July 1, 2021
When we finished our trek through Carlsbad Cavern and got back to our car, Bob called the main ranger station in Guadalupe National Park to see if by any chance McKittrick Canyon had been opened up. We had already tried to get in twice, but it had been closed due to flooding caused by a couple of days of rain. Well, the third time was the charm--it was open!
I was really glad that Bob was persistent. We had a memorable late afternoon hike and had the place almost completely to ourselves.
The parking lot and ranger station are several miles in from the main road. We hit the trail right away because by the time we got to the station, it was 5:00 and the exit gate would be locked at 6:00.
As we crossed the wash in the photo above, Bob suddenly started doing some fancy footwork. When it was over, he had his shoe on a snake.
When Bob picked it up, it bit him hard enough to draw just a bit of blood. Bob, of course, didn't drop him, as I most certainly would have (not that I would have picked it up in the first place).
Bob wasn't sure what kind of snake it was, but he looked it up later and determined that it was a mountain patchnose snake.
We got a few pictures, and then Bob let it go. It moved FAST and in just seconds was out of sight in the brush.
It was that time in late afternoon when the light makes the colors deeper and the edges crisper.
I am a newcomer to the Desert Appreciation Club. The more I am exposed to the desert's variations, the more I come to love the always surprising landscapes.
I was intrigued by this tree and commented to Bob that its bark looks like alligator skin. Later I saw one with a placard identifying it as an "Alligator Juniper."
We saw occasional signs of the rain that had kept us out of the canyon on our two previous attempts.
Next find, a very cool millipede, curled up tighter than a corkscrew.
Here it is a little more relaxed.
We veered off the trail a bit to walk down this wash that appears to have a man-made stone wall on the far side.
As we got closer, however, we could see that this was a Mother Nature original--giant slabs of neatly stacked limestone with tops as smooth as a kitchen counter.
Doesn't this look like the fake stone you see in very fancy backyard pools or amusement parks?
It is actually a canyon remodel Mother Nature has been working on for millions of years.
I did see a few man-made additions, and at least one man.
More leftovers from the rain storm.
Beauty everywhere . . .
. . . mostly.
McKittrick Canyon was beautiful. Would love to have spent more time there. Glad you've joined the desert appreciation club! I get irritated by the rain diversions we've had, then think of people who've really been bothered with flooding, hurricanes and fires and think we've had it pretty good.
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