I just got back from a short but sweet trip to the Buffalo River. I left at 2 AM, and met friends at Grinder's Ferry at around 9 AM. Up to this point I had no idea what section we were going to paddle, whether we'd be doing one night, two nights or no nights on the river, or who was going. Things happened quickly, as I had been looking at the river map Mon. AM and to my surprise there were blue diamonds indicating moderate water from St. Joe, down. I immediately posted an all call on the ACC forum and got a nibble. Richard was in;PainterBob really wanted to go to the upper sections, but they didn't look like they had enough water based on the map/gauge. Neither Richard or I wanted to deal with the bony "slide" which had eaten a hole in one of his boats.
We decided on Woolum to Grinder's Ferry, a section I'd never done. The water was around 6 ft if I remember correctly, and was moving at a pretty good clip. Richard and I decided we'd do one night on the river, but neither PB or Steve could join us. Their loss.
The thing I love about having Richard on a trip is he's so knowledgeable about the river; its geology and history. We made a stop at a spring Richard had earlier discovered that isn't even listed on the maps, which indicates it might have appeared in the past twenty years. Karst topography is so amazing, being responsible for caves, springs, underground rivers, not to mention interesting formations like Skull Bluff, Elephant Head and others. At every bluff or point of interest, Richard let me know where we were and offered a tidbit of info about it.
At times I'd wished the water wasn't moving quite so fast so that I could savor it all, the sheer walls with hanging maidenhair ferns,the nooks and crannies. That's what eddies are for, but I seemed to miss them when my eyes were elsewhere.
When I'm away from the Buffalo, and it's a good ways away, it seems my mind gets focused on other things; work, the daily grind, planning the next trip somewhere. Since my last Buffalo trip,in August '09, I rediscovered hiking, so many trips were planned for that. I spent time hiking in New Mexico, Big Bend, and the Texas Hill Country.
But, after returning from the Buffalo I really want to spend all of my time there.
I don't have time left in my life to see all the wonders of nature all over the planet, but hopefully I have time to really get to know the flora and fauna, geology and history of the Buffalo area. Texas has amazing natural places and I love exploring them, but for me, nothing compares to the Buffalo.
With the others heading to the takeout, Richard and I stayed behind at Arnold Bluff, just about one of the prettiest campsites I've seen on the river. One or two kayakers glided silently past, and then we had the place all to ourselves. The sun was setting behind us, casting golden light on the bluff and reflecting it onto the water. Even though I'd been up since 1 AM, once the stars were visible, I just couldn't go to sleep without gazing for a while.
The next morning as we sat talking, we were entertained by a pair of male Indigo Buntings, apparently vying for a female we barely spotted down by the river's edge. I saw several groups of Dayflowers that were the bluest I've ever seen, and butterflies were flitting about.
As we headed out to the takeout, the water had already dropped a foot; the silt was beginning to drop out, and the water was changing from brown to green. We glided along the banks looking at rookeries, formations, and wildlife. We saw several more Buntings, and I spotted a gray snake resting on a limb over the water which appeared to be too slender for a Moccasin; at home I looked up what I believe was a yellow-bellied water snake.
We were off the water by 11, and on Richard's suggestion, we headed to the Tyler Bend visitor center which I'd never been to. We had a good time talking with the park staff, and the center is worthy of time spent. Afterward, Richard led me to the Collier Homestead, where after exploring the cabin we said our goodbyes and I headed down the trail to the overlook. What a stunning view!
Short as the trip was, it was magical, as any time spent on the Buffalo undoubtedly is, at least for this Buffalo Gal.
http://picasaweb.google.com/liveoutsidelady/OvernightBuffaloTrip?feat=directlink
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Land of Enchantment
Well, all I can say is here in Texas it's gotten hot quick, hotter quicker in fact than I remember lately, so I thought about heading somewhere cooler for my first summer vacation. Many places came to mind, but I've had my thoughts on New Mexico for a while now, so that's where I headed. It's the closest cool mountain area around.
I left Sunday morning after dropping Cricket off at Cap Ranch Kennels, to enjoy puppy camp with her canine friends. I had a low tire the night before so as Walmart was the only thing available on Sun morning, went by to have them check it before hitting the road. Once on the highway and up to 70 mph, I could see they must have either left off the balance weight or put it on wrong, so I got to have my brains and upper body rattled all the way to NM.
My first night I was planning to get as far as Caprock Canyon SP, which I'd never been to. I had always opted for Palo Duro Canyon, but decided it was time to check out CC.....did I mention that it's really hot here in Texas?? Well after a drive through the park at around 4 pm and almost 100 degrees and no hint of a breeze, I decided to drive on and see how far I could get before dark. I ended up spending the night in a nice comfortable Quality Inn in Santa Rosa, NM. This would be my last shower until 6 days later back at Caprock Canyon.
The next morning bright and early, cool and rested, I drove to Las Vegas, NM stopping at the first tire shop, and sure enough the morons at WM hadn't even put a weight back on the tire. I decied to try breakfast at the famed Charlie's Spic n' Span Restaurant, which IMHO is highly overrated. Oh well, onward and upward to the mountains. Ah, cool fresh dry air!
I headed up NM 518 toward Angel Fire. Once I passed Coyote Creek SP, the road, 434, narrowed significantly and became quite scenic. I drove through Angel Fire, Eagle's Nest, Red River, and then on to Questa. This road is known as the Enchanted Circle and is a loop from Taos northward and back down again, encircling Wheeler Peak,at 13,161 ft, the highest in NM. From Questa I drove north and west to the Rio Grande Gorge Wild Rivers Area. I have to say the BLM facilities were quite unexpected, with nicely covered camping areas, extremely clean pit toilets and great trails going down into the gorge, and best of all, almost completely void of humans, which could explain the pristine conditions :) I found a nice spot to camp right on the edge of the gorge, where I could hear the water rushing in the bottom of the canyon. Another treat, an afternoon summer storm hit with lightning, thunder, and beautiful clouds. You would have thought it was July or August, and did I mention the cool dry air?
As an aside, when I walk trails of any kind I am grateful to the trailblazers. In my younger days I did my share of trail building, but it awes me, especially trails that were obviously difficult, such as those dropping into the canyon. Thank you trailblazers past and future.
The following morning I hiked down to the canyon floor to Big Arsenic Spring, and the Rio Grande. It was beautiful and there are even a few covered, three sided shelters there as well....so peaceful, except for the rush of the river; really had me tempted to throw my gear in the backpack and hike back down and stay a day or two...however the hike back up the canyon erased all thoughts of that idea!! Did I mention it's a more than 800 ft drop from rim to floor. This area is really nice and I'd love to go back sometime and stay in the gorge. I slacked off and napped in the shade of my cabana during the heat of the day then drove on to the Taos area.
All I can say of the Santa Fe/ Taos area is that Arroyo Seco is the new Taos, Taos is the new Santa Fe and Santa Fe is just unGodly crowded. That's what you get for waiting 20 years to go back to a place. Well that's progress as they say.
After driving to the lower area of the Rio Grande, then to the Taos ski area, then to the SF ski area to consider hiking Tesuque Creek, my head still pounding with allergies and altitude, I opted to camp that night at Hyde Park SP. The next morning I ventured in to have breakfast at an old friend, Tecalote, to have blue corn flour pancakes with pinon nuts . They were celebrating their 30th anniversary. Nice to know some good things last.
Full as a tick, I drove to Pecos, a noted speed trap, but also the gateway to the Pecos Wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo mountains. I drove to the very end of hwy 63, Jack's Creek campground, then made my way back down to Cowles, then Panchuela, and finally decided on staying at Holy Ghost Cr. campground. I wanted to hike the HG trail, which is a nice easy 6 mile rt intro to the mountains ranging from 8200 to 9100 ft in elevation, then hike the Cave Cr. trail at Panchuela which is also about 6 miles the next day. Since I prefer to start my hikes early am, and it was about noon now, I decided to set up camp and relax. I set up the tent so I wouldn't have to worry about losing my campsite when I left to hike CC; I don't like to leave my hammock unattended. And then set up the hammock and spent the rest of the afternoon hangin' and listening to the creek rush by.
First I should clarify that I'm really not anti-social, well ok, maybe just a little, I do like some people, but I enjoy the peace and quiet of nature. So solo, I headed out about 7:30 to start my hike up the mountain. I should mention that this is really more about not having a decent hiking partner; one that doesn't mind stopping while I take copious pictures, consequently turning a 4 hour hike into a 6+ hr one, one that doesn't whine about not having a bath for 6 days, hey wet wipes work just fine,and the fact that I'm old and hike slow, and don't like to talk when I hike. And I see more when I'm alone.
