Sunday Scramble

Starting from the Monte Vista side of Tortugas Mountain

After a long hike starting from the eastern side of Tortugas Mountain--during which we did a little bushwhacking--we ran into our pal Jimmy who suggested that, if we had time, we might want to take a ride out Dripping Springs Road and Baylor Canyon Road to see the progress the county has made on improvements to those two roadways.  We had time so we took an extended drive to check out the roadwork, which was quite impressive.  On our return we swung through Dripping Springs Natural Area, which is now part of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument to get some closeups of the rugged mountains and La Cueva Rocks.

Huge boulders on the east side of the mountain

Down a steep trail into a Creosote Bush forest

Ocotillo blossoms

Closeup of the first flower

Ocotillo buds

Odd torpedo cloud over Tortugas Mountain

Meager shade for a break

Headed back toward Tortugas

A little bushwhacking in search of plants

Senna flower

That cloud is becoming ever more ominous

Not bullet holes (I hope)

White Tackstem and seedhead

Long way around the mountain

Organ Mountains from Baylor Canyon Road

Another shot of the Organs from Baylor Canyon Road

Windmill and solar panels on Baylor Canyon Road

The road into Dripping Springs

West side of La Cueva Rocks and the Organ Mountains

La Cueva Rocks and the Organs