![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_A7GQyu5z71Ky1SzJ2hEZlwlfWRbZWfhkY-XZwPv3jYqp-r1etG9HiZFq6c2n3NDYXM8BrlAX5Q_W3taR88Xz41ibrXpu_I2tGLjaOBGxuE-hTx-_V6E-H93PF4LIKvG0SjZpnMTXscc/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+001.JPG) |
An early start in the high country |
Dr. K, Becca and I set out for the Organ Mountains this morning to do a long trek on the Sierra Vista Norte Trail. Within a quarter mile we had removed our lightweight jackets, and I was hiking in short sleeves and shorts for the first time this year; it felt good to be unburdened of extra clothing. Because the weather was so beautiful on a Sunday we weren't surprised to encounter other outdoor enthusiasts on the trail; but not too many: a runner, a mountain biker, and a man and woman. Back at the parking lot a woman and man, their two horses and two dogs were standing near a horse trailer. They were all preparing for a long equestrian outing. One of the dogs--Buddy--came over to greet Becca, and they had a short, but sweet, hello before we took off for the lower desert.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT56QrSmWX6YCombFZuRL0txRhjd4x9OHyvbGwN8NHLE8C-Rxg9AbvFDD2UYF4UAe1PduJNZ0NOI4Fzudv68YFt5b7UWP3m_Alj9adTNhHTb21DD0JQbYdrXksxKcW2rPsRmc6O99LwbI/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+003.JPG) |
Sierra Vista Trail Norte ("Mountain View Trail North") |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_QkbUip9RF_MAIgpEGaTjtaZB1IJEFWbacXh2E0fbvH5xHUnbBHBAwI9KRnRLvGMxFe2uuslC_HZ7rfuTWIym_kmYZANBQYbhU93mbTrvDkuVCuisLBSah1DiXyVNnNB93q4nncMXzw/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+008.JPG) |
Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVpzuIRl-z3p3UDyi_JeDIDrAwYXnTgfEGB8Y2SED4JYqRLNYCAimQB-4Jc0Fq_DWGyNrdXCtQs5nOZuHMQwOc5sOBXGxy5KP697d_87mYJh6jEkV0gz2yJsLuqpfWG-L5LlXftAIjSg/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+013.JPG) |
Long shadows |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj9DJVafjtPdSGdh1kTS3QzcjjVAZwS1n0EqzKmmvtm_O1PuhlJJZac0LyO2LJtROcYVrGJEQrxQQKMyCeSjpPpoHm3DrXPC4duLf_uOpkgIkZ0nqdBLB1SZRmirsDjKapw85yyt4mAnY/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+016.JPG) |
Moon over a mountain |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwY96a57TaoLE2wB6HPEHaurbKLmyJ_qkcfv7E5AOpY2HwzNfiRhcsFYrL6k6CtjoWoJ6LX4sXtKUyuMHFTFdItpgn4A3aAJVJ0oFwILcPKOjl0PXD5oCT-V5WpEcJDf6W5o4E5Wzkc8/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+019.JPG) |
If you look up "rocky" in the dictionary this is what you'll see in the margin |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS_vGk2creg_TEXh6xYXphehHDOAVhL6YZcZlDJOfxm_-uzkYFFHGwp_FPio3QbMBvvjpNpbCbES3xNsqVwhjPfbYq9g_coa1bcOJnBMZEf6CyRHhvvqmVfBp6NKwg_dkInip2ScsFJ0Q/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+021.JPG) |
Varying shades of shadow |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfTaneNIX4eA5EeTKh5GWVTQKAntIUzQKxD-dRm5cWGPVi9m6-cOitpIT2Rdg2NZc2TQZphzbslVPz9EBXIlPe7l2vnveUa1zFYDQiX7_kS1Z5TgVyibJfqjHTDeswSPi9W3YQCjyxQI/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+023.JPG) |