The downside to this is I have discovered the necessity to be less than honest(ok, downright lie, but only for their benefit) when telling my worrisome co-workers and others that I don't want to alarm, that oh of course I'm going with others :)
Now, there are certain things that are discouraged when hiking, the first and foremost, is hiking alone....the second, especially in bear/cougar country, is hiking alone, and going early am or late pm, when said animals are still active. Well I know it's a risk to hike alone, and I don't condone my own actions, nor to I encourage others to do so, but my thoughts, are this.....yes, I likely might get injured or even killed doing so, but I could also get killed on the way to Walmart, and where would you rather die? I also carry a PLB, bear spray and I try to exercise extreme caution and awareness. I have no family to leave distraught and heartbroken, and I did mention I'm already old right? Lived a good life and all yada yada yada. I also know if something happened to me my dog and cat would be quickly adopted by friends, in fact I have trouble now with people wanting them, and I'm still here!!
As far as going into bear/cougar country, yes it does make me somewhat uneasy. Mostly, I would be embarrassed to have someone hear me singing (badly and out of key) little made up ditties out loud to alert said animals to my presence when I am in a questionable area, at least the bears, the cougars already know, nothing gets by them. For them, I sometimes wonder if wearing a mask on the back of my head like some jungle tribes do for jaguars would deter an attack from behind, somehow I think not, but it might be fun for someone hiking up from the rear :)
My altitude headache finally disappeared, another sign of old age, altitude never bothered me more than a few hours snow skiing when I was young! Even with the aide of allergy meds, my left eye ran like a faucet, as well as my nose to the point of being quite sore by the end of the trip.
I thought when I got out of East TX and into the high dry mountains, the allergies would go away, but with the wind blowing each day I could see all the wind borne pollen from the conifers, willow, and aspen, cutting me no slack whatsoever.
My hike up Holy Ghost Creek was beautiful, but not as easy as describe in the guide book, I'm such a flatlander! I actually hiked this trail twice, the next day with my camera gear, and the second time was easier.
I can't get over all the wildflowers, the irises, the lady slipper orchids, even the common dandelions are uncommonly beautiful and of course the butterflies.
The wind increased each day, until by Sat it was really unbelievable. Boy I would hate to be pulling a travel trailer in it. It was nice to feel the cool air from the snow capped peaks while hiking up the mountainside though especially later in the heat of the day, yeah all 86 degrees LOL.
Friday after returning to camp at about 4 pm, the campground was completely full, obviously a popular place on the weekend. After dinner, I laid on my back on the picnic table watching the clouds scud by, the wind had really picked up. I noticed something shiny about 80 ft up in a Douglas fir, and discovered it was a piece of what looked like purple mylar ribbon, I thought at first of a bird or a squirrel, then about 10 ft higher another silver something caught my eye. Crows/ravens I thought, as I know they love to play with stuff like that. I got a laugh out of it anyway.
Sat am I headed out early for the Panchuela trailhead, which sits at the end of a 3 mile one lane road with but a few turnouts; I absolutely hated the thought of navigating that on a busy Sat; not to mention the limited parking spaces once there. Even at 7 am I almost didn't get a spot, as many people camp at the trailhead even though it's no longer a campground since the forest service closed it because of possible lead contaminated road fill from the Terrero mine.
Once I got on the trail I quickly left the campers behind . The Cave Creek trail goes along the creek until it arrives at a couple of caves, the cool part is that the creek goes underground for a while then reappears at the caves. The trail is considered an easy 6 mi rt. There are several junctions going to other trails in the area. After the second junction, the trail began to grow narrower and more grown up, at around two miles in, it became quite treacherous and I decided it was not worth risking a fall. This was an unexpected disappointment, but I just wasn't prepared to bushwhack and climb scree alone to get there. Even though I'd signed the trail register, it would take them a long time to know I was missing. As they say, I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid :) Just before the trail became to risky I had to detour down and skirt the waters edge, which was fine as it was a solid sandy eddy. Next to the water was a soft muddy area and looking down I noticed a print...a cat print...a 3+ inch cat print. My mind first said cougar, then I talked myself into bobcat. I didn't want to exaggerate. I didn't take a photo since I'd put away the camera due to the rough terrain. I hiked on for a bit, maybe twenty or so minutes longer before deciding to turn around. Walking back I noticed the print had almost vanished in the soft mud. It wasn't until I got home and looked again at my track book that I realized it was a cougar print, and evidently a very fresh one at that, very cool and a little scary! Come to thing of it, I did hear twigs snapping a couple of times behind me.....
I ended up finishing the hike about 12:30 so I decided that in order not to arrive at Caprock before dark in the heat, I had time to drive into Santa Fe and have a nice lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, La Choza. La Choza means the shed in spanish, and it's the sister to the more famous plaza venue. It's much easier to get to and the food is great. Especially after a week of eating camp food. And the margaritas were superb :)
I hit the road about 2 pm, taking a backroad (hwy 3) south from 25 to 40. It was like going back in time to what New Mexico once was...delightful.
I arrived at the state park about 10 pm, rolled the windows down, and with the wind blowing and lightning flashing far away to the north, climbed in the back and drifted off to sleep. I awoke the next morning and headed for the showers, boy did that feel good! Wet wipes are all and well, but my hair follicles begin to hurt when I go too many days with out shampooing...probably has much more to do with wearing a cap or buff for a week LOL.
The clouds had rolled in overnight and it was cool and overcast. I took a few photos and hit the road, picked up Cricket, headed home, unloaded the car, and hit the hay. What a great trip! I already want to go back again as there are a number of places I didn't get to...maybe in the peak of the summer afternoon thunderstorms. Great photo opts then! Link to a few pics
http://picasaweb.google.com/liveoutsidelady/NewMexicoHikingJune2010?feat=directlink
I left Sunday morning after dropping Cricket off at Cap Ranch Kennels, to enjoy puppy camp with her canine friends. I had a low tire the night before so as Walmart was the only thing available on Sun morning, went by to have them check it before hitting the road. Once on the highway and up to 70 mph, I could see they must have either left off the balance weight or put it on wrong, so I got to have my brains and upper body rattled all the way to NM.
My first night I was planning to get as far as Caprock Canyon SP, which I'd never been to. I had always opted for Palo Duro Canyon, but decided it was time to check out CC.....did I mention that it's really hot here in Texas?? Well after a drive through the park at around 4 pm and almost 100 degrees and no hint of a breeze, I decided to drive on and see how far I could get before dark. I ended up spending the night in a nice comfortable Quality Inn in Santa Rosa, NM. This would be my last shower until 6 days later back at Caprock Canyon.
The next morning bright and early, cool and rested, I drove to Las Vegas, NM stopping at the first tire shop, and sure enough the morons at WM hadn't even put a weight back on the tire. I decied to try breakfast at the famed Charlie's Spic n' Span Restaurant, which IMHO is highly overrated. Oh well, onward and upward to the mountains. Ah, cool fresh dry air!
I headed up NM 518 toward Angel Fire. Once I passed Coyote Creek SP, the road, 434, narrowed significantly and became quite scenic. I drove through Angel Fire, Eagle's Nest, Red River, and then on to Questa. This road is known as the Enchanted Circle and is a loop from Taos northward and back down again, encircling Wheeler Peak,at 13,161 ft, the highest in NM. From Questa I drove north and west to the Rio Grande Gorge Wild Rivers Area. I have to say the BLM facilities were quite unexpected, with nicely covered camping areas, extremely clean pit toilets and great trails going down into the gorge, and best of all, almost completely void of humans, which could explain the pristine conditions :) I found a nice spot to camp right on the edge of the gorge, where I could hear the water rushing in the bottom of the canyon. Another treat, an afternoon summer storm hit with lightning, thunder, and beautiful clouds. You would have thought it was July or August, and did I mention the cool dry air?
As an aside, when I walk trails of any kind I am grateful to the trailblazers. In my younger days I did my share of trail building, but it awes me, especially trails that were obviously difficult, such as those dropping into the canyon. Thank you trailblazers past and future.
