Done Before 8:30

Heat haze over Las Cruces

When it's going to be 107 degrees Fahrenheit again here in the northern Chihuahuan Desert it's a real good idea to get an early start on your morning trek.  That's what Becca and I did, hitting the trail about 6:50.  There were quite a few cars already parked in the Sunset Area lot--other outdoor enthusiasts who had the same idea we did.  At times during our hike the wind was very cooperative, blowing steadily to help with the evaporative cooling; but at other times there wasn't even a hint of a breeze.  Nevertheless, we got in a long trek without getting overly hot.

Hot dog on the trail

Desert ridge and the Organs

Ready for the ambush

Just fooling around

Wispy clouds

Some real old-timers here

Time for a break

The old Ocotillo Becca is using for shade

Desert west of Tortugas Mountain

Finished our 90-minute hike before 8:30

One O Seven

Flank of Tortugas Mountain and the distant Organ Mountains

Becca and I got an extra early start this morning because of soaring temperatures.  We're supposed to hit 107 degrees Fahrenheit here today.  That's seven degrees shy of our record, but hot nonetheless.  We ran into a woman we see fairly often during our treks, and she asked about how Becca handles this kind of heat.  I told her Becca does fine as long as we take frequent shade and water breaks.  That was the case today as we stopped on four different occasions to stand in the shadow of desert plants and to drink in order to stay hydrated.

A young Eagle Claw Cactus (Echinocactus horizonthalonius)

New Mexico Whiptail Lizard in motion

Headed back up the mountain

What that young Eagle Claw will look like as an adult

This and the next 4:  Gambel's Quail chicks at the waterhole

A Smidge of Humidity

Prickly Pear fruit is ripening

If you want to make a baking hot northern Chihuahuan Desert even more uncomfortable throw in a splash of humidity; just 20% on a 100-plus-degree day is enough to boost the discomfort level to near unbearable.  That's how it's been the last few days here, and I've got to tell you it robs our morning hikes of nearly all the fun.  Shortened our trek for that reason and two others:  I had to go up on our roof at home to see why the evaporate cooler wasn't working efficiently (the water in the reservoir was too low) and I had to go to the store to replenish supplies after a week in the Sacramento Mountains.

How hot is it?  Check out that tongue

Black-and-white desert

Much-needed shade break

Five slightly different views of the Organ Mountains

Blazing Heat

An early, but hot start

Because we had to leave straight from our hike to return to the lower desert--and we didn't want to drive up to do the Osha Trail yet another time this trip--we opted for the Grand View Trail near High Rolls.  Right from the start it was an uncomfortable trek, way too hot to be hiking at 6800 feet.  This was simply prelude to the hell we would be entering a short hour-and-a-half later when we entered the lower section of the northern Chihuahuan Desert.  We'll probably hit 100F today down here; but where my brother lives in Glendale, Arizona it was already 115F at noon!

A hot dog

Midway ramada

Looking in the direction of White Sands

Closer look

Down the Grand View Trail

Popcorn clouds

Don't know how many times I've photographed this dead tree

All those junipers are loaded with . . .

Juniper berries

Dr. K and Becca in the shade of the ramada

Cicada

Same cicada

Tree Cholla

Why the "Osha"?

What early morning looked like at our place

The Osha plant (aka "Wild Bear Root") Ligusticum poteri grows in moist, organically rich soils at elevations between 9,000 and 10,000 and is abundant along the wet side of the mountain along the Osha Trail.  We chose to do the Osha again because it's a 15-minute drive from our place in High Rolls, and it's one of our favorite hikes in the high country near Cloudcroft; additionally, on a Monday, it's generally uncrowded.  This morning, for instance, we ran into one mountain biker and two hikers--a man and a woman--who were just starting out when we were finishing up.

Dr. K with Cowboy and Champ in our driveway

Cowboy (front) and Champ

Trestle over Mexican Canyon

Where am I?

Pleasant morning in the high country

The trail goes this way

Prickly Rose (Rosa Acicularis)

Another B&W experiment

The view from 9,000 feet

This way around the mountain

What's up there?

Indian Paintbrush

Becca on the Osha

Dry brush experiment

Watercolor experiment

Where the Aspens soar

Trees along the Osha Trail

Meadow Hawksbeard?

Bee in a Prickly Rose

Yellow Salisfy (Tragopogon Dubius)

Artsy on the underside

I suppose this could be a Pearl Crescent

I'm getting tired of trying to ID New Mexico butterflies

Same butterfly

I'm confused

Large meadow next to the Osha Trail

Blue Vervain (Verbena Hastata)

Can't ID this bird yet

Heading down

Early afternoon at our place (something's blowing in)