A Convenient Hike

Looking north from the Grand View Trail

It sure is nice having the Grand View Trail just a short ten-minute ride away from our place in High Rolls.  When we have other things to do on a particular day a 1 1/2-hour trek on the Grand View is just the ticket.  After our hike this morning Dr. K, Becca and I drove seven miles up the mountain to Cloudcroft to dump garbage and do some shopping at Family Dollar.  It was significantly colder at 9,000 feet, and the area had remnants from a recent snow.  Regardless of the higher-elevation weather it's always fun to visit this colorful village in southern New Mexico's Sacramento Mountains.

Just getting started

These two sure look like Robins

Rugged territory

Dr. K and Becca pausing for a photo op

I've never seen so many Sotols growing in the same spot

Midpoint ramada

White Sands just a line in the distance

Slightly beyond the midway mark

I see you

Guess I can't get enough views of White Sands

Hægtesse?

Had to do some serious bushwhacking to get this photo

Sotols

All right, all right--White Sands yet again

Midpoint ramada

Juniper and pinyon pine country

The scene that greeted us when we arrived in Cloudcroft

Her Mudder Was a Mudder

Elk cows on a neighboring property, High Rolls

Dr. K, Becca and I hit the Bridal Veil Falls Trail just outside of High Rolls, New Mexico at about 8:40 this morning.  It was cold and the earth was still frozen from near-freezing temperatures overnight, but it was evident that most of the path had been extremely muddy due to a heavy rain last week.  It was also apparent that as the morning heated up we would have to deal with navigating around muddy spots on the way back.  Unfortunately, we encountered several areas where it was impossible to get around the muck.  As a result we all had mud caked to our boots and paws by the time we reached the Jeep at hike's end.  We couldn't remember a time when Becca had that much mud on her feet, but she didn't mind; in fact, it was as if she was seeking out mud bogs to traipse through on the return leg of the trek.

Herd of Wapiti (elk) on a neighbor's land

Elk RVers

Dr. K and Becca headed down the Bridal Veil Falls Trail

White Sands, what else?

Wide section of trail

Dropping steadily downward

Attractive bunch of weeds

Juniper country

The territory near High Rolls/Mountain Park, New Mexico

Yes, that's where we're headed

I'll be the first one down

Deep chasm cut by mountain rains

Hedgehog Cactus growing in rock

Riparian woodland

Time to turn around

The Packster and the Beckster

More distant view of White Sands

The bottom of Dr. K's boot

An Abundance of Ruminant Scat

Becca and a tiny patch of snow

Dr. K, Becca and I did the Grand View Trail this morning, and though the morning was chilly the day turned out to be quite beautiful.  We were going to include part of the Bridal Veil Falls Trail in our adventure, but decided to do some exploring off the Grand View Trail instead.  We saw nobody else for most of our long trek, but on the way back to the Jeep we encountered a man and woman hiking with their Blue Heeler named Sadie.  The man observed Becca in the "down" position she had assumed and said, "Looks like she's ready to do some herding."  It's what herding dogs do.  By the way, the title of today's blog makes reference to the incredible amount of deer and elk scat we saw during our outing; it was easily the most poop we've ever seen along this trail.

Mountain Bluebirds?

Lower section of the Sacramentos

Elk prints

Mule Deer scat

Wispy clouds

Elk scat

Mid-point ramada

White Sands National Monument

A closer look at White Sands

Sotol

Dr. K and Becca moseying along the trail

More wisps

Clouds above cliff

We got a fleeting glimpse of a Mule Deer up there

Along the Grand View Trail

I think this a Mountain Bluebird

Juniper/Pinyon territory

Maybe a young Mountain Bluebird

Plenty of room for perching

The bird that flew away

Territory around High Rolls/Mountain Park

A little off-trail exploring

Parts of the Sacramentos are pretty rugged

Sotols

Sotol growing among juniper

Elk scat

Careful not to step off the trail

Contrails above the ramada

Cowboy photobombs the picture by peeing on a Jeep tire

Gage decides to have a look inside the Jeep

Champ is a great dog

Dr. K pets Gage and Champ

Gage is the sweetest little thing