This has become a yearly outing for us. There are no marked trails for the hikers so our meanderings in this area always brings us a new and different hike with different things to see. We had an overcast day with temperatures heading towards the 70's....yes, it is February...what a great day to spend the time hiking out in the open desert!
The San Ysidro Trials Area is a unique slot canyon area that offers recreation for anyone with an appreciation of natural wonders. The entire recreation area lies at the southern tip of the Jemez Mountain range and is open for hiking, primitive camping, equestrian activities, and mechanical vehicles such as mountain bikes. The area is closed to off-road motorized vehicles except for the special use permitted to the New Mexico Trials Association who uses the area for competitive and practice events.
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| The Hoofers: Jennise, Brigitte, Kathleen, Mary M., Missy, Barb, Pat today's leader, Lynda, and Yours Truly, Rose (who needs a selfie stick?) |
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| So the worse part of the hike, a one mile trek up the sandy road to the trials area |
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| Been here many times, saw the patties, but this time we actually saw the cows. |
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| Sandia Mountains in the distance |
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| Trees growing out of the rocks |
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| Natural perfect round holes in the rock |
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| Ripples from an ancient lake (or sea) |
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| Natural water pools |
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| Barb wanting this in her back yard...trying to figure out which is cheaper, moving the pools or moving her house |
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| This rock looked like petrified wood |
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| Love the angular falling rocks |
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| Checking out the slot canyon |
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| Interesting impressions in the rock |
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| I like the lichen on this rock |
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| Separated by a smaller canyon |
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| Missy and Lynda find a way to join Pat our leader |
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| But first Lynda checks out the canyon --not sure if she likes what she sees |
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| This climb looks much worse than it was |
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| A great example of desert pavement |
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| Coming to a much deeper canyon we get some great views |
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| The effects of swirling water |
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| Missy looking for a way down into the canyon |
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| A huge pool of water lets her know that this is not a doable entry point for the canyon |
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| Clever as I am, I didnot have to go down into the canyon to make that assessment |
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| A cottonwood found a great source of water to set up its home |
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| I coined this as dinosaur skin rock formations |
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| This looked more like a heart when I was actually there which is why I took the picture-- still nice lichen |
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| Poppy seed lichen |
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| Some more lichen hiding in a crevice of this rock |
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| Kathleen checking out the carin used by the bikers during their trials |
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| I took a picture of it so she can look at it forever! |
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| A Ponderosa pine in the canyon |
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| Lunch!! |
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| Yes, the youth of our country, these guys just rode off the cliff into the canyon and were unscathed... we would have killed ourselves...but then again we are not stupid enough to try that either |
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| Different colored lichen |
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| A dike remaining from a rock that has worn away |
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| Heading back, our cars are just across the road from White Mesa in the distance |
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| Cacti with spikes larger than the cacti itself |
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| Homes for some critters |
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| Unusual colored rock... or could that be a blood stain from some bike mishap? |
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| Interesting formation |
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| An anvil cairn pointing the way |
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| The sandy remains of the sandstones |
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| A home-made barbecue grill with a bicycle handlebar for positioning...sadly it has seen better days, but is probably still used as there was a nice pile of wood next to it |
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| Kathleen sent a couple of photos of this Unknown Hoofer |
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| Here she is again...caught in the act of taking the photos....Thanks Kathleen for adding me to the blog! |
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