Mike's Southwest Travels: McKittrick Canyon

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McKittrick Canyon

September 27, 2005

Location:  Guadalupe Mountains near
Carlsbad, New Mexico

Like a good book, McKittrick Canyon has plenty of effusive blurbs up front.

Excerpt from: http://www.worldmind.com/Wild/Parks/guad.html
McKittrick Canyon is a hike along the Capitan reef, the world's largest known fossil reef. A small stream flows through the canyon. The trail continues past Pratt Cabin and the Grotto to Wilderness Ridge, a high elevation forest of Ponderosa pine. Excellent views await one atop this ancient Permian edifice.

Excerpt from: http://www.onedayhikes.com/Hikes.asp?HikesID=83
McKittrick Canyon:  This stunning canyon, carved into the high cliffs of the Guadalupe range, has been called "the most beautiful spot in Texas".

From the highway, the Park appears to consist of desert interrupted by a towering wall of high limestone cliffs. But hike through the twists and turns of McKittrick Canyon, carved into the cliffs over millions of years, and you encounter a stunning, lush oasis. Spectacular leaf colors draw many people into the canyon in late October and early November, but it is quieter during the rest of the year. This tranquility, coupled with the freshness of new plant-life, makes spring a particularly attractive time to visit. Having hiked the canyon in May, we can certainly attest to its beauty at this time of year.

How could I resist a visit after that hype?  Indeed, the canyon is a great hike.  In spite of that, I'll spend the rest of the page bitching and making fun of the place.  

   

These are the miserable, endless Salt Flats you drive through to the Guadalupes.  Then you see the mountains in the distance like a mirage.  Finally at scenic turnoff, you will be pressed not to take a picture of the breath-taking El Captain. 

 

A well-marked trail leads us through McKittrick Canyon.

 

A set of natural stepping stones on the path.

   

There are great views of the mountains all around.

   

McKittrick Creek and its inhabitants are, oh so very, fragile.  There are signs telling you not to touch, step in, or even gaze too longingly at the water.  The first time I read one of these signs was while I was taking a leak in the stream.  Immediately downstream, the water turned green (remember, yellow and blue make green) and every animal within it or drinking from it, spontaneously combusted.  "Oops," I said, as I zipped up and continued along the path.

An excellent history of the park can be found here: http://www.guadalupe.mountains.national-park.com/info.htm   For example, they had this to say about Pratt's Cabin.   " The cabin is made of only stone and wood. Heart-of-pine rafters, collar beams, and sheathing to support the stone roof were shipped in from East Texas. The stone used in building the house was quarried outside the canyon at the base of the Guadalupe Mountains. Always the geologist, Pratt selected "silty limestone", thin-bedded and closely jointed by clean vertical fractures." Workers scraped off the thin layer of earth to reveal the proper stones, then using crowbars, levered the blocks apart. The joints made the blocks fit well, and Pratt noted that few required the stonemason's hammer or chisel."  And yes, the roof is made of stone as well.

I missed the cabin tour as I had arrived late.  In a very friendly manner, the sign at the front gate of the park said that the gates closed at 6:00.  Anybody not back by then gets to spend the night.  I did not wish to spend the night, as I had taken only the clothes on back and the camera with me into the park.  At 5:30, I realized I wasn't going to make it to the Grotto part of the trail that I had been looking forward to.  Skipping over rocks in the bog and nearly at a run, I made it just as the ranger was about to close the gate.  I probably would have made it quicker, if I hadn't stopped to take this picture.

 

 

I returned the next day promptly at 8:00 and triumphantly achieved the Grotto.  There is a cave in the rear, but once again, you need a permit.  I decided to obey the signs as I had not brought a flashlight and the cave screamed "Rattlesnake!"  Also I didn't trust that lizard (see below).  It might have been a ranger in disguise.

I made a few new animal friends on this trip.

On my second day at the park, I was having an allergy attack on the trail.  In the midst of blowing my nose, I heard an answering honk.  Looking through the brush, I saw a rather disappointed doe, a female deer.  I wasn't quite what she was looking for.  She huffed at me and strolled away, powerfully reminding me of my own unfriendly dog at home.

These rainbow trout were re-introduced to the creek by a conservationist and are considered endangered in this habitat.  And they're good eatin' too.  Thank goodness for Mother Nature providing free snack food for hungry hikers.

Here's Mr. Lizard.  I met him at the Grotto.  I went to all this trouble to go to the Grotto to take pictures of the famous bunnies there, and all I got was this dumb lizard.  Not even a lounge lizard, at that.  Oh well, what happens in the Grotto, stays in the Grotto.

Mike's Southwest Travels: Sitting Bull Falls

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Sitting Bull Falls

September 3, 2005

Location:  Guadalupe Mountains near
Carlsbad, New Mexico

Excerpted from:  http://www.waterfalls-guide.com/nm_sitting_bull_falls.htm
You would never expect to see a 130 foot waterfall here but it is real. A regular desert oasis, picnic tables, camping sites, plenty of hiking trails and even some great swimming pools should really help make this a great visit.

Excerpted from:   Guadalupe Back Country Byway Biking, caving, horseback riding, backpacking, hunting, picnicking, and wildlife viewing await you on this Back Country byway managed by the Bureau of Land Management. This is an opportunity not to be missed.

    

Really.  This place is simply enchanting.  However, the Falls aren't well known and it's a shame.  Twenty minutes from Carlsbad, the Falls are too far away from actual civilization to get much publicity, while simultaneously being overshadowed by the famous Carlsbad Caverns.

And then there are people who really go to an extreme to see the Falls.

