Just Beyond the Hump

Trail from the Sunset Area ramada

Becca and I got a bit later start this morning, but it was five degrees colder than when we started yesterday.  It warmed up rapidly, though, under mostly sunny skies, and I had to remove my light jacket about a quarter of the way into our hike.  We're headed for a high of 74F today, and it was springlike out there.  There were vehicles in the Sunset Area parking lot, but we didn't see nor encounter anyone west of the mountain during our trek.  Becca enjoyed herself, though the length of her tongue hanging out was a good indication of how much warmer it was here in the northern Chihuahuan Desert.  I think we have a cool down coming in the near future, and that's always good when you're poised on the brink of sunny/hot days.

Steep trail up the mountain

Along the flank

On the "new" trail

Does this piece of yucca look like turtle or grouse?

The long view

In a well-traveled arroyo

Tortugas and the Organs

Over at the lineworkers' grounds

Pole/sky/observatory/mountain

Mountain/sky/observatory

Poles