Clinging to the Rim

Long-distance view of an observatory from our place

Dr. K, Becca and I headed up to higher ground this morning in order to hike the first section of the Rim Trail just outside of Cloudcroft.  It was 27F with a wind chill of 19F at the start, but we warmed up fairly quickly.  The sun was shining in places between the pines, and there wasn't much of a wind until we reached the steep prominence overlooking White Sands National Monument; there the wind blew briskly for a while.  After our trek we went back into the village to dump garbage, pick up some supplies at Family Dollar and head over to the Western Bar package store to buy a six-pack of Happy Camper IPA, ABV 6.6%.

Becca in our driveway

Pumphouse

Some visitors to our property this morning

Female Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Sign at the Section 1 trailhead

Altitude at start

Young aspens

Becca leading the way

Always ahead of the pack

Rim Trail

Becca having fun on a long trek

She's way ahead of us now

Good spot for camping

Hurry up

Sierra Blanca, southern New Mexico's highest peak (11,981 feet)

Looking down

U-turn

Sierra Blanca's prominence is 5,533 feet

Sierra Blanca still has a slight snow cap

White Sands National Monument

Sierra Blanca again

One of many observatories in the Sacramento Mountains

View down from higher elevation

White Sands from about 9,000 feet

Back this way

Fallen tree

White trunk

Heading back

This is the way

Aspens and pines

Looking up an aspen

Trees

Waiting patiently

Grizzled old mountain hiker

View from the Haynes Canyon overlook

Haynes Canyon vista