The following morning I hiked down to the canyon floor to Big Arsenic Spring, and the Rio Grande. It was beautiful and there are even a few covered, three sided shelters there as well....so peaceful, except for the rush of the river; really had me tempted to throw my gear in the backpack and hike back down and stay a day or two...however the hike back up the canyon erased all thoughts of that idea!! Did I mention it's a more than 800 ft drop from rim to floor. This area is really nice and I'd love to go back sometime and stay in the gorge. I slacked off and napped in the shade of my cabana during the heat of the day then drove on to the Taos area.
All I can say of the Santa Fe/ Taos area is that Arroyo Seco is the new Taos, Taos is the new Santa Fe and Santa Fe is just unGodly crowded. That's what you get for waiting 20 years to go back to a place. Well that's progress as they say.
After driving to the lower area of the Rio Grande, then to the Taos ski area, then to the SF ski area to consider hiking Tesuque Creek, my head still pounding with allergies and altitude, I opted to camp that night at Hyde Park SP. The next morning I ventured in to have breakfast at an old friend, Tecalote, to have blue corn flour pancakes with pinon nuts . They were celebrating their 30th anniversary. Nice to know some good things last.
Full as a tick, I drove to Pecos, a noted speed trap, but also the gateway to the Pecos Wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo mountains. I drove to the very end of hwy 63, Jack's Creek campground, then made my way back down to Cowles, then Panchuela, and finally decided on staying at Holy Ghost Cr. campground. I wanted to hike the HG trail, which is a nice easy 6 mile rt intro to the mountains ranging from 8200 to 9100 ft in elevation, then hike the Cave Cr. trail at Panchuela which is also about 6 miles the next day. Since I prefer to start my hikes early am, and it was about noon now, I decided to set up camp and relax. I set up the tent so I wouldn't have to worry about losing my campsite when I left to hike CC; I don't like to leave my hammock unattended. And then set up the hammock and spent the rest of the afternoon hangin' and listening to the creek rush by.
First I should clarify that I'm really not anti-social, well ok, maybe just a little, I do like some people, but I enjoy the peace and quiet of nature. So solo, I headed out about 7:30 to start my hike up the mountain. I should mention that this is really more about not having a decent hiking partner; one that doesn't mind stopping while I take copious pictures, consequently turning a 4 hour hike into a 6+ hr one, one that doesn't whine about not having a bath for 6 days, hey wet wipes work just fine,and the fact that I'm old and hike slow, and don't like to talk when I hike. And I see more when I'm alone.
The downside to this is I have discovered the necessity to be less than honest(ok, downright lie, but only for their benefit) when telling my worrisome co-workers and others that I don't want to alarm, that oh of course I'm going with others :)
Now, there are certain things that are discouraged when hiking, the first and foremost, is hiking alone....the second, especially in bear/cougar country, is hiking alone, and going early am or late pm, when said animals are still active. Well I know it's a risk to hike alone, and I don't condone my own actions, nor to I encourage others to do so, but my thoughts, are this.....yes, I likely might get injured or even killed doing so, but I could also get killed on the way to Walmart, and where would you rather die? I also carry a PLB, bear spray and I try to exercise extreme caution and awareness. I have no family to leave distraught and heartbroken, and I did mention I'm already old right? Lived a good life and all yada yada yada. I also know if something happened to me my dog and cat would be quickly adopted by friends, in fact I have trouble now with people wanting them, and I'm still here!!
As far as going into bear/cougar country, yes it does make me somewhat uneasy. Mostly, I would be embarrassed to have someone hear me singing (badly and out of key) little made up ditties out loud to alert said animals to my presence when I am in a questionable area, at least the bears, the cougars already know, nothing gets by them. For them, I sometimes wonder if wearing a mask on the back of my head like some jungle tribes do for jaguars would deter an attack from behind, somehow I think not, but it might be fun for someone hiking up from the rear :)
My altitude headache finally disappeared, another sign of old age, altitude never bothered me more than a few hours snow skiing when I was young! Even with the aide of allergy meds, my left eye ran like a faucet, as well as my nose to the point of being quite sore by the end of the trip.
I thought when I got out of East TX and into the high dry mountains, the allergies would go away, but with the wind blowing each day I could see all the wind borne pollen from the conifers, willow, and aspen, cutting me no slack whatsoever.
My hike up Holy Ghost Creek was beautiful, but not as easy as describe in the guide book, I'm such a flatlander! I actually hiked this trail twice, the next day with my camera gear, and the second time was easier.
I can't get over all the wildflowers, the irises, the lady slipper orchids, even the common dandelions are uncommonly beautiful and of course the butterflies.
The wind increased each day, until by Sat it was really unbelievable. Boy I would hate to be pulling a travel trailer in it. It was nice to feel the cool air from the snow capped peaks while hiking up the mountainside though especially later in the heat of the day, yeah all 86 degrees LOL.
Friday after returning to camp at about 4 pm, the campground was completely full, obviously a popular place on the weekend. After dinner, I laid on my back on the picnic table watching the clouds scud by, the wind had really picked up. I noticed something shiny about 80 ft up in a Douglas fir, and discovered it was a piece of what looked like purple mylar ribbon, I thought at first of a bird or a squirrel, then about 10 ft higher another silver something caught my eye. Crows/ravens I thought, as I know they love to play with stuff like that. I got a laugh out of it anyway.
Sat am I headed out early for the Panchuela trailhead, which sits at the end of a 3 mile one lane road with but a few turnouts; I absolutely hated the thought of navigating that on a busy Sat; not to mention the limited parking spaces once there. Even at 7 am I almost didn't get a spot, as many people camp at the trailhead even though it's no longer a campground since the forest service closed it because of possible lead contaminated road fill from the Terrero mine.
Once I got on the trail I quickly left the campers behind . The Cave Creek trail goes along the creek until it arrives at a couple of caves, the cool part is that the creek goes underground for a while then reappears at the caves. The trail is considered an easy 6 mi rt. There are several junctions going to other trails in the area. After the second junction, the trail began to grow narrower and more grown up, at around two miles in, it became quite treacherous and I decided it was not worth risking a fall. This was an unexpected disappointment, but I just wasn't prepared to bushwhack and climb scree alone to get there. Even though I'd signed the trail register, it would take them a long time to know I was missing. As they say, I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid :) Just before the trail became to risky I had to detour down and skirt the waters edge, which was fine as it was a solid sandy eddy. Next to the water was a soft muddy area and looking down I noticed a print...a cat print...a 3+ inch cat print. My mind first said cougar, then I talked myself into bobcat. I didn't want to exaggerate. I didn't take a photo since I'd put away the camera due to the rough terrain. I hiked on for a bit, maybe twenty or so minutes longer before deciding to turn around. Walking back I noticed the print had almost vanished in the soft mud. It wasn't until I got home and looked again at my track book that I realized it was a cougar print, and evidently a very fresh one at that, very cool and a little scary! Come to thing of it, I did hear twigs snapping a couple of times behind me.....
I ended up finishing the hike about 12:30 so I decided that in order not to arrive at Caprock before dark in the heat, I had time to drive into Santa Fe and have a nice lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, La Choza. La Choza means the shed in spanish, and it's the sister to the more famous plaza venue. It's much easier to get to and the food is great. Especially after a week of eating camp food. And the margaritas were superb :)
I hit the road about 2 pm, taking a backroad (hwy 3) south from 25 to 40. It was like going back in time to what New Mexico once was...delightful.
I arrived at the state park about 10 pm, rolled the windows down, and with the wind blowing and lightning flashing far away to the north, climbed in the back and drifted off to sleep. I awoke the next morning and headed for the showers, boy did that feel good! Wet wipes are all and well, but my hair follicles begin to hurt when I go too many days with out shampooing...probably has much more to do with wearing a cap or buff for a week LOL.
The clouds had rolled in overnight and it was cool and overcast. I took a few photos and hit the road, picked up Cricket, headed home, unloaded the car, and hit the hay. What a great trip! I already want to go back again as there are a number of places I didn't get to...maybe in the peak of the summer afternoon thunderstorms. Great photo opts then! Link to a few pics
http://picasaweb.google.com/liveoutsidelady/NewMexicoHikingJune2010?feat=directlink
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Big Bend Winter Solstice/Christmas
Well it only took me 54 yrs and 319 days but I finally made the sojourn to Big Bend. Somehow it always seemed too far to drive, and anyway, I could be paddling in the Sunshine State before I made it all the way out there. It's not like I haven't traveled, I have, but for some reason, Big Bend was always somewhere I was going to get to some day.
