Very Cold Start

Becca at work inspecting a bush

Although the images here may suggest a warm northern Chihuahuan Desert, this morning was anything but warm.  When Becca and I first went out it was 24 F with a windchill of 14.  As we walked along the west side of Tortugas, in the shadow of the mountain, I had to put my gloved hand over my face several times to warm it up and to create air I could breathe without difficulty.  Oddly, though, as soon as we crested out of the valley into the sun the wind died, and the temperature rose significantly.  After our lengthy hike we did the entire inner loop hike with JC and Shaque.

The staunch wind kicks up a cloud of dust

From the high foothills to the lower desert

Shadow in a deep arroyo

Looking back to see someone on the mountain

Straight shot across the desert

Hot-air ballooning on a cold day

Yet another photo of Becca

 Had to add these photos of a Ladderback Woodpecker on our Desert Willow

In the High Foothills

The Sierra Vista Trail

It was rather a raw winter morning in the Chihuahuan Desert when Dr. K, Becca and I started hiking on the Sierra Vista Trail.  The wind was blowing strongly and the clouds filtered the sunlight.  It felt better as our bodies warmed from physical exertion.  But in several places--notably in deep washes--the temperature was at least five degrees cooler; that's because cold air from the mountains sinks into the arroyos and runs downhill like a frigid river.  Back at the trailhead we ran into an old friend, Dave, and his dog, Varmint.

Becca is eager to get moving

Forging ahead

Bureau of Land Management marker

Some people live right at the base of the Organ Mountains

How far did we come?  Take note of the small hill at left

Sotol (aka "Desert Spoon") is a member of the Lily family

A large patch of Prickly Pear Cactus

Remember the small hill?  The parking lot is just this side of it

We Meet at Last!

Looking down the road that leads up Tortugas Mountain

It seems like several years now since my friend Scott over at "It Just Comes Naturally" (itonlycomesnaturally.blogspot.com) told me he had a student whose aunt hiked at Tortugas Mountain all the time.  The niece said her aunt had two dogs, a little white one and a larger black one.  In all the years I've hiked there I had never bumped into her--until today.  She was parked right behind my car, and when I introduced myself we had a good laugh.  "Small world," the aunt said.  Seems her niece has graduated from college and is working in Pittsburgh.

Mormon Tea (left)

Shaque and JC

Brink of the Weekend

Cactus Wren

January 3rd in the Chihuahuan Desert.  While other parts of the country--primarily the Midwest and the East Coast--are struggling under a crippling snowstorm, we here in the desert Southwest are heading for a high of 57 degrees Fahrenheit.  That's pretty sunny and warm considering the temperatures back east.  Having lived in the snow belt of northeastern Ohio growing up, please understand I'm not lording our lovely weather over them; just enjoying what we have here now.

Trail along the upper foothills

Outer loop road

Looking back toward Tortugas and the Organs on the outer loop

Wind-shredded seed pod on a Soaptree Yucca stalk

Striking back up into the mountain

If you have problems here's a truck for you

My cabin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just Over the Hump Hike

Someone has placed a rock barrier to prevent people crosscutting

The weather was nice this morning for a moderately-long trek through the Chihuahuan Desert.  We encountered two hearty joggers, one a man who passed us on two separate occasions, and a woman we see out there often, one who jogs slightly faster than we hike.  Then we bumped into JC and Shaque and accompanied them on approximately half of the inner loop trail.  Later we stood at the parking area chewing the fat.  Becca and Shaque would have loved "literal" fat chewing, I presume.

A beautiful morning in the northern Chihuahuan Desert

Becca in the slalom portion of the trail

Sunny, yet cool

Looking for other hikers

On the loop road around Tortoise Mountain

Loggerhead Shrike

What is this masked avian thinking?  "Stinking paparazzo!"

Primping for public consumption

Happy New Year!

Starting off on a new year

To the many thousands of my followers around the world, a very Happy and Prosperous New Year from Dr. K, Becca and me.

Looking back at 2013

I believe this is an American Dusky Flycatcher

American Dusky Flycatcher: "passage migrant" to the Chihuahuan Desert

Unsuccessful rabbit catcher

JC and Shaque on the outbound leg of the inner loop trail

New Year's Eve 2013 Hike

Tooling along the upper foothills trail

Caroline, who's on a cross-country drive from San Francisco to Washington D.C., stopped over yesterday and spent the night before traveling on this morning.  She brought us a gift of a Hedgehog Cactus and a baby Saguaro.  Saguaros are indigenous to the Sonoran Desert, which is a lower, hotter desert than the Chihuahuan.  I have seen a few Saguaros in people's yards in Las Cruces and El Paso, but they're rare.  I'm not sure what to do with our new baby--perhaps nurse it until spring planting.  Ouch!  That's a thorny thought.

On the road that loops around Tortugas

Tortoise Mountain

Hedgehog Cactus and baby Saguaro given to us by Caroline