Deer in the Organs

Up on the first plateau

Dr. K and I took the Jeep Commander and drove out Dripping Springs Road east to Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument.  We chose the lower Sierra Vista Trail to do a hike.  There were a few campers in the campground and a mountain biker just starting off.  He and two other mountain bikers were the only people we encountered during our trek.

Rather than follow the main trail over toward Black Mountain we took the first single-track that heads straight out to the Organs.  The weather was beautiful:  slightly cool with abundant sunshine.  That wasn't the only thing that delighted us during our outing; in the distance to the north we spotted a small herd of Mule Deer.  I captured a few images of them before they disappeared.

We put quite a few miles on our old bones this morning, and later returned home no worse for wear.

This and the next:  the most fruit I've ever seen on a Pencil Cholla

Send in the clones

Barrel Cactus and the Organ Mountains

Another Barrel in three acts

A couple of Barrels

Four Barrel Cacti and two impostors

Organ Mountains

This and the next:  Sotol with three flower stalks

Barrel Cactus with little brother

Another Sotol with flower stalks

American Kestrel

From here to the mountains

Getting closer

Mamas, babies and a buck (I think)

Where's Buck?

Mule Deer nuclear family

Where'd everybody go?

Deep chasm

Up close and personal

Heading away from the Organs

Crissal Thrasher

A nice pair:  Barrel Cactus and Mormon Tea

The same Crissal Thrasher

Roll out the Barrels--cacti, that is