Hike Report August 4, 2022 

 

Four hikers met at Silver Peak and carpooled to Rustler Park.  The heat and humidity in the low-lands destroyed our short-term memory and we decided to do the same hike as last week.  We were pleased to find the raspberries were bigger, juicier and more numerous due to the recent rains.  More are still ripening!  The pace of hiking was noticeably slower than the week before, but we had a wonderful time.  Nobody got married.

Two hikers picked spiny, spiny gooseberries in the hope of making some jelly, and others collected mushrooms.  

  

We noticed more band-tailed pigeons - undoubtedly there for the variety of berries, and there was plenty of bear scat.  There's a lot of food up there for wildlife this year!  There should also be plenty of elderberries later this summer/fall.  Elaine (and the rest of us) noticed that the flowers along the Long Park Road were exceptional - too many species to name were in bloom, but see the gallery below.  The high country was very green, cool and foggy this week.

 

We made our way to Fly Saddle for lunch (with raspberries for dessert).  We hiked back on the Crest Trail, picking as we went.  Mushrooms were collected but some poisonous species were noticed, so be sure of the identification if you value your liver. 

 

Sections of the trail above Rustler Park are very narrow due to thick, tall vegetation lining both sides. Because of the stinging nettles, raspberry thorns and New Mexico locust, we recommend long pants and possibly long-sleeved shirts for this area. 

Flower gallery:  1. Thurber's Cinquefoil, Potentilla thurberi  2. Spurred Gentian,  Halenia recurva  3. Golden Columbine, Aquilegia chrysantha    4.  Abert's Buckwheat,  Eriogonum abertianum   5.  Few-flowered Jacob's ladder,  Polemonium pauciflorum   6.  Toothleaf goldeneye - Viguiera dentata  

Please correct me if I'm wrong! 

  

 

Next week we plan to meet at 8AM Arizona, 9AM New Mexico and drive over Onion Saddle and south to West Turkey Creek.  The hike will be up and back on the Morse Canyon Trail maybe as high as Monta Vista Lookout.  We have no information on the current condition of this trail but it used to be well maintained.  Due to the longer drive we may return later than usual.  Be prepared for possible rain as this is the season - and remember water and lunch. 

hike report from Al & Elaine, photos by Elaine