Desert Packrat

Monday, March 28, 2016

First of the Week Trek

Early start

Becca and I did a really long hike west of Tortugas Mountain this morning, and we ended up doing a lot more bushwhacking than we'd planned--simply because we kept seeing things that needed photographing. Well, at least Becca thought they needed to be photographed. We ran into an old friend, Raymond, who we hadn't seen all winter. He's just getting started again on his exercise regimen of hiking around the mountain every morning, so we're likely to see him again. Because it's spring here in the Chihuahuan Desert we have to brace ourselves for some brutally windy conditions. Tomorrow and Wednesday, for example, are supposed to be really bad, with gusts possibly reaching 55 mph. Yuck.

I lost count of the number of flowers on this Claret Cup Cactus

Mesquites leafing out

Small Mesquite Tree in an arroyo

Mesquite Trees on an arroyo bank

In the high hills west of Tortugas Mountain

Medium-sized Mesquite Tree

Happy to take a break

Three-foot-tall Barrel Cactus

Contrails appear to be emanating from an Ocotillo

Heading up a less-traveled arroyo

Reaching out with a withered limb (actually a root)

Prickly Pears, Torrey Yucca and moon

Where in the world is Becca Sandiego?

Closer look at that monster Torrey Yucca

New growth on an Allthorn bush

Creosote flowering

Desert Chicory

Pale Evening Primrose

What's that coming up the road?

Love to have a taste of Br'er Hare

Becca spots a man and woman on the trail behind us

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Sierra Vista del Sur

Just starting out on the Sierra Vista Trail (Bishop Cap in distance)

We three--Dr. K, Becca and I--went for an early-morning hike on the Sierra Vista Trail (south) today. There was a pickup truck with an attached horse trailer in the parking lot there, and even though we saw evidence of equestrian activity (namely hoofprints) along the path, we ran into nobody during our entire trek. There was another car in the lot when we returned, but those hikers must have chosen the north section of the trail for their outing. It was a glorious morning in the high desert, sunny sky, cool temperatures and a light breeze. The mountain foothills were completely blanketed in yellow and white flowers, making for a satisfying aesthetic experience. Plus there were plenty of scents for Becca to sample.

Sotols growing in the Organ Mountains foothills

Sotols and the rugged Organs

Rocky high desert

Sotol is also called "Desert Spoon"

Blackfoot Daisies

Happy hiker in the high desert

Nothing Becca likes better than an early-morning hike in the high desert

Blackfoot Daisies

New growth on a Prickly Pear Cactus pad

Dr. K is a happy hiker, too

Shade break for Becca

Mormon Tea flowering

Fairy Duster

I'm going with Fendler's Bladderpod

Desert Evening Primrose

Mexican Gold Poppy

Desert Sumac

Dr. K (left :) and Becca

Sunny view of Sotols in the Organ Mountains foothills

Mexican Gold Poppies

How tall is a Sotol? (Dr. K is 5' 9")

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Busy Saturday

Yucca moon

It was crowded on the mountain this morning, filled, perhaps, with Good Friday remnant people. Becca and I had encounters with other hikers and mountain bikers, but nothing like the "Grand Central Station" crowds we bumped into yesterday. We saw Br'er Coyote just off the trail back into the high foothills and we pursued him for a while, but I never got close enough to even attempt a photo; he lost us in a tangle of Ocotillos and Catclaw, and by the time we'd circled around the briar patch he was nowhere to be seen. Not surprising considering how canny the Trickster is.