Another Grand View Hike

Faint rainbow over the Sacramento Mountains

Dr. K, Becca and I got an early start this morning so we could hike the Grand View Trail and get back to our place to do yard work before it started getting too hot.  It was 72F when we got to work trimming, raking and dealing with fallen dead pines that had toppled fairly close to our road.  We also had to deal with the nearly-dead remnant of our gorgeous young Chinese Elm tree which the elk almost completely destroyed.  I trimmed it in hopes that it will make a comeback, but I'm not holding my breath.  About a year ago I finally removed the wire mesh from around the elm because I thought it had grown big enough to survive.  I was wrong.  Yesterday evening we got a look at the possible suspects who destroyed the tree:  six elk cows and an enormous bull with an antler rack that appeared to be over three-and-a-half feet.

Becca near the pumphouse

For a while it looked like it might rain

Sacramento Mountains from High Rolls

Where the Sacramento Mountains slope into high desert

In the juniper/pinyon pine elevation range

About 6200' here

Daisies

Photobombed by sunbeams

Indian Paintbrush

Dr. K and Becca

Becca making her way through the cut

Stone lizard?

Midway ramada

Bottom reads "Trinity Site (Behind these); top Oscura Mts

White Sands

Trekking along the Grand View Trail

Becca is enjoying herself in the cooler temperatures

Apache Plume flower

In shadow much of the way

Apache Plume

From a distance it looked like a Curve-billed Thrasher, but it isn't

Daisies

Daisies