Part Way up the Mountain

Raindrops like Christmas lights

It was partly cloudy, breezy and chilly this morning when Becca and I made it out to Tortugas Mountain.  Because the moving clouds made for dynamic conditions around the Organ Mountains we took a different route in order to climb about a quarter of the way up Tortugas's northern face to take some photos.  As we descended the mountain we saw JC and Olivia pull into the area, and we bumped into them at the base.  Talked for a few minutes before going our separate ways.

Clouds over Tortugas Mountain

View up the slope

Rainy day desert

Part of Las Cruces and the mountain called "Picacho"

Clouds pressing down on the mountain

Becca spots hikers climbing the mountain

Another foggy view of Las Cruces and Picacho Peak

Cruising along the north side of the mountain

Organ Mountains nearly completely blanketed in clouds

Another view of the Organs in clouds

Steep northern slope of Tortugas with Organs in the background

Torrey Yuccas in sunlight

Fog at the base of the Organ Mountains

On the north side of the mountain

Vast desert as seen from the northern slope of Tortugas Mountain

Torrey Yuccas and the distant Organ Mountains

Becca spots a photographer who stopped at the side of Dripping Springs Rd.

I rather like this sun-blemished image

Heading back the way we came

Huge Torrey Yucca

The Sunset Area parking lot (quite a few cars for a Monday morning)

The embedded "tortuga" (turtle) near the Sunset Area ramada