I left the dog at the kennel at 4 pm on Sat. Dec. 19, and made it to the Wal-a-day Inn in Abilene, rose at 4 am and arrived at Rio Grande Village campground at about 11:30 after making a quick tour of Marathon.
Part of me, upon entering the park, really wanted not to love it, "see, it's just a big desert, no big deal, I was right not to have come for all those years." However, the desert was just exactly what I did love about Big Bend. Yes, I drove to Chisos Basin, and the vistas were beautiful, but the desert drew me back down out of the mountains. The expansiveness took my breath away, but it was the silence, the silence broken by only a bird's song, no disruptive planes incessantly flying overhead, no cars roaring off in the distance...just blissful, peaceful silence.
My plans were to spend a night or two at RGV to see the east side of the park, and then mosey on over to Cottonwood campground at Castalon. When I arrived and took a look at my reserved campsite, I drove around in circles through the campground looking for a more suitable spot. After about 3 turns, a ranger flagged me over and I explained my predicament. I found a spot on the back loop in the no generator zone. I asked her about switching over to Cottonwood in a couple of days, and she assured me it shouldn't be any trouble, as it didn't fill up like Chisos. Of course no sooner had I changed sites when a family settled in a few sites over, and let their small children scream at the top of their little lungs..they were the only noise in the campground. Well I wasn't planning on doing anything but sleeping here, so I stayed put, as I knew this scenario could go on and on.
I quickly headed out to walk the nature trail, which had only recently been re-opened due to last years flood. After that I headed over to Boquillas Canyon, past the Barker house, which was once the center of Boquillas, Texas, walked around a bit, and then drove to the Hot Springs. By the time I finished hiking the springs trail, shooting some of the pictographs, the ruins of the old post office and early settlements; the Hot Springs were teeming with kids,the sun was beginning to sink, and I made my way back to camp, stopping first to catch the sunset over the mountains.
Monday December 21, the Winter Solstice
Wow the drive must have affected me more than I thought, as I slept til almost 7!!! I dressed, made coffee, ate a bagel, and headed out.
I decided to drive back over to Boquillas and hike the trail, since I'd run out of time the day before. I stopped at the Marufo Vega trailhead and walked a ways out and back, enjoying the early morning sun.
I had seen the wares, the walking sticks and scorpions made of wire, along with other trinkets, displayed on the river bluff overlooking the tiny town of Boquillas Mexico, the evening before, and had heard the men across the river talking.
I arrived at the trailhead at the same time as a couple, but lingered at the car in order to let them go on ahead. They were deep in the canyon when I started down. As I descended the trail, I heard a beautiful male voice singing in spanish from across the river. While I truly relish my silence, this was not altogether unpleasant, and I kind of appreciated his sense of entrepreneurship; he did have a lovely voice, and he was just trying to make a few bucks. A bit later the couple passed me on their way out and I asked them if the enjoyed the serenade, they smiled commented on his good voice and left. Now I was alone in the canyon, and the man started singing again, this time to me. He tells me the song is for me, and I thank him in spanish. He sees me looking at his wares, and asks if I'd buy something, and I tell him I have no money, which in fact is true; I am notorious from leaving home without cash, and this time I only brought a handful of quarters for the showers at camp, which I never used;that's right no bath for 5 days, well I had wet ones and I was alone after all.
Later in my trip I met a couple who told me the man actually came across the river and fairly harassed them. I'm not sure, but I'm guessing he didn't resort to this with me for one of two reasons.
First and most likely, was because I was a woman alone, and in his eyes figured I'd have been frightened by it, and would likely report it to the park. The second was that I was carrying a sheathed fixed blade knife and bear spray in plain sight at my waist. I had considered hiking the Hot Springs trail to Daniel's ranch and back, but the prospect of running into the good men of Boquillas deterred me, as prudence overrode desire.
From hear I decided to drive up to Chisos Basin and the Lost Mine Trail. There were already many cars parked there and I drove on into the campground to check it out. While to basin is beautiful, I didn't care for the campground at all, which had been touted as the favorite and hard to get into. The campsites were stacked on top of each other and very open. The view was awesome though. I decided to drive out the Grapevine Hills road and hike the trail at the end. It was another clear beautiful day, cool but warming, a good day for a hike. A great way to celebrate the shortest day of the year. Especially with the knowledge that the days will gradually lengthen from here on til the summer solstice and it starts to swing back again.
I have always been accustomed to hiking early or late in the day, but there was so much to see and only 5 days to do it.
Hiking at midday did have a detrimental effect on my photography throughout the trip, along with a couple of rather flat overcast days, and some haze from somewhere far away, maybe El Paso, but this trip wasn't really about the shots; it was about hiking and exploring. Grapevine Hills was awesome, one of my favorite hikes of the entire trip. By the time I finished the hike and the drive the day was nearing it's end and I drove back to camp, setting my alarm for early the next day.
Tuesday, December 22
I began the day by driving the Ross Maxwell Scenic Road and making stops along the way. First, was a sunrise stop at Sotol Vista, then back tracking to Burro Mesa Spring Trail; this was a lovely hike too, especially early morning, and it amazed me later, that Santa Elena Canyon is visible from so many spots in the park. From there to the Pour Off, a short hike, on to Tuff Canyon, and finally to Cottonwood to scope it out. It was beautiful and best of all, practically empty! I drove back to the Castalon Historic Compound, where I inquired about spending the rest of my stay at Cottonwood. I could see that this was not going to be as easy as I had hoped. They radioed for the park host, who was out of pocket, and told me to go pick out a site. I did and as I was heading out to Santa Elena Canyon, I met the host on his golf cart and told him I was the one switching campgrounds, whereupon his face contorted as he explained the difficulties of this process. I smiled and ended the conversation by saying I was off to the canyon, leaving him to work it out. Before going he admonished me to "observe the speed limit in the campground" , now I'm not sure if it was the peace sign Buff I was wearing or if I just looked like an undesirable, but I quickly shot back "hey I have a Leave No Trace bumper sticker on my car!" thinking this would allay his fears of me somehow. There is a possibility he now thought I was completely nuts.
It had been overcast all day and still was, so the shots I got were mediocre to say the least. I hiked the trail, watch a family drag their canoe down across the sand and launch into the canyon. This was about the same time I noticed a woman painting the canyon from down river and I walked over to check it out. They were a delightful couple from Mandeville, Louisiana. We talked about all things South Louisiana, the festivals, the food, and then about the Buffalo river. While the woman painted, and was very good, the husband photographed. They ended up giving me their email address so we could exchange photos after we got home. He had a very nice Canon DSLR. The sun was waning as I headed back to camp, and the cottonwoods were glowing when I arrived. I couldn't get over how I had managed to stretch the fall foliage from October in the Ozarks, to Thanksgiving at Lost Maples, to Christmas here...amazing.
Wednesday December 23
It became obvious to me that time in Big Bend was on a whole other dimension, as I have never seen it fly by so fast anywhere else.
I set the alarm again to wake early as I was determined to go back to Santa Elena and try to get something other than drab, flat shots. I was hoping sunrise would light up the canyon, and it did. I got there before first light and watched the stars slip out of sight and the canyon take on the glow of a new day. It was also wonderful to be in the canyon alone, without the throngs of people from the day before. Just me, the sun warming the canyon, and the sound of the river running through a shoal. The world at its finest.
Upon leaving the canyon to head for another hike, I detoured at the the Sublett/Dorgan ruins; two old ranch houses. The sun lit up the earthen bricks like gold. I ended up spending the better part of an hour here, contemplating the view from what was once these settler's front porches. It really made me think about what it must have been like back then. Hard, I'm sure, but incredible at the same time.
I didn't make it to the Mule Ears Spring Trail until nearly 10:30. There was one car already there, the occupant must have been in the backcountry, as I never saw him on the trail to the springs. It was a glorious day, warm but with a wonderful breeze. The forecast had been for cold and mostly cloudy, but this didn't materialize until late in the afternoon. Meanwhile the warm sun and brisk breeze made for a wonderful hike to the springs and back. It was a little disconcerting that the springs were located in a thicket of mesquite, cottonwood, rushes, and boulders, as it was a perfect place for a cougar to lie in wait for a meal, so upon entering the oasis, I picked up a rock and banged it on the trail sign hoping to run off whatever predator might possibly be lurking nearby. This was one good thing about getting on the trail later in the day, as these places tend to be visited by animals early morning and late afternoon...well in the summer anyway :) I cautiously took off my boots and cooled my feet in the spring water, which gurgled and burbled, surrounded by maidenhair ferns, frogs and bird song. After a while I hiked back to the car, the wind was picking up considerably, and the sky was darkening with the arrival of the cold front. I decided it might be a good time to venture into Terlingua and Study Butte. It was about what I expected, I'm sure with friends out for a night, it would be fun. I drove back to the park,stopped at the site of the old Sam Nail Ranch and managed to shoot off a few pics of the approaching storm. I hoped for a great sunset which often accompanies such a cold front, but it was not to be. By the time I made it back to camp at dusk, the wind was blowing so hard that I began to question choosing a campsite under the big cottonwoods. As beautiful as they were, I didn't want one landing on top of me as I slept. It was predicted to get into the high teens to high 20's that night so I dressed accordingly in my warmest thermals, slipped the liner into my 35 degree bag and had the synthetic down comforter at the ready. I never needed the comforter and woke to a just below freezing morning.
