Thunderstruck in the Chiricahuas: An electrifying Arizona historic getaway

The Arizona Weatherman took a Labor Day weekend getaway with his wife. They visited the Chiricahua National Monument, and he encountered thunderstorms on one of his hikes in the mountains. This was a great way to enjoy the holiday weekend and escape life's everyday hustle and bustle.

Crossed J Ranch guest cottage.Photo byArizona Weatherman

We stayed at the Crossed J Ranch, a working cattle ranch owned by the Riggs family. This is a historic ranch of 10,000 acres with a long history dating back to 1879. We enjoyed our conversation with Jim and Janna Riggs about the history, various trees, and how this ranch developed over time. Additionally, the lovely, homey 1970s-feel studio cottage with plenty of amenities made our stay at the ranch enjoyable. Also, this ranch is closely located only one mile from the Chiricahua National Monument, which we also wanted to visit. This cottage was neat and clean with great views and a hospitable host, making this a great weekend away choice. We highly recommend checking this cottage out on VRBO.

Views from Sugarloaf Mountain near the fire towerPhoto byArizona Weatherman

Our visit to the Chiricahua National Monument was also enjoyable. Upon reading our first signage at the cemetery, we saw the Riggs name pop up again with Ed Riggs, who married Lillian Erickson in 1923. They owned the Faraway Ranch, which is now part of the National Monument. There is much history to enjoy at the monument, a nice visitor center, hiking, camping, wildlife, and just taking in the incredible views of the Chiricahua Mountains. The sheer cliffs and rock formations are awesome to behold. On my moderate hike up Sugarloaf Mountain, thunderstorms were moving in as I reached the top, but not before taking in the incredible views near the fire tower. There are many trails in the monument, from easy to hard to hike and enjoy the scenery. Of course, during monsoon season, you are more likely to encounter thunderstorms due to the steep terrain and orographic lifting, and they do close off some of the campground sites due to potential flooding, but just be aware of the weather and have fun. Additionally, this monument is free to enter and enjoy the day.

For more information about the Riggs Ranch studio on VRBO, click the link. This link provides more information about the NPS Chirichua National Monument.

Source: The Arizona Weatherman, a seasoned meteorologist with over 25 years of experience in aviation meteorology with the United States Air Force, government contracting, and private practice, provides this forecast. His experience training Special Operations Weather Technicians (SOWT) in weather techniques and his state certification as a STEM teacher further underscore his expertise. His weather predictions are trustworthy.

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