Crowds and the Mountain

Flexible discs stacked trailside 1/8th mile in

It was already crowded when I got out to the Sunset Area on Tortugas Mountain's west side this morning, in part because New Mexico State and UTEP (University of Texas-El Paso) are playing football at Aggie Memorial Stadium at 2:00 p.m.  Many of the vehicles parked along the entrance road bore Texas license plates.

Where I trekked into the outback there were no other people, but I could clearly hear kids screaming from the mountaintop--the preferred destination for visitors to the area.

Although I did some significant bushwhacking today I wasn't fortunate enough (like yesterday) to spot any fascinating critters, though I did encounter quite a few Jackrabbits and Desert Cottontails; and I should say, to be fair to rabbits and hares, that I find them quite fascinating as well.

"Chewed up" sandy area next to the discs

Crossing through an arroyo west of the mountain

This and the next:  west side of Tortugas Mountain

Hiking along the ridge west of the mountain

Soaptree Yuccas

Tortugas and the Organs

This and the next 2:  Torrey Yuccas