Thursday December 24, Christmas Eve
Well my time at Big Bend was coming to an end, as I had plans to leave at sunrise the next morning. I had originally thought of leaving before dawn, but it seemed sacrilege to sneak out in the dark.
As I left camp about 7 and climbed in elevation toward the basin, the temp slowly dropped into the twenties. I decided to drive the Dagger Flats road and let it warm up a bit, then hike Dog Canyon. As I drove to the trailhead I saw a javelina foraging near the road.
I was anxious to be hiking again, my body was really enjoying the workout, and by the time I got to the Dog Canyon pull off there were already two cars and two more pulled in as I arrived. One of the cars left shortly, and I gave the others time to get out of sight on the trail before heading out. One couple was funny; the man stretching for the trek with his walking stick as a support while he flexed this way and that. Less than an eighth of a mile I would meet them coming back to the trailhead. That left a threesome of girls far ahead and one guy in between, who I also met coming out; not sure he even made it to the canyon. I didn't see the girls again until I was leaving in my car, so they must have gone out the other side of the canyon, farther than I.
It started off clear with a few interesting lenticular clouds, but by the time I reached the canyon it had clouded up considerably, so again I was left with flat scenery. Once again I was left considering that the canyon walls, with their overhangs and small caves, were prime real estate for puma concolor. I was making plenty of noise walking through the cobbles lining the draw, but I did look around a lot! I scanned the cliffs hoping not to make eye contact with a big kitty. Peace to the big kitties became my mantra. (This line shamelessly stolen from a well wishing friend);I had read way too much about cougar attacks prior to my trip.
I drove once again to the Lost Mine Trail, and once again, the parking lot was full. It was Christmas Eve and the park was getting crowded. I opted instead to hiked the Chimneys Trail, it was after 3 pm before I got started, and I walked almost to the end, when I discovered a group of people climbing all over the rocks ahead and shouting back and forth. I had completely forgotten about the pictographs, and was just enjoying the hike. I drove to the nearby Homer Wilson/Blue Creek ranch site and hiked down to get some shots of the old house and outbuildings, and again was amazed when imagining the people who made this their home. It was getting dark, and I headed back to camp, checked the posted weather report which predicted lows for the night between 19 and 29...brrrrrr. It would be a night for the heavy thermals,the bag, liner and the comforter. I sat in the car eating dinner, watched a coyote trot down the fence line, and contemplated not leaving at sunrise, I then remembered about the rock art! Well, I couldn't leave without see it, now could I? I contemplated going back and hiking the Chimney Trail and finding the pictographs....I would let the weather decide. Just before dawn, a chorus of coyotes broke out, as if to welcome the day.
Friday, December 25, Christmas Day
I awoke to frost on the inside of the car (when the weather is cool/cold, it is easier to camp in the car rather than the hassle of a tent, since the Matrix is as roomy as my tent) and 26 degrees. It did finally get cold !! Again as I headed out just ahead of sunrise and up in elevation, the temp steadily dropped, leveling off at 20 before beginning to inch back up. I had already made up my mind not to leave without seeing the rock art! I had warm gear and only waited for the sun to crest a peak before heading down the trail, it was 31 degrees, a veritable heat wave! There were two cars that I recognized from the night before so I guessed they had backpacked in, as there were connecting trails past the Chimneys. It was a beautiful morning and as it warmed up I began to shed layers. When I reached the Chimneys I saw a figure high atop one of the peaks, and by the time I reached the base and started searching for the art, I met two young men whose sleeping bags I had passed just off the trail. I apologized for the intrusion, and they were cordial, but didn't know anything about the pictographs. I hiked up some of the trails, and not having any luck, began to feel a little disappointed, when I decided to try the single chimney to the south, and looking up, there they were!!! I got my shots, and was on my way, not wanting to intrude on the guys who'd enjoyed a night of solitude, albeit, frigid, under the stars. I felt a twinge of envy as I walked again past their sleeping bags lying on the ground. I took my time hiking back, stopping again this time taking advantage of the early morning light. As I made my way back I passed a couple of groups and a single hiker, all who wished me a Merry Christmas, not a bad way to spend the day, we each opined.
When I got back to the car I quickly shed my warm clothes and hiking boots for comfortable "road" clothes for the drive home.
Big Bend is a hard place to leave. I had spent five full days there and hadn't even hiked any of the Chisos trails, but I don't have any regrets, the weather was perfect for hiking, I fell in love with the desert, and while the Rio Grande was low and somewhat sad, given its status as controversial border and downdrawn, polluted water source, it is a beautiful country and I'm glad that I finally made the trip. A spring trip would be beautiful......
As an aside, my wildlife sightings totaled several mule and white tailed deer, mostly in the basin, a lone javelina in the northern park, a lone coyote at Cottonwood, jackrabbit, cotton tail. No bears or mountain lions :) Bird sightings included several first timers, a pair of vermilion flycatchers, canyon and cactus wrens, scaled quail, black phoebe, and black-throated sparrow, along with common ravens, red-tailed hawk, roadrunner, shrike, pyrrhuloxia,mockingbird,dove, cardinal and swallows. I would have loved to spend one day just birding, but just got too wrapped up in everything else.
Link to pics
http://picasaweb.google.com/liveoutsidelady/BigBendWinterSolsticeChristmas?feat=directlink
I left the dog at the kennel at 4 pm on Sat. Dec. 19, and made it to the Wal-a-day Inn in Abilene, rose at 4 am and arrived at Rio Grande Village campground at about 11:30 after making a quick tour of Marathon.
Part of me, upon entering the park, really wanted not to love it, "see, it's just a big desert, no big deal, I was right not to have come for all those years." However, the desert was just exactly what I did love about Big Bend. Yes, I drove to Chisos Basin, and the vistas were beautiful, but the desert drew me back down out of the mountains. The expansiveness took my breath away, but it was the silence, the silence broken by only a bird's song, no disruptive planes incessantly flying overhead, no cars roaring off in the distance...just blissful, peaceful silence.
My plans were to spend a night or two at RGV to see the east side of the park, and then mosey on over to Cottonwood campground at Castalon. When I arrived and took a look at my reserved campsite, I drove around in circles through the campground looking for a more suitable spot. After about 3 turns, a ranger flagged me over and I explained my predicament. I found a spot on the back loop in the no generator zone. I asked her about switching over to Cottonwood in a couple of days, and she assured me it shouldn't be any trouble, as it didn't fill up like Chisos. Of course no sooner had I changed sites when a family settled in a few sites over, and let their small children scream at the top of their little lungs..they were the only noise in the campground. Well I wasn't planning on doing anything but sleeping here, so I stayed put, as I knew this scenario could go on and on.
I quickly headed out to walk the nature trail, which had only recently been re-opened due to last years flood. After that I headed over to Boquillas Canyon, past the Barker house, which was once the center of Boquillas, Texas, walked around a bit, and then drove to the Hot Springs. By the time I finished hiking the springs trail, shooting some of the pictographs, the ruins of the old post office and early settlements; the Hot Springs were teeming with kids,the sun was beginning to sink, and I made my way back to camp, stopping first to catch the sunset over the mountains.
Monday December 21, the Winter Solstice
Wow the drive must have affected me more than I thought, as I slept til almost 7!!! I dressed, made coffee, ate a bagel, and headed out.
I decided to drive back over to Boquillas and hike the trail, since I'd run out of time the day before. I stopped at the Marufo Vega trailhead and walked a ways out and back, enjoying the early morning sun.
I had seen the wares, the walking sticks and scorpions made of wire, along with other trinkets, displayed on the river bluff overlooking the tiny town of Boquillas Mexico, the evening before, and had heard the men across the river talking.
