Trekking Near 9,000 Feet

Chicory

Dr. K, Becca and I got an early start as we headed up the mountain to do the Rim Trail section 3.  To reach the parking area you have to pull off the road to Sunspot, navigate a short section of rugged dirt road and find a spot under enormous Ponderosa Pines to leave your vehicle.  We did a two-hour hike without seeing another outdoor enthusiast.  Afterward we headed back to Cloudcroft and stopped at the Family Dollar store to buy four gallons of distilled water and a pint of Cherry Garcia for tonight's well-deserved dessert.

Just getting started on Rim Trail section 3

Penstemon

Not far from the meadow

Waiting for a good gust

Common Yarrow

Walking like Melania Trump

Mountain Parsley

I'm guessing Red-tailed Hawk

Honeysuckle

Looking up at the tree canopy

Looking down at the Tularosa Basin

View from 9,000 feet

Scouting the trail ahead

Some sort of symmetry

Pining for a cone

Old and new

Dr. K checking the elevation

Just shy of the 9,000-foot mark

Stand of young Aspens

Looking skyward

Definite lightning strike

Wild blue yonder

Trees, trees and more trees

Aspen bark

High-altitude arachnid

Forging ahead

Bending trees at a bend in the trail

Ancient trail marker

Vervain

New Mexico Locust

Like a freshly-popped kernel

Becca and Dr. K as we prepare to leave

Commander at the parking area

Back at the cabin it looked like rain

Bear Grass (Nolina) blooming on our property

Becca and Packrat