Several Hours in Soledad Canyon

Dr. K, Becca and I decided it was time for a visit to Soledad Canyon, on the west side of the Organ Mountains.  We spent several hours hiking in the high desert, having the entire canyon to ourselves.  The weather cooperated fully, even though when we started out it was quite windy.  The wind settled down, the sun shone brightly, and the temperature was in the high 40s.  At one point Becca was staring up canyon as if she had sensed something really interesting.  We saw nor heard nothing, and I wondered idly if she had picked up the scent of a big cat.

Dr. K and Becca

Becca and Packrat

Our regular stomping grounds, Tortugas Mountain (upper left)

Old homesteader's rock cabin

A Windy Hike

Jet contrail over Tortugas

If it hadn't been for a high wind our hike would have been fine this morning.  But a constant wind kept the chill factor low, and we cut our trek a little short.  Nevertheless, we both enjoyed our time in the outback, seeing only two other hikers, both men with dogs.  No close encounters, though.

The high wind forced this balloon to touch down sooner than planned

Lots of jet activity

Staring across a vast expanse of desert

Getting Back to Normal

In the high foothills

We've almost returned to normal temperatures now, and it felt great to be out and about in the Chihuahuan Desert.  We saw quite a few sentient beings during our trek, including three Mule Deer who we accidentally sneaked up on while they were browsing.  When they saw us they took off, bounding rapidly across the desert floor like kangaroos.  We were able to follow their tracks in the soft sand, but we never saw the animals again.

Torrey Yucca and Tortugas Mountain

Looking at the Organ Mountains

Fairly-fresh deer scat

Becca and assorted desert flora

The long view

Another hiker and his dog

There's a Mule Deer in there.  See it?

Two Mule Deer butts

Warming Trend

In the Tortugas Mountain foothills

It was a little cold when we started off, owing to a persistent wind.  But the wind stopped, and the temperature began to rise.  Soon I had my hood down and my gloves off.  It began to feel very much like the Chihuahuan Desert we know and love.  While in the outback Becca stared into the distance across a wide arroyo.  Just for the heck of it I took a photo of the area where she was looking.  When I got home and blew the image up I saw the three Coyotes who had attracted Becca's attention.  They appear to be hunting something, perhaps Jackrabbits.

Becca in the outback

Tortugas (left) and the rugged Organ Mountains

The image I took following Becca's gaze

The area where she saw activity

Three coyotes on the hunt

What An Eye!

In an arroyo west of Tortugas Mountain

Not only does Becca have a terrific sense of smell, but her eyesight is incredible.  This morning in the outback she spotted a small herd of Mule Deer, and it took me a good two minutes--staring right over her head--to see what she was looking at.  With my FujiFilm 10X digital camera the deer still seemed really distant.  It wasn't until I got home and blew the images up on my photo-editing program that I could see the animals clearly.  It was cold out there this morning, but not nearly as bad as yesterday.

Becca heading down the arroyo

Bushwhacking across the desert floor

Barely-visible single-track trail heading toward the mountain

The Mule Deer Becca spotted (at 10X telephoto lens)

Closeup of deer (young doe at right)

Adolescent doe at left

Heading out

Arctic Blast!

Just starting off

I heard a meteorologist this morning say that an Aleutian high pressure ridge had forced a mass of Arctic air down into the desert Southwest.  And, boy, did it feel like the Arctic--not that I've ever been there.  It wouldn't have been quite so bad had the wind not been howling.  I took only a few photos because it was just too darned cold.  I was eager to get back to the car after an abbreviated hike, but Becca would have stayed out there all day.

Dressed for the cold:  hooded coat over heavy vest, canine fur coat

Devil's Claw

We Saw Deer, Dear

Starting out on Tortugas's west side

Another really cold start this morning--18 F.  About midway into the hike it started to feel warmer, but the wind picked up and put the kibosh on that sensation.  Behind the mountain we came upon a small herd of Mule Deer.  Of course, Becca spotted them way before I did.  They were very curious, but not threatened at all because of the distance between us.  It's always a treat to see these majestic animals browsing in their native Chihuahuan Desert.  

Mule Deer behind the mountain

Two individuals in a small herd

Four curious individuals

Far enough away to make fleeing irrelevant

Major arroyo west of Tortoise Mountain

Becca trying to surprise Mule Deer