Bushwhack Deluxe III

Soaptree Yucca in the sun

I planned to do some serious bushwhacking today, but I got carried away--searching for coyotes, javelinas, foxes, deer, and a peccary skull I chanced upon years ago, but haven't been able to discover again (even though I placed it in a secure location under a yucca root system).

Of course I saw none of these critters, nor any of the human variety, until I was on my way back in.  While climbing the single-track back to the mountain I encountered a guy hiking with his Chihuahua; the most well-behaved Chihuahua I'd ever met.  The man and I spoke for about ten minutes; he and his pup are down from Montana to spend the winter here in the Chihuahuan Desert.

I was surprised by the high number of vehicles along the entrance road to the Sunset Area when I finished up, especially since I saw only one other hiker on the road to the mountaintop.

Just west of the mountain

This and the next:  desert sentinels

Deformed Soaptree Yucca stalk resembles a snake

Nothing to lose your head over

This and the next:  Cactus Wren

Doing some serious bushwhacking

Soaptree Yucca

This and the next:  Tortugas Mountain and the Organs

Anybody home?

Fox-size den

Tortugas Mountain Observatory

This and the next 2:  artsy yucca and moon

This and the rest:  American Kestrel