Downpour on the Mountain

Partly cloudy start

The storms weren't supposed to reach us until 1:10 a.m. today, but the heavy downpour came at 11:00 p.m. last night.  When Becca and I got out to Tortugas Mountain this morning it was obvious that the rain had fallen even harder there.  Many of the trails were cut deeply by rainwater runoff.  The section pictured in the fifth from the last image was especially deep.  Coming up this incline presented really difficult footing.  Meteorologists are predicting more rain for tonight.

The rainwater flowed heavily down the mountain

Grading Geothermal Road already

Starting to look sunny

Sunshine on my shoulders . . .

Somewhat foggy in the distance

A very green desert

Water coursed through here

and through here

Fog at the base of the Organ Mountains

Clouds come and go

Tortugas (Tortoise) Mountain from the west

Rainwater coursed down this arroyo from the mountain

You can gauge how heavily it ran through here

White-lined Sphinx larva

These White-lined Sphinx caterpillars were abundant this morning

Rain through this arroyo cut the trail deeply

You can tell the rainwater rushed down this decline

Runoff deeply gouged this section of trail

Were they grading early because the dirt was wet and malleable?

Barrel Cactus flowers

Closeup

What color are these flowers?  Orange?  Tangerine?