dutchmen State Park are treated to a venerable garden of Sonoran Desert Cacti of different kinds, among them the Silver Cholla. Beyond the obvious favorite (Saguaro), Silver Cholla is my favorite cactus. Another photo shot on this same day (December 26, 2009) has three Silver Chollas in the appearance of a dance like Indian warriors of a bygone era. They have a lot of character, and are much lusher looking than other desert cacti.