Valle Grande Breakdown

On this Wednesday, stopped at the Coyote Call pullout to try to capture the spotlights of sunlight breaking through the clouds over the Valle Grande, onto South Mountain (left) and tiny, little Cerro la Jara (right). Looked much prettier in person!

We hiked up Corral Canyon. Very muddy, trampled by cows and although the cows are finally gone, the trail is still full of their rain-softened manure mounds. Windy - we could hear loud cracks as trees fell in the forest. Several slippery stream crossings. The steam is much widened by erosion caused by Las Conchas wildfire runoff from burnt slopes. At Junction Meadow, we decided not to continue on the trail through the wind-shook burnt forest but instead went up to Peralta Road. On the walk back down to the car, saw this pretty view of Cerro la Jara through the burnt trees.

At a pullout overlooking the Valle Grande as snow, rain and fog alternately swept in. What a lovely place to have my car's battery die. I couldn't have asked for a prettier view as I waited an hour  for the AAA wrecker to come jump start my battery! They were a most welcome sight but so was this view!!