My rental car’s thermometer says it’s 10°. I let the car warm up before taking off on my
photo expedition. Thankfully the car has
heated seats, but they seem to take way too long to warm my butt. Warm air will not pour out of the vents for
another 10 minutes. I’m still going.
Our first day’s hike is to and along Brins Mesa to see Angel
Falls then continuing around Cibola Mesa.
Don was here the previous day, snow and all. He’s wants us to see Angel Falls; water does
not flow over the falls very often so he wants us to see it while there is
still snow melt. After the first mile of
hiking we take off the outer layer of fleece because the sun is warm. Even with the warm sun, shaded portions of
the trail are covered with ice and snow.
The sun drenched portions are wet from melted snow. Climbing up on to the mesa reveals different
views of the rock formations. We pass by
the west end of the Fin to its snow dotted north face. As we ascend higher more snow appears along
the trail. Trickles of water are forming
in the low sections of the trail from the sun warmed snow. The final climb to see the falls is steep and
icy. We are encouraged to take our time
since a slip on the rocks can end up painful, if not worse.
Not wanting to sit at home over Christmas break I started
looking for someplace to go for a few days.
I just finished trips to Greece and northern Wisconsin but I still have
the urge to get away, but not so far that I have to fly. There are quite a number of close options;
Bisti Badlands, Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon and Canyon de Chelly to
start. My friend and hiking partner,
Laurie came up with Sedona. She has a hiking
and cycling friend that lives there, Don, who is always looking for an excuse
to hike.
My trip to northern Wisconsin starts in the 70’s
(temperature, not the year). 20 degree
temperatures are forecast for my destination but even this forecast is better
than last year’s dodging of snow, ice and rain.
The Valles Caldera Preserve, (VC) has recently been incorporated into
the National Parks System. Operating
under the new government entity has brought new fees and new access. Byron suggested we visit before throngs of
people take advantage of the new system.
To find out more about the Valles Caldera go to http://www.vallescaldera.gov/
Today’s weather forecast is for a 60% chance of rain. Will the weather forecaster’s prediction be
right a second time? Last time we hiked we
got both rain and snow. We are going anyhow;
it’s warmer so if anything it will be only rain.
One month in and I’m already one month behind. I have been delinquent in getting out for my monthly
hikes; a goal for 2015. I can use the
‘snow’ excuse since it did ‘snow’, I’m afraid when I show my snow images you
will roll your eyes, shake your head followed by leaving my blog, never to
return. I know better than to believe
the weather forecasters about precipitation but I don’t want to be two hours
away in my little truck without snow tires when they happen to get the forecast
right.
 |
| Mt. Taylor in the background |
Due to the federal government doing federal government things
I got to have the day off from work. I
am not complaining about the day off, I’m complaining about the f
government. I’ve been working the whole
time so I am better off than a lot of people.
That morning I kept going back and forth ‘To hike’ or ‘Not to hike’. I was leaning ‘Not to hike’ but at the last
minute decided to go....