Casa Grande and the Basin from Laguna Meadows Trail
My last hike of the season here at Big Bend National Park was the 13-mile South Rim in the Chisos Mountains. I had attempted this in February with my son as a 3-day backpack trip but we were rained out (See "Worst Night of My Life" blog entry.) So on my Special Project Day I shouldered my pack and headed up the Pinnacles Trail. I made it to Toll Mountain campsite in 2 hours and 45 minutes. Not bad for an uphill climb of over 3 miles. This is where Ryan and I spent that fateful night in the wind and rain two months earlier.
The Chisos Mountain Lodge from Pinnacles Trail
Century Plants clinging to rocks
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View from Toll Mountain campsite
I had earlier stopped at Juniper Flat to check on a couple of claret cup cactus I had seen, and was surprised to see one in full bloom!
Claret Cup cactus
Claret Cup single flower
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Boot Rock
....past lichen growing in the shape of a heart
...past the oaks with their new red leaves...
...and into Boot Canyon with its huge evergreens. There I saw a rare Colima warbler and two painted redstarts. (See previous post.) This is truly an oasis in the desert. Some of the trees are remnants of a more temperate climate.
Oak leaf snagged on juniper bark
More hiking, and I finally made it to the stunning viewpoints of the South Rim.
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Southwest Rim viewpoint
The views on the return trip via Laguna Meadows were amazing.
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This is the site of the Blue Creek Fire in 1989
I will swear that the sign at Laguna Meadows that says it is 3.3 miles back to the Basin is wrong, wrong, wrong. It took me 4 hours to travel that distance downhill, and I'm guessing it was more like six miles. All told with the detours to photograph the backcountry campsites, I walked 15 plus miles.
Basin from Laguna Meadows Trail
Heart rock on Laguna Meadows Trail
It was a warm day with light, cool breezes and though I drank about 40 ounces of water and didn't feel thirsty, I wound up dehydrated. (That's why they recommend a gallon per day.) I also had to hike the last half hour with my headlamp, as it took me 13 hours for the trip. When I got home I felt awful. Warm flushed skin, chills, aches in the hips, knees, legs, back, shoulders. I drank two tall iced wine coolers and had some supper, even though I wasn't hungry, then tossed and turned in bed for several hours with aches that Advil wouldn't soothe. The next day I took my only sick day since I've been here and continued to rehydrate and replace potassium and sodium with V8 juice, broth, and a banana. By the end of the day I felt almost normal again. Lesson learned. I ain't no spring chicken anymore.
Basin from Laguna Meadows Trail
Heart rock on Laguna Meadows Trail
It was a warm day with light, cool breezes and though I drank about 40 ounces of water and didn't feel thirsty, I wound up dehydrated. (That's why they recommend a gallon per day.) I also had to hike the last half hour with my headlamp, as it took me 13 hours for the trip. When I got home I felt awful. Warm flushed skin, chills, aches in the hips, knees, legs, back, shoulders. I drank two tall iced wine coolers and had some supper, even though I wasn't hungry, then tossed and turned in bed for several hours with aches that Advil wouldn't soothe. The next day I took my only sick day since I've been here and continued to rehydrate and replace potassium and sodium with V8 juice, broth, and a banana. By the end of the day I felt almost normal again. Lesson learned. I ain't no spring chicken anymore.
I didn't wear the Stetson on the trip - just the field cap
It was a wonderful way to end my tour of duty here at Big Bend National Park, in the great state of Texas.
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