I arrived at the trailhead at the same time as a couple, but lingered at the car in order to let them go on ahead. They were deep in the canyon when I started down. As I descended the trail, I heard a beautiful male voice singing in spanish from across the river. While I truly relish my silence, this was not altogether unpleasant, and I kind of appreciated his sense of entrepreneurship; he did have a lovely voice, and he was just trying to make a few bucks. A bit later the couple passed me on their way out and I asked them if the enjoyed the serenade, they smiled commented on his good voice and left. Now I was alone in the canyon, and the man started singing again, this time to me. He tells me the song is for me, and I thank him in spanish. He sees me looking at his wares, and asks if I'd buy something, and I tell him I have no money, which in fact is true; I am notorious from leaving home without cash, and this time I only brought a handful of quarters for the showers at camp, which I never used;that's right no bath for 5 days, well I had wet ones and I was alone after all.
Later in my trip I met a couple who told me the man actually came across the river and fairly harassed them. I'm not sure, but I'm guessing he didn't resort to this with me for one of two reasons.
First and most likely, was because I was a woman alone, and in his eyes figured I'd have been frightened by it, and would likely report it to the park. The second was that I was carrying a sheathed fixed blade knife and bear spray in plain sight at my waist. I had considered hiking the Hot Springs trail to Daniel's ranch and back, but the prospect of running into the good men of Boquillas deterred me, as prudence overrode desire.
From hear I decided to drive up to Chisos Basin and the Lost Mine Trail. There were already many cars parked there and I drove on into the campground to check it out. While to basin is beautiful, I didn't care for the campground at all, which had been touted as the favorite and hard to get into. The campsites were stacked on top of each other and very open. The view was awesome though. I decided to drive out the Grapevine Hills road and hike the trail at the end. It was another clear beautiful day, cool but warming, a good day for a hike. A great way to celebrate the shortest day of the year. Especially with the knowledge that the days will gradually lengthen from here on til the summer solstice and it starts to swing back again.
I have always been accustomed to hiking early or late in the day, but there was so much to see and only 5 days to do it.
Hiking at midday did have a detrimental effect on my photography throughout the trip, along with a couple of rather flat overcast days, and some haze from somewhere far away, maybe El Paso, but this trip wasn't really about the shots; it was about hiking and exploring. Grapevine Hills was awesome, one of my favorite hikes of the entire trip. By the time I finished the hike and the drive the day was nearing it's end and I drove back to camp, setting my alarm for early the next day.
Tuesday, December 22
I began the day by driving the Ross Maxwell Scenic Road and making stops along the way. First, was a sunrise stop at Sotol Vista, then back tracking to Burro Mesa Spring Trail; this was a lovely hike too, especially early morning, and it amazed me later, that Santa Elena Canyon is visible from so many spots in the park. From there to the Pour Off, a short hike, on to Tuff Canyon, and finally to Cottonwood to scope it out. It was beautiful and best of all, practically empty! I drove back to the Castalon Historic Compound, where I inquired about spending the rest of my stay at Cottonwood. I could see that this was not going to be as easy as I had hoped. They radioed for the park host, who was out of pocket, and told me to go pick out a site. I did and as I was heading out to Santa Elena Canyon, I met the host on his golf cart and told him I was the one switching campgrounds, whereupon his face contorted as he explained the difficulties of this process. I smiled and ended the conversation by saying I was off to the canyon, leaving him to work it out. Before going he admonished me to "observe the speed limit in the campground" , now I'm not sure if it was the peace sign Buff I was wearing or if I just looked like an undesirable, but I quickly shot back "hey I have a Leave No Trace bumper sticker on my car!" thinking this would allay his fears of me somehow. There is a possibility he now thought I was completely nuts.
It had been overcast all day and still was, so the shots I got were mediocre to say the least. I hiked the trail, watch a family drag their canoe down across the sand and launch into the canyon. This was about the same time I noticed a woman painting the canyon from down river and I walked over to check it out. They were a delightful couple from Mandeville, Louisiana. We talked about all things South Louisiana, the festivals, the food, and then about the Buffalo river. While the woman painted, and was very good, the husband photographed. They ended up giving me their email address so we could exchange photos after we got home. He had a very nice Canon DSLR. The sun was waning as I headed back to camp, and the cottonwoods were glowing when I arrived. I couldn't get over how I had managed to stretch the fall foliage from October in the Ozarks, to Thanksgiving at Lost Maples, to Christmas here...amazing.
Wednesday December 23
It became obvious to me that time in Big Bend was on a whole other dimension, as I have never seen it fly by so fast anywhere else.
I set the alarm again to wake early as I was determined to go back to Santa Elena and try to get something other than drab, flat shots. I was hoping sunrise would light up the canyon, and it did. I got there before first light and watched the stars slip out of sight and the canyon take on the glow of a new day. It was also wonderful to be in the canyon alone, without the throngs of people from the day before. Just me, the sun warming the canyon, and the sound of the river running through a shoal. The world at its finest.
Upon leaving the canyon to head for another hike, I detoured at the the Sublett/Dorgan ruins; two old ranch houses. The sun lit up the earthen bricks like gold. I ended up spending the better part of an hour here, contemplating the view from what was once these settler's front porches. It really made me think about what it must have been like back then. Hard, I'm sure, but incredible at the same time.
I didn't make it to the Mule Ears Spring Trail until nearly 10:30. There was one car already there, the occupant must have been in the backcountry, as I never saw him on the trail to the springs. It was a glorious day, warm but with a wonderful breeze. The forecast had been for cold and mostly cloudy, but this didn't materialize until late in the afternoon. Meanwhile the warm sun and brisk breeze made for a wonderful hike to the springs and back. It was a little disconcerting that the springs were located in a thicket of mesquite, cottonwood, rushes, and boulders, as it was a perfect place for a cougar to lie in wait for a meal, so upon entering the oasis, I picked up a rock and banged it on the trail sign hoping to run off whatever predator might possibly be lurking nearby. This was one good thing about getting on the trail later in the day, as these places tend to be visited by animals early morning and late afternoon...well in the summer anyway :) I cautiously took off my boots and cooled my feet in the spring water, which gurgled and burbled, surrounded by maidenhair ferns, frogs and bird song. After a while I hiked back to the car, the wind was picking up considerably, and the sky was darkening with the arrival of the cold front. I decided it might be a good time to venture into Terlingua and Study Butte. It was about what I expected, I'm sure with friends out for a night, it would be fun. I drove back to the park,stopped at the site of the old Sam Nail Ranch and managed to shoot off a few pics of the approaching storm. I hoped for a great sunset which often accompanies such a cold front, but it was not to be. By the time I made it back to camp at dusk, the wind was blowing so hard that I began to question choosing a campsite under the big cottonwoods. As beautiful as they were, I didn't want one landing on top of me as I slept. It was predicted to get into the high teens to high 20's that night so I dressed accordingly in my warmest thermals, slipped the liner into my 35 degree bag and had the synthetic down comforter at the ready. I never needed the comforter and woke to a just below freezing morning.
Thursday December 24, Christmas Eve
Well my time at Big Bend was coming to an end, as I had plans to leave at sunrise the next morning. I had originally thought of leaving before dawn, but it seemed sacrilege to sneak out in the dark.
As I left camp about 7 and climbed in elevation toward the basin, the temp slowly dropped into the twenties. I decided to drive the Dagger Flats road and let it warm up a bit, then hike Dog Canyon. As I drove to the trailhead I saw a javelina foraging near the road.
I was anxious to be hiking again, my body was really enjoying the workout, and by the time I got to the Dog Canyon pull off there were already two cars and two more pulled in as I arrived. One of the cars left shortly, and I gave the others time to get out of sight on the trail before heading out. One couple was funny; the man stretching for the trek with his walking stick as a support while he flexed this way and that. Less than an eighth of a mile I would meet them coming back to the trailhead. That left a threesome of girls far ahead and one guy in between, who I also met coming out; not sure he even made it to the canyon. I didn't see the girls again until I was leaving in my car, so they must have gone out the other side of the canyon, farther than I.
It started off clear with a few interesting lenticular clouds, but by the time I reached the canyon it had clouded up considerably, so again I was left with flat scenery. Once again I was left considering that the canyon walls, with their overhangs and small caves, were prime real estate for puma concolor. I was making plenty of noise walking through the cobbles lining the draw, but I did look around a lot! I scanned the cliffs hoping not to make eye contact with a big kitty. Peace to the big kitties became my mantra. (This line shamelessly stolen from a well wishing friend);I had read way too much about cougar attacks prior to my trip.
