I had never heard of Chiricahua National Monument prior to reading about it on my hiking buddy Mark’s blog back in 2015.  I couldn’t even spell it, let alone pronounce it or find it on a map, but one look at those gorgeous canyons full of towering columns, and I quickly added it to my wish list..   Then one by one, my favorite bloggers all posted their own account of hiking “the big loop,” causing my anticipation and determination to visit this otherworldly place to heighten. Continue reading →