Rain and Snow

Very wet conditions this morning

It was raining lightly when Becca and I headed out to Tortugas Mountain for an abbreviated morning hike.  By the time we got there some snowflakes were falling gently with the rain.  We really lucked out, though, as the precipitation stopped about a quarter way through our trek.  There were a few vehicles in the Sunset Area parking lot, but we didn't see anybody until we returned to Whitey, the CR-V.  Two women who had parked their Buick SUV right in front of us were just setting off on a hike.  After one of the women and I greeted each other, she looked down at Becca and said, "Aren't you the cutest thing?"  Becca ignored her.

Despite the weather Becca had to have her hike

Clouds blanketing the Robledo Mountains

Becca on a wet dirt road

A back way into Las Cruces

Tortugas Mountain

Yuccas and a distant view of Las Cruces

Torrey Yucca and the city

Different perspective

Huge arroyo west of the mountain

A bit closer look at the arroyo

Aborted Trip

Dynamic sky at start

Becca and I did a near normal hike west of Tortugas Mountain this morning, although that wasn't the original plan.  We had intended to head to the high country with Dr. K after an abbreviated trek, but we had to cancel due to inclement weather in the Sacramento Mountains--namely heavy snow accumulating in High Rolls/Mountain Park and higher elevations.  If we had been up there already when the storms hit things would have been fine; but heading up in the middle of heavy snowfall is just not a good idea.  Also, the temperatures are going to be quite cold, falling to 8F one night, and we're a bit concerned about Becca having to endure the freezing weather.  So we aborted.  I had to cancel my Hold Mail request, which means that my mail will be held anyway because the Las Cruces, New Mexico post office is possibly the very worst in the entire American Southwest.

On to the upper foothills trail

Bush reflection in a small puddle in rock (aka "tinaja")

The long view west across the Rio Grande

Ocotillos, yucca and clouds

This morning's moon #1

#2

#3

The clouds at lower center are masking the Florida Mountains near Deming

Deming is 60.2 miles from here (Las Cruces)

Trail to the clouds

I see a raccoon's head and/or a fish in that cloud

Could be a ferret

In the upper foothills now

Long view to the Organs

Another

Clouds over Tortugas

Rain and Snow

Monte Vista side of Tortugas Mountain

Becca and I got a bit later start on our daily trek because it was pouring rain for hours this morning.  When we finally got to head out to Tortugas Mountain we saw that snow had fallen in the higher elevations of the Organ Mountains.  I decided then that we should do a hike out of the Monte Vista area in order to get some images of the Organs.  The cloud cover over the mountains was so heavy, though, that I could only get a few halfway decent shots of the white stuff.  Although conditions were wet and muddy, Becca and I were able to get in a moderately long trek before returning home.

It rained steadily for hours this morning

The rain turned to snow in the upper elevations

Becca getting ahead of the game

There's that boulder

Clouds and snow on the Organ Mountains

Demarcation line between rain and snow

Back behind the mountain

Franklin Mountains near El Paso blanketed in clouds

There's the happy hiker

Northern section of the Organ Mountains

Surprised to find two flowers in bloom (#1)

#2

I did a double-take when I examined this Torrey Yucca

Like one on the other side of the mountain this one is blooming, too

This one is in even fuller blossom

And it's got two heads flowering

Hard to imagine it blooming this late in the year

Wonderful to see it, nonetheless

Closeup of some of the Torrey Yucca blossoms

Becca is ready to scale the mountain (but we're not going that way)

Coming back around the mountain

She intimated that somebody was headed our way (there was nobody)

On the north side now

Passing the house-size boulders

Snow in the Organs