I drove once again to the Lost Mine Trail, and once again, the parking lot was full. It was Christmas Eve and the park was getting crowded. I opted instead to hiked the Chimneys Trail, it was after 3 pm before I got started, and I walked almost to the end, when I discovered a group of people climbing all over the rocks ahead and shouting back and forth. I had completely forgotten about the pictographs, and was just enjoying the hike. I drove to the nearby Homer Wilson/Blue Creek ranch site and hiked down to get some shots of the old house and outbuildings, and again was amazed when imagining the people who made this their home. It was getting dark, and I headed back to camp, checked the posted weather report which predicted lows for the night between 19 and 29...brrrrrr. It would be a night for the heavy thermals,the bag, liner and the comforter. I sat in the car eating dinner, watched a coyote trot down the fence line, and contemplated not leaving at sunrise, I then remembered about the rock art! Well, I couldn't leave without see it, now could I? I contemplated going back and hiking the Chimney Trail and finding the pictographs....I would let the weather decide. Just before dawn, a chorus of coyotes broke out, as if to welcome the day.
Friday, December 25, Christmas Day
I awoke to frost on the inside of the car (when the weather is cool/cold, it is easier to camp in the car rather than the hassle of a tent, since the Matrix is as roomy as my tent) and 26 degrees. It did finally get cold !! Again as I headed out just ahead of sunrise and up in elevation, the temp steadily dropped, leveling off at 20 before beginning to inch back up. I had already made up my mind not to leave without seeing the rock art! I had warm gear and only waited for the sun to crest a peak before heading down the trail, it was 31 degrees, a veritable heat wave! There were two cars that I recognized from the night before so I guessed they had backpacked in, as there were connecting trails past the Chimneys. It was a beautiful morning and as it warmed up I began to shed layers. When I reached the Chimneys I saw a figure high atop one of the peaks, and by the time I reached the base and started searching for the art, I met two young men whose sleeping bags I had passed just off the trail. I apologized for the intrusion, and they were cordial, but didn't know anything about the pictographs. I hiked up some of the trails, and not having any luck, began to feel a little disappointed, when I decided to try the single chimney to the south, and looking up, there they were!!! I got my shots, and was on my way, not wanting to intrude on the guys who'd enjoyed a night of solitude, albeit, frigid, under the stars. I felt a twinge of envy as I walked again past their sleeping bags lying on the ground. I took my time hiking back, stopping again this time taking advantage of the early morning light. As I made my way back I passed a couple of groups and a single hiker, all who wished me a Merry Christmas, not a bad way to spend the day, we each opined.
When I got back to the car I quickly shed my warm clothes and hiking boots for comfortable "road" clothes for the drive home.
Big Bend is a hard place to leave. I had spent five full days there and hadn't even hiked any of the Chisos trails, but I don't have any regrets, the weather was perfect for hiking, I fell in love with the desert, and while the Rio Grande was low and somewhat sad, given its status as controversial border and downdrawn, polluted water source, it is a beautiful country and I'm glad that I finally made the trip. A spring trip would be beautiful......
As an aside, my wildlife sightings totaled several mule and white tailed deer, mostly in the basin, a lone javelina in the northern park, a lone coyote at Cottonwood, jackrabbit, cotton tail. No bears or mountain lions :) Bird sightings included several first timers, a pair of vermilion flycatchers, canyon and cactus wrens, scaled quail, black phoebe, and black-throated sparrow, along with common ravens, red-tailed hawk, roadrunner, shrike, pyrrhuloxia,mockingbird,dove, cardinal and swallows. I would have loved to spend one day just birding, but just got too wrapped up in everything else.
Link to pics
http://picasaweb.google.com/liveoutsidelady/BigBendWinterSolsticeChristmas?feat=directlink
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Thanksgiving in the TX Hill Country
Sometimes things go the way you plan, and sometimes....well, you know. I originally had this trip planned for Mon-Fri. but due to friends paddling plans moved it up to Sat-Wed. These plans fell through and I was left with Sat-Wed. Kennel plans are hard to change at the last minute on a holiday, without making me less than popular, and I want to stay in their good graces. I don't like to leave the dog at the kennel too long, so most of my trips are 5 days, which is how long the cat feeder runs without refilling :-)
I headed out early Sat morning to meet friends for lunch in Austin. I arrived at the prearranged time, but no friends. I got a table, and waited a few minutes, then stepped outside to call them. The words "that was this weekend?" pretty much says it all. Well I wasn't really hungry, and was kind of anxious to get to my destination, so I jumped in the car and got back on the highway. My destination for the first night was Garner State Park. Now I grew up in San Antonio, and have spent many summer days and nights at this park, but haven't been there since those days, many many moons ago. What I do know is that this park it the most popular in TX , and can be very crowded at times. I was going to end up there on a Sat night, but fortunately being the weekend before Thanksgiving, it wasn't too bad, and by Sun it was almost empty. Unfortunately my next days destination was not.
Lost Maples in the fall can be a nightmare since the fall foliage draws people from as far away as India and Japan. I dropped by the park to pick up a map Sunday, as I thought I'd lost the one I'd printed out prior to the trip, and immediately got the "tooooo many people heebie jeebies." This is a common affliction I come down with in places like malls, Walmart's and recently REI, when I arrived 10 minutes before opening, so I can get in and out asap, and find they have chosen this day for one of their famous "garage sales" and not only is the parking lot completely full, but there are several hundred people waiting to get in. I don't do crowds well. Anyway, back to the park. I arrived Monday morning, bright and early, only having to stop at the cafe in Utopia for coffee, as somehow, having packed the coffee, the stove, the fuel, etc, I had left the coffee press on the kitchen counter upon leaving home.
Monday turned out to be a busy day as well, I hiked and took pictures and tried to keep my sanity while small children ran up and down the trail yelling....Yes, I too was once a child, and I remind myself of this at times like these, but I don't think my parents allowed me to run amuck like that, at least not in a public place. I honestly think I was too wrapped up in nature study as a kid to exhibit these behaviors anyway. I hiked about 5 miles this day and would have liked to do the west trail, which probably would have been less crowded, but by then I was no longer sane and needed to flee.
Tues morning I left Garner and headed for Pedernales, since I wanted to be close to Austin to get me home sooner, and I planned on visiting with my friends whom I missed on Sat.
I hiked eight miles this day, carrying a pack that weighed about 20lbs trying to acclimate myself in case I decide to actually take up backpacking. Yes I know, most people do this the other way around, backpack when young and strong, instead of taking up such nonsense at 55. I like to think it will help me stay young and strong. I love walking long distances in the woods alone. The last time I'd hiked here was when I lived in Austin, and I'd never caught the creeks running. It had rained the week before, and to my surprise, I had to ford all three creeks on the trail. About half way I stopped at Jone's spring and had lunch. I removed my hiking boots to soak my toes in the cool water, only to find it wasn't all that cool. I did find a nice pothole above the spring which was icy due to the low temps of the night before. Ahhhh! I continued on, stopping to photograph different scenes along the way. The day was bright and crisp, but the light was too harsh for good photos, unlike the day before at Lost Maples where there sky stayed overcast all day. It was a perfect day for a hike though, in the low 50's and windy. By lunch time I was hiking is short sleeves. At the last stream crossing coming back I stopped and removed my boots again, sat on a rock in the sun with my feet in the rushing water and soaked up the day. Very pleasant.
I got up the next morning, headed to Austin, where I ate at Magnolia Cafe, before heading over to my friends house for a quick visit. I left town about 11 not thinking what I-35 would be like the day before Thanksgiving......someone shoot me the next time I pull a dumb stunt such as this!!!!! I finally managed to exit on hwy 7 east and took the backroads home. All in all it was a wonderful trip, but would have been even better I think if I'd stayed with my original time frame....live and learn, live and learn.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Upper Buffalo Hiking
I played hookie last Thurs. and Fri. and headed 500 miles north to the hamlet of Boxley, AR. I had been watching Arkansas nature photographer Tim Ernst's journal to get an idea of how the foliage was shaping up. I had to plan a little ahead so the dog could go to the kennel and I could put in for personal days, but I picked a wonderful time to go, as hopefully my pictures will illustrate. Had I waited and gone this weekend or the one before I went I wouldn't have been as lucky. It rained pretty much all Thurs, but that was a travel day so it was ok. I puttered around the little town of Jasper then headed on to scope out Boxley Valley. I had bought a copy of the wonderful dvd, The Buffalo Flows, and knew something about the history of the community. I also knew there were elk all around this time of year, and sure enough, there they were grazing in the valley, along with the swans I had read about, and a flock of wild turkeys grazing as well. I felt like Alice in Wonderland, only better!
