Heat Respite

Headed out of the Sunset parking area

Becca and I got a really early start on the west side of Tortugas Mountain this morning in order to beat the desert heat, although it turned out we didn't have to do so because it was cloudy and cool during most of our hike.  We started from the Sunset Area parking lot, trekked up the western face of the mountain until we hit the trail that crosses the high flank from north to south.  Then we dropped back down into the lower desert and followed a familiar route along the western side of Tortugas, back up into the high foothills and then down to the outer loop road, heading north until we struck east back up into the high foothills.  From there we followed the trail north along the west side of the mountain back to our car.

At the brink of an old quarry

Evidence that quarry men worked here

Sniffing around on higher ground

Ocotillos and a Torrey Yucca

Along the upper flank of Tortugas

Mesilla Valley vista

We heard thunder in the distance

Headed south on the flank of the mountain

View west from a higher elevation

Picacho beyond the city of Las Cruces

Strawberry Pitaya on the rocky slope

The way we came down the mountain

Strawberry Pitaya all over the mountain

Blooming profusely all over again

Storms are in the forecast for today

Pitaya

On the high foothills trail

Las Cruces and the Robledo Mountains

Normal millipede behavior or is it just happy to see me?

Break time!

Tortugas Mountain from the west

Abundant desert flora

Doña Ana Mountains

Through the Ocotillo Forest once again

Interesting clouds over the Organ Mountains

Turtle icon near the Sunset Area ramada