The Vista on Sierra Vista

Hiking here this morning

Dr. K, Becca and I did a long trek in the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument this morning, heading south along the Sierra Vista Trail (aka the "Sierra Norte Trail).  Not long after we started we heard a pack of Coyotes howling their heads off, but we never saw the canids.  Other than a few rabbits we saw no other mammals, not even of the human kind.  Nearly a two-hour hike without seeing other people.  Nice!  That may sound antisocial, but so what?  Misanthropic?  Perhaps.

Yuccas and the Organ Mountains

Hiking away from the Jeep

Clouds hanging over the Organs

A slight wind is moving the clouds about

9,000 feet of rugged mountain

Becca having a blast

Shadow and light

Last night's rain deposited snow in the Organ Mountains

Dolly Parton napping in the desert

Rolling hills and sheer mountain face

Mother and child reunion

Single Barrel

Tortugas and, on horizon, Florida Mountains near Deming (61 miles away)

Below us and quite a distance ahead

More clouds moving in

Tres amigos

Clouds blanket the mountain

Barrel Cactus and the Organ Mountains

High-elevation grassland

Highest peaks in the Organ Mountains (8900-9000 feet)

Mary Shelley hiked here

Her creation

Tree in the Organs

Becca exploring a high mountain arroyo

Canyon Wren

Yucca/wren/moon

Yucca/moon

Sotol and moon

Moon catcher

Snow on the peak

New blanket of clouds

Barrel Cactus and chicks (actually a small Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus)

Back at the Jeep

Camping in spectacular surroundings