This was the day that Penny and I planned to do our longest hike. The South Rim of the
Chisos Mountain range is famous for its sheer cliffs and spectactular views. For
non-campers, the downside is that one must hike somewhere between 12 and 14 miles.
Wanting to see as much of the South Rim as possible we opted to try the 14 mile
distance. We started off before sunrise to make sure that we had as much time as
possible.
Added to the distance is the altitude gain. The Chisos Mountain Lodge sits in the Chisos
Basin, about 2,000 feet below the highest ridges that make up the remnants of a long
extinct volcano.
Not wanting to make the hike up to the rim again, Penny suggested that we also combine
this hike with a subhike to the summit of Emory Peak, the tallest in the park. This
only added 2 miles to the hike, but also about 1,000 feet in elevation gain. In the end
we hiked perhaps up to 16 miles and gained 3,500 feet in elevation. We were totally
exhausted when we got back to the lodge! Luckily, since we left so early in the day we
made it back to our room with plenty of daylight to spare.
We started out on this hike near sunrise. By the end of the day we'd hike to the top of the mountains ahead and back. |
The Window. The notch in the middle drains the entire Chisos Basin. |
This small rabbit seemed very tame. |
The peak ahead is Emory Peak, the highest point in the park. At this point it's probably 2,000 feet above us. |
The Sun finally begins to creep over the mountains. |
Small pockets of rock can have drastically different qualities. This patch here resembled Moon rocks. |
We've already made progress. The conical mound in the basin below is where we started. |
Here I am at our first sight of the South Rim. Even with the haze one could easily see into Mexico. |
Penny at the South Rim. |
Penny at the South Rim looking east. The trail will continue to follow the rim behind where Penny stands. |
Here I am on the edge of the South Rim enjoying the view. |
Looking back towards the South Rim Cliffs we'd already hiked along. |
Penny tests her balance on the South Rim. Careful Penny, it's a long way down! |
How far down? So far down that I was nervous standing on the edge holding the camera over to take this picture. |
The pictures don't do justice to how high up these cliffs are. The previous picture was taken looking down the shear wall pictures just left of center here. |
As we start to turn back towards the start we catch sight of Juniper Canyon. Our Lost Mine hike took place on the other side of this valley. |
Along the trail we saw an Texas Alligator Lizard. |
Although there was no running water, this creek maintained a few stagnant pools. |
Sometimes extensive trail maintenance is needed to make for a passable path. |
Yes, this is west Texas. At times it was hard to believe that we were technically in the middle of a desert. |
An interesting rock spire seen along the trail. |
Yet another view of the trail. |
The side trail up Emory Peak was exhausting, particularly after already hiking close to 10 miles. |
Although we lacked the climbing skills to get to the very top of Emory Peak, we were still treated to some great views. |
This Mexican Jay (larger and more colorful than a typical Blue Jay) and its mate followed us for quite a while. |
Finally, we can see the end of the hike. Unfortunately, it's still several miles away! |
Nearing the end, Penny is anxious to get back to the room and take a nap. |
Come on! We're almost there! |
