Bar Canyon Loop

Heading into Soledad Canyon

Dr. K and I got into Soledad Canyon at 7:40 this morning and did the Bar Canyon Loop Trail.  There was already a group of hikers quite a bit ahead of us, but we never caught up to them.

When we had climbed into the upper reaches of the trail we stopped to let two guys pass, and I was surprised to discover one of them was Renee, the retired astronomer from the local university.  I introduced him to Dr. K, and he introduced us to his friend.  We chatted for a few minutes before they moved on.

On our way out of the canyon we encountered quite a large number of people coming in.  Can't blame folks for getting out to appreciate nature, and weather conditions for us all were nearly perfect:  60F with much lower humidity than yesterday and a light breeze to cool the effects of the constant sunlight.  We got a good workout climbing into the mountains this morning, and I got a lot of good images for the blog.

Soledad Canyon Trail

On the Bar Canyon Trail looking back

This and the next 2:  Bar Canyon Loop Trail

Jet over The Chimney

Heading upward toward these formations

Sunlight breaking through

Organ Mountains

Having gained elevation, looking back to the gap through which we came

We just came this way and . . .

. . . we're headed this way

Sun through a notch

Huge Sotol at altitude

You can just barely see two distant hikers, one of whom I know

There's that butte

Globemallow

Headed out