Julianne took us on a nice hike 5.5 miles (no! not 6) up the South 10K trail to the Tree Spring Overlook, where we had a snack. We then continued up the South Crest Trail to the Tram House/ Ski Area where we had lunch on the deck of the High Finance Restaurant, which will soon be torn down to make room for a new, larger restaurant. (Elevation gain of 1,480 feet) We returned to the cars via the Rocky Point Trail, and Challenge Trail...We saw lots of wildflowers and enjoyed a wonderful shady hike--not to mention the great company and the wonderful Sandia Mountains!
 |
| The Hoofers: Judy A., Brigitte, Sally, Betty, Pat, Barb, Mary B. Jean, Our fearless leader: Julianne, Karen and... |
 |
| Rose |
 |
| Heading out...with American Vetch in foreground |
 |
| Heading south on the South 10K Trail |
 |
| Wall flower next to a very small Jacob's Ladder |
 |
| Osha |
 |
| More of the Osha Plant |
 |
| Richardson's Geraniums bright sunshine has washed them out... look at how tall they are! |
 |
| A nice shady hike for a warm summer day |
 |
| Green Gentian (before blooming) |
 |
| A Field of Green Gentian also called Monument Plant |
 |
| Found another Green Gentian that was just starting to bloom, in spite of being hacked or chewed on --this plant is also known as Deer's Ears because of its leaves. They only bloom every few years because the root has to store up energy to produce the big stem |
 |
| Mountain Figwort...also just prior to full bloom |
 |
| Sweet Cecily the immature fruit at the end of the umbrel branches have a pleasant licorice taste |
 |
| Close up of Sweet Cecily |
 |
| Mountain Parsley |
 |
| Twistpod Draba |
 |
| Red Columbine |
 |
| Golden Pea |
 |
| Golden Pea |
 |
| Paintbrush |
 |
| The Paintbrush were so brilliant against the green grass of the ski runs |
 |
| The green leaves under the red makes me think these might be Scarlet Paintbrush |
 |
| American Vetch |
 |
| Wallflowers flanked the trail through the ski runs |
 |
| Golden Pea were beginning to fade except at the edges of the ski runs in the bright sunlight |
 |
| New Mexico Scorpionweed |
 |
| These two shots remind me of the scene in Jurassic Park where everyone is running through the grass to escape the Raptors |
 |
| Annual Sunflower beginning to bloom |
 |
| Ski runs |
 |
| Osha |
 |
| Some type of thistle pre-bloom |
 |
| Inflated Penstemons |
 |
| Not a clear picture at all but these are the flowers from the Snowberry bush |
 |
| Snowberry Bush-- previously, I have only seen the white berries |
 |
| White Peavine |
 |
| Yellow Salsify (Yellow Goat's Beard) |
 |
| We were talking about the Medallion Trees and saw two prime candidates across the trail from each other--but no Medallions |
 |
| Meadow Rue |
 |
| NM Scorpion Weed just beginning to open up....and the small white flowers are the Tuber Starwort |
 |
| Red Columbine |
 |
| Spreading Fleabane |
 |
| Getting closer to the Tree Spring Trail...I can always tell by the many Scrub Oaks in the area |
 |
| Silverweed Cinquefoil |
 |
| Penstemons |
 |
| Penstemons |
 |
| Purple flower: Inflated Penstemons. Yellow flower: my expert Jean says Yellow Skyrocket. But I, the young Padawan, think that the leaves are different looking than on a Skyrocket. So I think it is a Many Flowered Puccoon a.k.a. Wayside Gromwell. So we shall see what the consensus is on this. |
 |
| New Mexico Locust tree blooming near Tree Spring Trail |
 |
| Wild Rose |
 |
| Jean checking out another plant |
 |
| The next three are pictures of the Fernleaf Lousewort (Giant Lousewort) |
 |
Finally got the REAL NAME of this plant found at the top of Tree Spring and also Del Agua Lookout
These are called ALPINE STEMLESS BITTERWEED
Thanks to my expert Jean on this!
(I jokingly called these Alpine Perky Sue in the past and it turns out the Perky Sue is indeed related to this plant...so I wasn't too far off!)
|
 |
| Views from the top of Tree Spring |
 |
| Some fossils found in the rocks there |
 |
| Mountain Ninebark |
 |
| Unknown |
 |
| Showy Daisy/Fleabane |
 |
| Scarlet Penstemon |
 |
| Scarlet Penstemon |
 |
| Unknown |
 |
| Purple Geraniums |
 |
| Purple Geraniums |
 |
| Penstemons |
 |
| Showy Daisy |
 |
| A nice close-up picture of the Tuber Starwort |
 |
| Thimbleberry |
 |
| Golden Pea |
 |
| Someone lost their glasses...these have been here at least 2 weeks according to Jane and Hilda who saw them on the previous Hoofer hike they took in this area |
 |
| Speaking of Jane and Hilda...they started the hike ahead of the group as they wanted to hike slower...this is where we met up with them |
 |
| A large newly fallen tree across the trail |
 |
| Passing under it |
 |
| Another one bites the dust |
 |
| Finally reaching the top at the Tram House |
 |
| Curly Dock |
 |
| Taking a picture of the new Tram Car and the kids inside all wave as I did so |
 |
| Having lunch on the deck: Hilda, Karen and Sally |
 |
| Barb and Julianne |
 |
| Betty, Mary B. Pat, and Judy A. in the distance Jane |
 |
| Zooming in on Jane...she likes to sit in the shade |
 |
| Jean and Rose pretty good selfie! |
 |
| Views from the deck |
 |
| The other new Tram Car |
 |
| Heading back towards Rocky Point Trail |
 |
| On Rocky Point Trail |
 |
| A fern garden growing on top of a rock |
 |
| A Red Columbine garden growing on top of a larger rock |
 |
| On left: Striped Coralroot Orchid with Sweet Cecily on right |
 |
| Pretty Cinquefoil |
 |
| Aspen Grove |
 |
| Jacob's Ladder |
 |
| Jacob's Ladder |
 |
| Scarlet Paintbrush backed by the Aspen |
Another beautiful hike in the Sandia Mountains...we are so lucky to live so close to enjoy it.
Happy Hoofing!
No comments:
Post a Comment