Spring 2021: New Mexico

This was my first time hiking in New Mexico.  I arrived a little bit early for my style, but I was able to begin my investigation and came home with some ideas for future visits.

White Sands National Park

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White Sands and the San Andreas mountains make for a striking contrast. FWIW, all of the the sand here is actually pure white (except when slightly wet, in  shadow, etc.).
Advice for hikers of the dunes in White Sands National Park
Advice for hikers of the dunes in White Sands National Park
I was thrilled to see the famous White Sands Walking Tree in action
I was thrilled to see the famous White Sands Walking Tree in action.  See the Walking Tree Lovers site for a fascinating.
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This is not the backcountry. It’s the Visitor Center. Enjoy your visit.

Miscellaneous

During my travels in New Mexico, I visited several places.  Here are the most interesting photos from them.  In particular, I’d like to visit certain places in Gila National Forest; stay tuned.

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I bet not very many people have heard of the “Organ Mountain – Desert Peaks National Monument,” but it’s quite popular with the locals. I enjoyed my visit.
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This is the sign at the Visitor Center in City of Rocks State Park.  What do you do if you’ve got to go now, and you’re not sure where “the main roadway” is.
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The scenery in this part of Gila National Forest was nothing to write home about. I though it ironic that the most visually interesting part of the hike was the Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery.
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Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument showcases an ancient settlement with impressively large rooms built into cliffs in the mountains of New Mexico
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The Santa Rita Mine (or Chino Mine) near Silver City is a massive open pit copper mine that is much larger than you see here. It consumes many mountainsides. I found it to be visually stunning – much more so than the undisturbed mountains. The various colors alone were fascinating. Yet for someone who enjoys being in nature, the visual stimulation was matched by the loss of nature. I would not be surprised to learn that I have had pennies containing copper mined from here. Life has tradeoffs.