Monte Vista Morning Hike

Cloud snaking over the Organs

When Becca and I drove past the Sunset side of Tortugas Mountain early this morning several cars ahead of us were pulling in; the parking lot and sides of the entrance road were already loaded with vehicles.  I don't know what was going on, but I was glad we were heading for the Monte Vista side of the mountain.  Zero cars in the parking lot there, and during our trek we saw only distant mountain bikers--who Becca spotted from about two miles away--and two hikers on the loop trail who were back where we had been a half hour earlier.  There were four or five vehicles in the parking lot when we reached the spot along the entrance road where I always park Whitey so as to avoid unnecessary interaction with other outdoor enthusiasts.  All we had to do was wave to a few people who were driving in when we were getting ready to drive out.  Well, I waved, Becca just looked on in mild interest.

That shadow

Cloud/Organs

Contrails and rock outcrops

Yuccas on the slope of Tortugas Mountain

Village of Talavera

Gaucho hat on the Organs?

The way we came

I guess these clouds over the mountains fascinated me

See?

Torrey Yuccas on the south slope of Tortugas

Boulders that have rolled down from the mountain

Good trail to take

Becca leading the way

Still in the lead

Little yucca forest

Becca on break

Backlit yucca and the trail

What do those clouds say about the wind?

Becca southeast of Tortugas Mountain

Organ Mountains

Contrails over Tortugas Mountain

Closer look

Two trails diverged in a desert spot

Head of a sleeping baboon?

Foothills Friday

Rainbow was so faint I had to adjust the image saturation

The Beckster and I got an early start on our morning jaunt west of Tortugas Mountain, and we were not surprised to see other outdoor enthusiasts already there; the weather was quite beautiful--mid-40s with partly cloudy skies and no wind.  We headed straight for the upper foothills where I spent a little extra time photographing the dynamic clouds.  While we were up there we saw a hiker and two runners heading up the mountain road and, later, a guy with a black dog who came up behind us before detouring to the road.  We've seen the latter two before, and the guy is very friendly.  His dog not so much.  Good thing the human keeps the canine on a lead at all times.  I sometimes wonder if his dog would be less aggressive off lead; some dogs are more territorial when they're tethered to their guardians.  Best not to find out, though, I guess. :)

Dynamic clouds this a.m.

More clouds

Zoomed-in clouds

Looking southwest otra vez

Can't get enough of these clouds

Becca heading into the high foothills

Narrow foothills trail

Cigar clouds

Cresting out

Crazy clouds to the north

40 miles as the crow flies to the Franklin Mountains near El Paso, Texas

Prickly Pear and Ocotillos

A little Devil's Head hiding among the rocks

This way to the mountaintop road

There she is starting back

The way we just came

Two views of Las Cruces

#2

Leading the way

A pause to look back

Chopper

Can't quite make out the writing beneath the blades

Switchback up the mountain

What's that at the top right edge of the yucca?

It's a White-winged Dove

Part of The City of the Crosses and Picacho Peak

Getting close to the trailhead

Becca and her shadow

Soaptree Yucca family