Back Down

All vistas of the Sacramento Mountains are from our place

I took both Willow and Frio on separate hikes in the forest around our property this morning before we packed up and headed down the mountain to the lower desert.

It was going to be 77F up there today compared to 97F down here.  Whew!  Since our cooler is not yet ready for use we have to swelter for a few days until it's ready to go.

So here we are.

Willow

 

Grand View Full Monty

First 3:  Sacramento Mountains

I took Willow for a fairly long jaunt through the forest on and near our property before taking Frio for a hike on the Grand View Trail.  We did the full trek on a somewhat hot morning here in the Sacramento Mountains.

Fortunately we ran into no other outdoor enthusiasts on the trail, but there were two different vehicles parked at the main lot across from the Bridal Veil Falls Trail upper trailhead.

We got back to the cabin a little after 10:30, both pretty hot and a bit tired; I was more tired than Frio, who has an incredible reserve of energy.

Willow

Some of the critters in our area

Western Kingbird

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

This and the next:  Alligator Juniper

Through the cut

White Sands National Park from the Grand View Trail

This and the next 2:  Hedgehog Cactus in rock

This and the next 2:  sections of the Grand View Trail

Singing like a Northern Mockingbird, but smaller w/long beak

A hot dog (Frio) in the midway ramada

Sotols and juniper

This and the next:  another Hedgehog Cactus growing in rock

No nail prints (just saying)

 

Bridal Veil to Calico Peak

This and the next 3:  Mule Deer conference at our place

Dr. K's knee was giving her grief this morning so we decided it would be best for me to do a long hike with Frio. I would not have been able to handle both Heelers on the trail I wanted to hike this morning:  the Calico Peak.

So Frio and I did the Bridal Veil Falls Trail down to the intersection with the Calico Peak Trail, and then we climbed up and up and up until we reached a high flat area where we stopped for water in the shade of an Alligator Juniper grove.  I tried calling Dr. K from up there, but there was no signal.

The long trek down was made difficult by the natural erosion that has happened to the trail, a slight slanting to the right (the downward slope direction) that forced me to be extra cautious about my right knee until we got back to the Bridal Veil Falls Trail.  From there it was a moderate ascent back to the CR-V.

Sacramento Mountains

Looks like an Ash-throated Flycatcher

Sotol and juniper growing on a cliff

Bridal Veil Falls Trail

Sotol

Headed down to that gorge

Frio taking a break

Starting up the steep Calico Peak Trail

Sotols at higher elevation

White Sands from the Calico Peak Trail

Best shot I could get of this beauty:  Western Tanager

Frio gaining elevation

Grove

Tree Cholla and dead tree

Frio in an Alligator Juniper alcove

Spotted Towhee