Finally I went to pick out a campsite for the night. I decided on Steele Cr. campground. It was empty except for a tent down on the far end and a few horse trailers in the horse camping area. By Fri evening this would change dramatically, but you can't blame folks for wanting to partake in this kind of beauty and the weekend was suppose to be sunny and gorgeous. The rain abated late in the day, just in time to get some shots of the trees with their turning foliage nestled against Roark Bluff. The Buffalo River country is beautiful any time of the year, but this was amazing.
I set out early Friday morning before the sun came up, to drive to Lost Valley Trail. I had never been to this upper area of the Buffalo and was anxious to see what it held. As I drove the gravel road to the trail, I saw a beautiful bull elk and two cows, but there were already photographers lining up for shots. I drove on to the trail, unpacked my photo gear, threw on my rain jacket. It was about 7 am and none of the campers were awake yet so I quietly head down the trail. There was a soft glow to the woods and the mist came and went. When I came to my first photo op I opened the tripod and began to attach the camera to the pod and realized I had lost the quick release from the bottom of the camera where I thought I'd secured it well. I guess all the walking with it under my rain jacket somehow worked it loose. A few tense moments ensued until I regained my composure and decided that I was not going to let this ruin my day. Needless to say with a gazillion leaves on the trail, I didn't find it. I spent the rest of the trip bracing my camera on the tripod by hand. It would just have to do. The recent rain had done wonders for the waterfalls.
When I finished my hike to Eden Falls and back, I got in the car to drive down the road to find a spot to get out and photograph an old building I'd seen on the way in. There were several cars already parked along the road so I found a spot and headed out into the pasture to get my shot. I noticed a group of three down under a large tree and as they started walking my way I realized one of them was none other than Tim Ernst!! I said good morning and the three of us got to talking; I mentioned where I was from, and that I was a member of the Ozark Society and the Arkansas Canoe Club and we discussed the recent calamity of Ed Cooley, another photographer who had a near tragic fall in the backcountry and was saved by his SPOT, which alerted SAR to his whereabouts. The rescue took almost 7 hrs in which Ed was lying in the water with several broken bones. Without the device, he would have died most likely, of hypothermia. The conversation ended with me leaving with one of Tim's beautiful calendars! Cool!
I went on to Whitaker Pt, better known as Hawksbill Crag, one of the most photographed spots in AR. It was still misty and slick so hiking was a slow careful process. I was quite shocked to see families with small children hiking the trail in these conditions, and worried about their safety, as the trail runs in places right along the edge of the bluff.
Upon arriving back at my car, I decided that the Glory Hole was next on the agenda, as it was on "this side of the mountain" and the next day I would be in another area, so off I went. It was getting close to 3:30 when I began my hike. I had been tipped off by a paddling friend about this hike, and it wasn't in my hiking guide. I knew it was a very short hike down to the waterfall, but also knew it would be slow going, and was hoping the light would hold. I don't normally set off on a hike to an unknown place in the late afternoon, and was a bit edgy about it, but I really wanted to see this natural wonder. I was not disappointed, although I did miss my good shot of the falls due to the batteries running down, the light fading, and my need to get back to the car. I should have just stopped and changed the batteries and continued on but instead I put up the camera and just enjoyed the scene. Well it seemed to make sense at the time...but not when I looked at the photos at home. With just a little more effort "I coulda been a contender" LOL. Oh well, it's the seeing, not the photographing that's the most important, at least to me.
I spent the night again at Steele Cr. then headed south early in the morning, driving up out of the fog and into a clear bright fall day.
I hit the Round Top Mountain trail first, got a few shots of the fog in the mountains surrounding the river valley, then headed up the trail. It was a glorious day for a hike, cool crispy (it had gotten down to 37 degrees in my car the night before;one thing I love about the Matrix is that I can forego the tent when the weather is cool)and no others on the trail. I spent several hours hiking the entire trail, up and down the mountain.
I enjoyed my lunch back at the car; it was noon and the parking lot was filling up with hikers, time to move on.
My last stop was to be Alum Cove, home of a natural bridge in the limestone. It was beautiful, but since I was getting there so late, it was inundated by visitors, one large noisy group, ruined the ambiance of the day. I just don't get it.......
Last January this area of Arkansas was hit by an ice storm, the evidence of which was obvious throughout my trip, but none as much so as here. I don't know if it was because there were no volunteers to help clear the trail, which is less than a mile total, or if they just had so much to do they hadn't made it here yet. I had to constantly climb over downed trees laying across the trail. I finally made it down to the creek but then completely lost the trail and had to backtrack to the trailhead. It was now midafternoon and I had yet to decide my plans for the night. I didn't really want to join the circus at Steele Cr. so I continued on south with the idea of heading down scenic Hwy 7 toward Lake Ouachita. Do you have any idea how good a shower feels after spit baths for three days? Glorious, even with low flow heads and semi hot water!!!! I finished up just in time for a lovely sunset dinner on the shore of the lake. I rose early the next morning and headed for home to have time to clean and put away my gear, gather the dog from the kennel and have time to sort thru the 300+ photos I took.
What a wonderful fall break!
Thought I'd add a few links. Here's Tim's Journal for some really good photography! He also has copies of The Buffalo Flows for sale.
http://www.cloudland.net/currentjournal.html
Here's my picasa page
http://picasaweb.google.com/home
Sunday, October 4, 2009
In My Own Backyard
I have been raptly watching Ken Burn's National Park documentary,and as with most of his stuff it's wonderful, in fact I think it's his best so far. But then the subject matter is close to my heart. There is so much beauty in North America, more than a person could possibly see in a lifetime. I have seen some of it and hope to see more before I take my leave. I have been to the Grand Canyon, the mountains of Colorado, Yosemite, the coast of California, the Okefenokee, the bayous of south Louisiana, the glorious springs, caves, and swift clear waters of the Ozarks, the Texas hill country, the Gulf Coast, the Finger Lakes, Carlsbad, the Sangre de Cristo mountains of New Mexico....I have yet to stand in awe of Denali, the Great Smokey Mountains, the Great Lakes, the Keys, the Everglades, the Tetons, and so much more. Someday if I'm lucky, I tell myself. I'm thankful someone had the foresight to realize these places needed to be set aside. It's easy to be a curmudgeon and hate them for being so crowded, which I do sometimes, although if you plan, you can escape most of the crowds. I would rather have to share these places than not have them at all.
Sometimes I forget when dreaming about these lofty places, that if we look closely we can find wonder and beauty right in our own backyards. For several years I have been moving farther and farther away from the city. I would like to live even more remotely than I do, but for now this is home. I can walk thru the woods for miles. I can walk less than a half mile and find myself at water's edge. I can watch a hawk perched in a snag, or a great blue heron patiently fishing. I can hear a chorus of frogs outside my window, as well as coyote and owls. The black bear and cougar, while not in my backyard, are returning and are not far away. Even the wolf may return one day. In the winter if I'm observant I can spy a bald eagle flying overhead. Just cataloging all the trees and wildflowers could take me years. In the summer, the wood thrush and the summer tanager return along with other migrants. And then there's the weather to watch and the sky. It's not that I don't have the money or the time to see the great natural wonders of this great land, it's that I get caught up in the nature right outside my door. It is there when I wake up, when I get home from work,there when I can't sleep. It's accessible; I don't have to pack the car, or make reservations, and most of the time I don't even have to share it.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Coyotes and Screech Owls
A cool front blew in to coincide with the autumnal equinox, making the first day of fall actually feel like it here in the piney woods of deep east Texas. I was looking forward to sleeping with the windows open, and I wasn't disappointed. Sometime during the night, I awoke to the yipping and wailing of a pack of coyotes; it's a sound I look forward to this time of year. I like living where I can enjoy their wild serenades. It helps me remember there's a little wildness out there still. I got another treat just before dawn. It was far off, and at first I thought it was a coyote, then a dog. My dog and cat both let me know they heard it too. I listened hard and then realized it was a screech owl. I hear a lot of barred owls and an occasional great horned, but these are a treat.
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