Jim decided he wanted to attend the dedication of the new Unitarian Church in Los Alamos and I wanted to go to the opera. It was the perfect opportunity to squeeze in a hike in the Santa Fe-Los Alamos area. We selected the Cerro Grande Trail because of its promise of spectacular views of Valle Caldera. Cerro Grande is the name of the fire that devastated the area a few years back. And we walk through the thick of it...
After about 1.5 miles of meandering through a ponderosa forest, the trail opened onto a wide meadow and soon we found ourselves above tree line.
My attempt at a panoramic picture :) At the horizon, one of the many burned out areas.
Our reward, overlook of the Caldera and 360 degree views of the surroundings: Redondo Peak, the Sangre de Christo Mountains and the upper end of Frijoles Canyon. We took in the views, but did not linger as summer storm clouds started to build.
