Coming Down

Looking into the Tularosa Basin from the Grand View Trail

We did an early morning hike on the Grand View Trail before returning to the cabin to finish packing for the trip down into the lower desert.  On our drive back to Las Cruces we saw the area near San Augustine Pass that had been closed due to massive flooding and mudslides caused by Sunday's incredible storm.  Crews were still out there bulldozing the shoulders of Highway 70.

We were anxious about what we'd find at our house, and our fears about part of the backyard fence coming down were made real when we discovered two major sections felled by the storm.  After eating a late lunch Dr. K and I went out to try putting the sections back in place.  We succeeded, but only on a rudimentary basis, essentially propping up the sections and tying them to other sections.  I'll have to call Dallas Hurt tomorrow and insist that his workers start replacing that stretch of fence as soon as possible.

Along the trail

The trail

What's growing out of the side of that cliff?

This:  a Hedgehog Cactus

Tree

Sotol

Burning bush

Cactus growing in rock

The burning bush again

Grass along the Grand View

Sotols

This & the next 3:  cactus in rock otra vez

Radici

This & the next:  junipers

Midway ramada

This & the next:  Frio, Dr. K and Willow

With sufficient rain grass will grow in the high desert

Peace

Peaceful valley

Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa)

This & the next:  Indian Paintbrush

This & the next:  Grand View Trail

Dead tree