Unintended Bushwhack

Massive boulders on Tortugas's east side

Becca and I headed over to the Monte Vista side of Tortugas Mountain this morning for a longer-than-usual trek.  Because of a large boulder I wanted to get a close look at we ended up doing an unplanned bushwhack over some pretty sharp rocks.  Becca never complained, but I checked her paws carefully once we got out of the rockier area to make sure her pads came out unscathed.  They had.  We had close encounters of the third kind with six runners on the main trail, but didn't see one other hiker when we were bushwhacking into territory we'd not explored before.  When we got home I checked Becca's paws again to make sure I hadn't overlooked anything.  She seems good to go. 

Happy to be out on a Saturday morning trek

Torrey Yuccas on a plateau southeast of the mountain

Trekking along a narrow path on the plateau

B&W #1

#2

Torrey Yuccas and the Organ Mountains

Ms. Becca

I've never seen a jagged boulder sheared off like this.  Human cut?

The way we just came

Further along the way we just came

#3

#4

Village of Talavera at the base of the Organ Mountains

Prickly Pear amidst boulders

Some places in the desert are relatively easy to bushwhack through

Becca bushwhacking into new territory

Distant look at the Organs

Our bushwhacking is nearly at an end

Distant single-track (lower center)

Large arroyo south of Tortugas Mountain

A dirt road worth traveling

Two color and one B&W closeups of the mountain

#5