Winter's Return

West of Tortugas Mountain

It was 26F when Becca and I left home this morning, with a wind chill of 21F.  It sure felt like winter had made a sudden return to the northern Chihuahuan Desert.  One redeeming quality of the weather, though, was the steady sunshine that greeted us on the west side of Tortugas Mountain.  After a short while I was able to remove my gloves and lower the hood of my coat, both actions helpful in snapping the multitude of photos I always like to take.  We did a lot of bushwhacking on our exploration today, and we were rewarded with the discovery of one extra-tall Torrey Yucca in an arroyo in the western foothills of the mountain.  Its access to ample rainwater runoff explains its stature, but I still was surprised to find one that big.  By the time Becca and I got back to the CR-V the days was starting to warm up nicely.

Heading through an arroyo while bushwhacking

Soaptree Yuccas in the arroyo

Becca up on the ridge line

Can't tell from this image, but this is a 40-foot dropoff

That trail up the western side of the mountain

The desert is not flat everywhere

Becca and me

Up on the plateau

One of the largest Torrey Yuccas we've ever come across: 18-to-20 feet

A look at the yucca from the other side

A couple shots of Becca near the yucca

#2