Eureka!

Hiking along the arroyo west of Tortugas Mountain

It was barely above 60 degrees Fahrenheit when Becca and I started our hike west of Tortugas Mountain, and it stayed that way for fully two-thirds of the trek.  When the sun did make an appearance it was weakened by cloud cover.  Today I had the good fortune of discovering yet another Nipple Beehive Cactus I must have passed a hundred times without seeing--this one off the Crosscut Trail about midway between the two opposite intersections of the major loop.  This Nipple Beehive was smaller than the other two I've discovered, but its flower buds were much larger, just on the brink of opening.  I hope they'll hold off until I can inspect them tomorrow.

Desert, Ocotillo, clouds, sky

View to the southwest

How deep is that gully?

Exploring on high

Organ Mountains

Slightly altered perspective

Ocotillo forest

Yellow-flowered Devil's Claw

Sandy desert scene

From here to there:  about 10 miles

Clouds over Tortugas

Becca behind a Nipple Beehive Cactus

Flower buds on said cactus

A plant Mr. Magoo would love:  Spectacle Pod

Flower buds on a newly-discovered Nipple Beehive Cactus

Hope I can see them in full blossom

An idea of why it was so cool this morning

Lineman school west of Tortugas Mountains (Doña Ana Mountains behind)

Barrel Cactus on the far side of an Ocotillo