Before the High Winds

Soaptree Yucca shaped like a headdress

We got in a long, fairly pleasant hike with added bushwhacking before the high winds picked up today.  Heelers got a cumulative grade of B because they were overly distracted about the woman who walks with her dirty Bassets coming down LDR while we were descending LDR-A arroyo.  I had to restrain Willow (especially) and Frio a bit too strenuously for my liking.  Otherwise they were well behaved, even staring at a rapidly fleeing jackrabbit without trying to launch themselves in pursuit.

We did a little bushwhacking this morning, climbing the hill just east of Left Branch Arroyo before walking north along a ridgeline.  Photos #6 through #11 are taken from that vantage point.  After dropping down from the ridge we headed back into Left Branch Arroyo before crossing over to the middle branch, which we followed to the intersection with the right branch.

From there it was up Right Branch Arroyo and out by following the trail over the steep hill into the upper flatland.

Solitary Soaptree

Prickly Pear

A bit of artsy B&W?

White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)

This & next 2:  succeedingly less distant views of the Organs

An arroyo we often explore

Tortugas and the Organ Mountains

Faint line running across center is the Tellbrook Arroyo

Hedgehog Cactus

Frio and Willow crossing from the left to middle branch