Rocks and Stuff

It was a beautiful morning on the east side of Tortugas, and Research Associate Becca and I were enjoying the sights. I did some photography of rocks--don't know why. Here's one.

And a few more.

We ran into Rachel and her dog, Lacey, and before we knew it Lacey and Becca were hard at play.

Yuccas and their shadows.

Chihuahuan Desert flora, the Organ Mountains in the background.

Overcast Day

It was mostly cloudy on our hike around Tortugas this morning, but the cloud cover kept the temperatures moderate. Here's a long shot of El Paso del Norte (the Pass of the North), the gap between the Franklin Mountains (left) and the Sierra de Juarez, Mexico (right).

A view of the Organ Mountains southeast of Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Research Associate Becca doing research.

The road up the south face of Tortugas Mountain.

Patches of blue breaking out over Tortugas.

Late Start

Research Associate Becca and I got off a little late on the east side of Tortugas this morning, but even at 10:30 a.m. the weather was still chilly. Here's a look at the east face of the mountain--the steep trail leading up to the new observatory.

Becca saw a pack rat in this vicinity, and she went to take a closer look.

An interesting rock caught my attention, so I captured its better profile.

We saw a lot of deer tracks along the trail, but spotted no specimens.

The trail around the base of the mountain.

East Side, West Side

Another wintry front blew in while Research Associate Becca and I set off on the east side of Tortugas Mountain. This is what it looked like.

The wind was gusting to about 60 m.p.h., making the 36 degrees feel like 26. This is the angry cold front knocking on Tortugas's back door.

In the east, the sun broke through to highlight this section of the Organ Mountains.

We hadn't gone far when a blast of needle-like rain pelted us, followed by hail and snow. The sky looked ominous.

Not far from this point we turned around and aborted the hike. After returning to COC for an hour or so, we went back out to Tortugas and did a hike on the west side. Becca was ecstatic.

Spectacular Weather II

The Portillo Mountains on the southwestern horizon with a single cloud.

A little dusting of snow on the Organs.
Frosted Organs (yikes!).

A winding dirt road with Bishops Cap in the background.

Powdered sugar on the Organ Mountains.

Spectacular Weather

The cold front that blew in yesterday brought a little rain, a little snow, and lots of clouds to the Chihuahuan Desert. Here's a look at the Organ Mountains clothed in clouds.

The beautiful desert near the Organs.

The northeast side of Tortugas Mountain and environs.

The Franklin Mountains near El Paso.

Here's Desert Dog enjoying our outing.

Warm Before the Storm

Research Associate Becca and I were out early this morning, basking in the sunshine before the cold front rolled in, bringing much-needed rain. Becca was loving the weather.

This is one of the roads we hiked around Tortugas Mountain.

Typical Southwestern image of the Organ Mountains.

Two mountain bikers enjoying the spectacular weather.

Another desert photo of the Organs.