Excerpted from: http://www.freedom.org/prc/news/19990901/wally.html


Two German air force jets apparently collided during a training flight over southeastern New Mexico on Friday. The four pilots bailed out over Sitting Bull Falls, landed on a cattle and sheep ranch and were taken to a local hospital.

 

There's a fine recreation area at the foot of the falls and even two scenic rest  stops on the trail to the top.

There was a nice crowd out at Sitting Bull Falls over Labor Day.  The girl was not there when I was there.  Unfortunately, all I got were pictures of boys playing in the water.  But I'm forgetting all that and posting the girl's picture anyway and building an elaborate fabricated memory about it.

Not to say I didn't get some hot sex at the Falls.  Regrettably, I was not directly involved in said act.  This is one of the springs on the mountain that produce one of the falls.  It's also apparently a romantic spot for couples to throw inhibition to the wind, cast off their clothing, and make passionate love...for the passing amusement of fellow hikers, such as myself.  I had the decency to respect their modesty and not take their picture in such a delicate state.  Also, they weren't very good looking.

Here's the spring at the top.  Yes, right past that clump of grass is the quick way off the mountain.  You might not want to skinny dip there.

What I really wanted to do was visit the Caves of Sitting Bull Falls (say it with a deep echoing voice).  Apparently they were damaged by a rockslide from a freezing spell, but are still pretty impressive.  The caves are supposedly dangerous and climbers are not allowed in without a permit.  "That doesn't apply to me," I confidently said, as I worked my way up to the cave.  Suddenly, a park ranger appeared out of the brush, "Say, son, you wouldn't be thinking about going into them there dangerous caves there were you?"  "Why, no, Mr. Ranger," I said replied as I watched him fondle his large caliber handgun, "I must have gotten lost.  Excuse me, I'll just be on my way."   I wasn't going to contest the logic of man willing to shoot me to death to save my life.

Somehow this weasel got into the caves.  Look at him just sitting there, all smug and happy, mocking me.  Oh, well, maybe next time.  

Mike's Southwest Travels: Lucero Ranch

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Lucero Ranch

August 5, 2005

 

Location:  Eastern face of the Organ Mountains on White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico

Who wouldn’t want to take a tour to a bunch of dilapidated old buildings surrounded by unexploded ordinance, with a strict military escort, and bunch of distant relatives you barely know?

Let's start off with a little history here.

Excerpted from:  http://www.rozylowicz.com/retirement/lakelucero/lucero.html
In 1897, Jose and Felipe Lucero, both sheriffs of Dona Ana county, obtained title to 160 acres on the south shore of the dry lake that would bear their name. The Lucero ranch eventually encompassed 20,000 acres (8,100 ha), with an estimated 2,000 head of cattle. The main ranch house was several miles south of Lake Lucero, on what is now the White Sands Missile Range.

The Luceros, along with many other ranchers in the basin, abandoned cattle raising during World War II, as much of the basin became a bombing range. In 1945 the White Sands Missile Range was created.

Bringing us to the present condition of the ranch.

Excerpted from:  http://www.nps.gov/whsa/stratplan/Strategic%20Plan%20WHSA.htm
Twelve of the 14 remaining structures, all within the White Sands NM Administrative Complex, will be maintained in good condition. One structure, the Lucero Ranch Line Camp, located in the remote western part of the monument along the trail to Lake Lucero, will be allowed to remain in poor condition. Inspections and minor maintenance of that site will continue in order to provide for the safety of visitors and employees that are periodically in that area.

 

So much for history.  I assume the buildings we visited were the ones in "poor" condition.  Anyway, as part of the agreement for the ranch to be turned over to the military, the family is allowed to visit every few years.  No doubt the military is now ruing this arrangement.  This time they had to provide escort for forty cars and a couple hundred people, including my truck and one of my cousins.  

   

My involvement with the ranch began when I visited here as a child.  I used to swim here when it was a water tank.  The wells actually looked like they were in good shape.  A little repair and... the ranch would still be a bunch of dilapidated buildings surrounded by unexploded ordinance.

Here's the old cellar.  I went down inside during the last family visit.  It was in a lot better shape back then; I wouldn't try it now.

    

Here's the main house, relatively intact.  The fellow in the red hat was giving us the tour.

   

   

Between bad upkeep and graffiti posted by various soldiers over the years, the inside of the house was like something out of the Blair Witch Project.    The house's only resident was a camera-shy bat, who did not appreciate all the fuss.  

   

Still, we all had a reasonably good time.

 

Here's a couple of rare view of the Organs from a normally restricted part of the base.
I wish I could post pictures of all the cool military hardware I saw, such as the  rows of tanks and when we were buzzed by a low-flying stealth fighter.  However, our military escort was there to ensure we didn't take pictures of that.  You'll just have to take my word for it.  But thankfully I was allowed to photograph all of this wonderful historical ...umm ...debris.

Mike's Southwest Travels: Leasburg Park

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Leasburg State Park

August 1, 2005

Location:  Just outside of Las Cruces, New Mexico

This was just a little day-trip, mostly just to have fun in my new truck.  The county back roads can be treacherous, however, especially if you're driving on them at 90mph.  I didn't mean to!  Like I said, I was enjoying my new truck and there aren't a lot of speed limit signs out there.   A more complete description of the area than my own can be found here.   

So, the place is a recreation area by a small dam.

 

Here's a dangerous-looking channel that simply begs to be drown in.

Here's a dangerous-looking bridge over one of the channels.

And here's the dam at sunset.  (Not very dangerous, though.)

If you want a really good view of the dam, you'll need to bypass the dangerous-looking security fence.  Yes sir, all in all, a very dangerous adventure.