Becca and a tall Sotol |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVL-PhjIKn5VZtvjf-hlkT8XKoX8JGbTdTZZZ16OtLslmfIbPRpA04kelf7z6PqAu-2skGiea6eMyhvbX6S8fWZMWeitxbbK1_NOaZ-0CTRoD5apDqIwDiCSMHB-eb9eOHFnbD8YepJ8/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+027.JPG) |
Sotol forest at the base of the mountain |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OAxw2yDT1AhV4JDgi487WckjxoRtOqG4RV9Xcm8zLeBCrNYyMIw0thD7ESigqefIJaCW4HMhoht7AabuciT8Qw4MHVcujygxNMjyGtmPx-I8kB7G17t9G4dYilGLEUynLEBYQ70voHQ/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+030.JPG) |
Yucca and the Organ Mountains |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7uCmlyRinK09dVryW4_SEbT1ZXyN0VMuHffZ9HfSdV496Ti0CkVAioG_a26TKoGUG4NqHjhHuzDFlLNRR29hcTKNRars-1SODjW4El0xsIIQ8C79Avo37GM-PmdqAFVwpB5B9pTaHWQ/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+035.JPG) |
Looking down on the village of Talavera and Tortugas Mountain |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQUYIGQf1oNX6aXEgn9qzD-fCc2q2gcr9USkVkOP0UPZE1b7dT1c3IaouemeFPbtLtypmdFx3cG5A5a4zV6r-e6VsUjuG1zZ-IhmnE8DbdX_adawYMlJ9BvHSUxDmcQz1idAR4nd7HS4/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+036.JPG) |
About to make a steep descent |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaBwod_w8kffV2K0vq3mCz5Gb7DS2XxiIr2BnkGm6eoI8brIXuUnF20ug1vsLKQxiUMmCGjn7_XfB1F6PC95KCTMKq_AXtTfixR2i7VDWK2nhnDHHfbZHW-CdUPX_8nArmn14NudIKpA/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+037.JPG) |
Heading into a deep valley |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGfk5upTY0X4jEx8pkuzvLpVa3xBSFPntgdXQyDAhFHx6QSJthr2LqYe_-rG5jRob5qws7TBkG3Wb4LeJ1a1_UbxRgC5n69Dvu-MwTySr2qFbknYW9RpKzzPiX5b4ZzpsaRp1_jlRPOs/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+038.JPG) |
It looks like Becca is heading out that utility road, but she's not |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyiWrmRkWufEIOWG0WwzMa961GLksHcC8G_B6khOHfFXARFWocaPTBUrokm_uQBXNmHdewomUNNIORlebSplk8FQXufptCmOXqzf8MQdyWvhFyS-wn018DowthF7q-iwX_doo6DdE5zs/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+046.JPG) |
Mountain biker riding a rugged single-track |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquKtQWu2JdCGXA6SGATFF5yk-fREPO8f8tdv0NhD1aZ-UMV63PsOdW_hFnmE7ndu1X0V2pQRdNVIfzcoRpVX3LZWf1nA5O-TTqtDVBxC8YTWj7ozeHQ2Dm3M5lq-7aTa2s5eXgh-i8a0/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+049.JPG) |
Narrow shade respite |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwybzOovuDFIK2XvvCpOfImhqeBdKBVIhMwJ-zRMzd4huBRU_4qXUEVCJQbVMswZl3HP5fMEl_fCoZ2IHYIsNq_Mh-M9j_bNqy4PwbM5gHV1JQO6b1LNu9ak5dAGaVohITmjux3Lm7Co/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+053.JPG) |
Becca and Packrat |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOF3JR24CfXcORDFn-7an38xznMjwdkEAqnNZ0VxGM2Y-E4sMBcPW7T5cwsPvf03FekMFlCla-7jPOvOQXSgHUZTAM7XdxxpHi2TcopFsRLHtLJjOvi2ckT4OOPaSFt7HgvB7jR3PN-Fk/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+057.JPG) |
Barrel Cacti in the high country |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYsOinbeFFNISpdKXEOTIdXPtMULTiSAtynyCWyD_CuVCDKJQ8zzjWOo1ljxXEsrHhT0knRFFdk2S9PgnXsvs-UKvQ7GQQQ2YpURjOJGAHfwjKj-JY4SfSUzTakrY783O86Nw8VrJWFs/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+058.JPG) |
