Altered Plan

This and the next 8:  Soledad Rocks

Dr. K and I set off fairly early this morning to do a long hike in Soledad Canyon; unfortunately the BLM has reverted to winter hours and the road into the parking area was barred and wouldn't open for another 18 minutes.  Why they can't open the entrance at 7 a.m. year round is a gripe for another time; we simply drove down the mountain road to the parking lot at the Sierra Vista trailheads (south and north) and did a long trek on the "Norte."

During our outing we ran into a man hiking with his dog Luna, a runner who we encountered both going and coming, a man and woman trekking with their beautiful Husky (or Malamute) and, near the end of our hike, a friendly woman who stopped and engaged us in conversation after asking "How lucky are we?" to be hiking on a beautiful morning in the northern Chihuahuan Desert.

We got some good exercise on our trek and were treated to beautiful scenery.  What's not to like?

Sotol

Sotols and the Organ Mountains

Sotols along the Sierra Vista Trail

This and the next:  distant views of the Organ Mountains

Soapberry Trees near Black Mountain

Arroyo next to Black Mountain

Another Sotol

Chihuahuan Desert vista

Experiment

Barrel Cactus and the Organ Mountains

Deep gully

Barrel Cacti and Tortugas Mountain (top right)

Experiment #2

Just off the long loop trail

This and the next:  slender Sotol stalks

Sinuous hills and mountains

Who's perching atop this Sotol stalk?

It's a Cactus Wren

Jet over the mountains