Saturday on the Mount

Starting out from Monte Vista

Becca and I went to the far side of Tortugas Mountain this morning because there was a lot of activity on the near side; the Sunset Area parking lot was completely full.  There was nobody at the Monte Vista area, neither at the start of our hike nor its end.  We saw six mountain bikers enjoying the sunny, but brisk, weather, though we crossed paths with only three.  Our most interesting close encounter (and it wasn't that close) was with a young Mule Deer buck that fled immediately upon seeing us back near the major arroyo behind the mountain.

Up Tortugas Mountain's north slope

Prickly Pear growing in rock

Back behind the mountain

Similar pose, different point on the trail

Sinuosity

Becca spots something down in the valley

Bird in a yucca

Bending around the mountain

Mountain bikers taking a break

Without the telephoto lens

Far point of the hike

Young Mule Deer buck running away from Becca and me

Trail to the Organ Mountains

Parked in the Monte Vista area