What a Grand View!

Cloudy morning in the high country

It was an early start on the Grand View Trail this morning as Dr. K, Becca and I tried to beat the rain.  It was supposed to start at around 11 a.m., but it didn't.  The weather did stay cloudy and humid all during our ninety-minute trek, but now--just after 1 p.m.--the sun is shining brightly.  No doubt it will rain later, though, as the dew point is pretty high; lots of moisture in the air.  We ran into absolutely nobody on the trail, which is not surprising for a Tuesday morning, but it's always pleasant to have a whole section of Lincoln National Forest all to yourself.

Looked like rain over the Sacramento Mountains

Taken during Becca's morning constitutional

On our property

Somewhat stark B&W

Juniper berries

What's around that bend?

Looking back at the bend we just rounded

Fallen stack of boulders

It might be raining over White Sands

Almost positive this is Western Wallflower (Erysimum capitatum)

Dr. K and Becca

Dr. K and Becca again

Black-tailed Jackrabbit in the high desert

Along the Grand View Trail

New growth on a Three-leaf Sumac

Boulders and mountain

Allthorn flowers

Allthorn again

The long view

The cut

Opposite side of the cut

Cactus in rock

Cowboy

Let's see:  who peed where?

Tres amigos

Champ

Slightly Crowded Osha

This morning's moon

Left High Rolls early and drove up the mountain to the parking lot at the Osha Trail.  For much of our morning trek we saw no one, but at the midway point a young woman runner came up behind us and passed on a very narrow section of trail.  She apologized for surprising us, and we apologized for not hearing her approach.  She was a very quiet runner.  That was it until we had completed about seven-eights of the hike, and then we started encountering other outdoor enthusiasts, so many, in fact, that Dr. K said to me, "Grand Central Station."  It's still the summer tourist season in the Sacramento Mountains, and you can't blame people for seeking the cool alpine conditions.  The temperature was in the mid-60s for most of our trek.  After we finished it was a drive up to Cloudcroft, a stop at Family Dollar for some supplies, and a trip over to the Western Bar package store to buy a six-pack of Bud Light for Dr. K.

Morning in the high country

The muddy Osha Trail

Common Mullein in very wet ground

Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

View down canyon from the Osha Trail

Surveying the high country

Becca and Dr. K

Who wouldn't enjoy hiking the Osha Trail?

Plenty of greenery up here

Can you spot the hummingbird?

I see you

Another view of the trail

The Osha Trail is very narrow in places

Becca surveying the way ahead

What's keeping you?

B&W Osha

Three more images of the trail

Orange Sneezeweed?

Old-man-of-the-mountain?

Somebody built a teepee

Some type of ragwort

A lot different than the desert

Is this the beetles convention?