Dynamic Day

Clouds hanging low over Tortoise Mountain

It was still raining this morning after a night of rain, but the precipitation stopped just before Becca and I went out for a hike near Tortugas Mountain.  Weather conditions were cloudy and cool with very high humidity.  We did a moderately-long hike and were able to capture some good images of the dynamic vistas.  Quite a few other people were out on this Saturday morning, but we had only one close encounter with a mountain biker.  I had to whisk-broom the mud off my boots when we returned to the car.

Devil's Head about to bloom

It's been years since I've seen the Ocotillos this "fuzzy" with leaves

Always on the alert

There's a mountain biker riding up the trail

The cloud-covered Organ Mountains behind a green desert

Tortugas Mountain (left) and the cloud-shrouded Organs

A very tall Ocotillo

On the road around the mountain

A desert still soaked from last night's rain

Ocotillo forest

A new blossom on a healthy-looking Ocotillo

Velvety Nerisyrenia (most common species of mustard)

City of Las Cruces with the Robledo Mountains

"Humid" Doesn't Quite Describe It

Becca sees Jimmy hiking up the road to the top of Tortugas Mountain

With the sun shining brightly this morning the full force of the humidity was evident.  Not surprisingly, the local weather reporters are predicting rain for later today.  We ran into Jimmy near the Sunset Parking lot where, unlike yesterday, there were only a few vehicles.  We hiked with Jimmy to the road leading to the mountaintop, where we parted company.  When we were heading back we linked up with him again near the same spot, hiking back to the parking area together.  

Desert greenery

Becca spots a woman jogger about to round a bend in the trail

Hazy view of the Organ Mountains

On the outer loop road

This Black-throated Sparrow had a big song

Sandy desert floor

Hot dog digging into the cool, wet sand

Rainy Spell

Hiking along the northern side of Tortugas Mountain

We had tremendous storms last night:  tumultuous thunder, lightning strobing the sky, near gale-force winds, and rain.  This morning it was so humid that, despite the overcast and cool temperature, I was perspiring before we'd gone a quarter mile.  We had to go to the midsection parking area of the northern side of the mountain because the Sunset Side was the most crowded I've ever seen it.  I literally couldn't find a place to park, neither in the lot itself nor on either side of the dirt road leading in from Dripping Springs Road.

A cloud blanket carelessly tossed across the Organ Mountains

Trail into the higher reaches

One of many puddles left by the storms

Talk about low-hanging clouds!

A bigger puddle with mountain reflection

Looking up a draw (we've hiked to the top of Tortugas this way)

The eastern flank

Heading down into the lower reaches

The Organ Mountains peeking through a veil of clouds

Steamy

I'm at a loss to explain what happened to 2/3 of the cactus on the right

Sixty-nine degrees with 91% humidity when we hit the trail around Tortugas Mountain this morning.  Even a consistent breeze didn't help to ameliorate the soupy conditions.  We did a semi-long hike out into the outback, but we were definitely second-guessing our decision to go so far.  (I'm giving Becca credit for thoughts she probably doesn't have.) The first image here presents a puzzle:  the Hedgehog Cactus on the right has two-thirds of its mass missing, but I can't imagine a scenario about how it could go missing that way.

Mesquite growing in a mound of Hedgehog Cactus

Time for a break

Looking green: an Ocotillo about twelve feet tall

Across the desert to the cloudy Organ Mountains

Hedgehog Cactus and Becca's butt

You can see the moisture in the air

A stand of Ocotillos (Oh-co-TEA-yoes)

Observatory atop Tortoise Mountain

Hedgehog Cacti and Ocotillos

Becca finds shade even where there is none

Beautiful Mountain Morning

We expected more of the same when Becca and I hit the trail around Tortugas this morning, but we were surprised by the pleasant conditions:  it actually felt rather cool, in part because of the constant breeze.  We had one encounter with the Slow Jogger, a woman who jogs so slowly that I nearly can keep pace with her while walking; yet, given time she manages to outpace us by quite a distance.  On the drive home Mike McKay--local DJ--said it was 74 F with 67% humidity.  That didn't last; we're headed for 94 F today.