All For One and One For All

Just getting started west of Tortugas Mountain

The strong winds we've been having the past few days did not abate overnight, so Dr. K, Becca and I decided to head over to the Sunset side of Tortugas Mountain for our morning hike.  As soon as we spotted our first Claret Cup cactus in bloom I suggested we bushwhack across desert hills and dales to check up on the huge Claret Cup Hedgehog I've been monitoring for years.  It's in fine form, set to have a record number of flowers if the buds survive consumption by rodents.  After I took many photos we all got back on the single-track headed east up the mountain, took a left at the new trail, and then followed the narrow path across the flank before detouring up to the road, where I photographed a stand of blossoming yuccas.  After a brief stop we followed the road down to the intersection with the trail that leads back to the Sunset Area.  The nice thing about our morning trek was we were able to avoid the worst of the wind.

A trail up the mountain

Torrey Yucca in flower

Leading the way

Going to be spectacular

Becca the bushwhacker

Brief, sandy respite

Backlit Ladderback

Same woodpecker

We came especially to see this

This and the next 5:  flowers from the above Claret Cup Cactus

Popweed and Prickly Pear

Black-throated Sparrow in song

Incredible number of yuccas in bloom all over the desert

Backlit yucca

Three flower stalks

Headed back past this beauty

Bifurcated Torrey Yucca

Crowns with flowers