Organ Mountains |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoXFmbxZrhGaDe9Qg1NsoWycN5hi2JRLLFm8chkiNnwOkEwB8w-vrgVB8_kapFCI23vfdSZtkHjZxo2Cebzo7OE8xX5G_BDewzNcnIaIKxMdQMk2md0OyZa2ScjW89qf5QiudQnzR2jY/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+063.JPG) |
Good photo of Becca and a Barrel Cactus (explain yourself, Dr. K) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEK38QNE59Uqm7tIJA2uuk5MkrFGiOpqIMijOZDutm1sLRL6-FCgJWo6wXAuUpD9H_U5xYwTHkXkT7RaI9LkIHAyPbzLKL9vk3LqZa_DN8Iv-rKJLXD4PsBGhQQfwsK1WT7QYTZ5MZKfg/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+066.JPG) |
Tableland loaded with Barrel Cacti |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8G6J3kWIjWs18KLd0g1i7gX6ebj0ou_DzRZXKJAWCQOGGZnDWGvKazQXt2XGsWs4XdtbxKW-ld3jC7pSB-c9G2i6kE8JbhHOXMTNwtGgg3xDExXTBPJ_tlFiyNJ6ShagkEVxKpiS0NLc/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+068.JPG) |
Organs |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKWmnV-312SWEY-dX3nBXWEjw1lklXkXMd_2OdEbRFvJJyAUdrIDlyxYv2hOpX5cxzLNbYesBlberrVgT1G5c8fR1DxB52we3YQ0hn92Hbh0OGM67deyPzvtINI_R0RuGHOyAIgzfdUI/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+076.JPG) |
The kind of bayonets you wouldn't want to stumble into |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGOqA8rSQw7ClrbvT0wfMu6IWonXH3o1r9ByE0UQJuWfMfRbqaXcxU_Yz6FSTWY6g2H3LdXzJLqmheAPlgDFn6Dp4INmHgOII3U-0QTOyAfRnT4w7BfDfus9kWpxXRL0iiYRQ85JOL-g/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+080.JPG) |
A swell swale |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivQk-ZtVWevXhQdidWlmeJu7kJMiP3PV-PyL8JbILpb5BlhQLXhVI2iMKyZxtAG3wrFKeBcDukqqV3wcDMzgGeKH7hPwQKfxy1iee6idkXTI4OlqdqWg4TMpw7r0mhzEtJnAlVjusOhQ/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+083.JPG) |
Don't jump! (Rock figure, center right) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGigkUkgoYOE5y9kg2QbZG_7GMiH4c16wOnyqWtl1499yCiNxrcScU-4gM-0GPbD-ukVxvKfvzi02mlnZxwl3kOHbddmwmXXg54j2eRp1P1IZtmw0AS4YnZrJRRfwTyw_QaFPqbkjf6UY/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+093.JPG) |
Returning to the trailhead |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwd-RZIUHM5DZNgq31zoL4B3e7-Yu5J5QN-eo5glGcPz-VwFywz-vcuW-ED7u1rdSfSiRsPIkjCkXITuPZk-N37JTkopwQ-8uZk4rGikozgUx-R9fAmws_WWBTXIgzn4ts25YQzlVJp00/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+096.JPG) |
How'd you like to live there? |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCORsJ7IsdjMPdwf4y_93Wjvs9IhhwrOo6qdJMlT2k-4FcV5Amqt4-gh9AG-EI_8D9NNmnPH_-fyOieXl_irtCDDuNGSKDdO7eHUJLXJdUPPf6g8SofjpPEupSi02u7JptdHD59YhirL4/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+103.JPG) |
Sotol with an attitude |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhah57VPELF679LerSXDCG94HlgO9fIBZe2jRayKY8M7uMAywKru5PcNdd55PEQNenGiy1181Vmajd7d05sDvFoJeG28jSzPYLysnqgS7VDZ27o9b5I4dmjy9Oq8MEf2Umrsb5WE4GptA0/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+104.JPG) |
Looks like a pile of boulders |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3K13Owkr8Gjpo2C5kXmA2J8oO1sn5vpOYTIBMO_d1Il0LTyQpiYGNO74zG9gfAxM4lb3qg-1dLBmolupauVyaJv9kxQEAVZb0uWRxake-u-OTpjCSwLAZGVc15BOtehkvkjEizHnij0/s400/Morning+on+the+Sierra+Vista+Norte+Trail+109.JPG) |
Yucca and the Soledad Rocks |