The Other Side

On the north side of Tortugas Mountain

The near side of Tortugas Mountain was packed when Becca and I drove by early this morning heading for the other side.  Surprisingly there were already three vehicles in the Monte Vista parking lot when we got there.  It was hot during our moderately long trek, but we took plenty of shade and water breaks.  In fact, the first shade break lasted quite a while because Becca was enjoying her respite in the shade of a Torrey Yucca, and I saw no need to cut it short.  We saw two runners in the distance, one a guy jogging with his dog, but we encountered only a mountain biker when we were seven-eights of the way through our hike.  Five vehicles were in the parking lot upon our return.

9-inch Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus

Around the back side of the mountain

Pause while heading west

There's a cure for hot dogism

It's this

Pretty far off the beaten path

Southeast side of the mountain

Wide trail

How many yuccas are there?

Feather dance?

One way up the mountain

Closeup of a yucca

From another perspective

Long view beyond

Shady respite

Single-track south of the mountain

More yuccas

This and the next 5:  more Barrel Cactus buds and flowers