Engineer Mountain Overlook, San Juan National Forest, CO, 7/9/17

Fit in a hike on our way from Durango to Ridgeway, CO. An easy 3 miles to the base of Engineer Mountain, above. Trailhead is 36 miles north of Durango, on US Highway 505, at Coal Bank Pass. 

 We started by walking through a meadow covered knee-high with wildflowers,

then meandered through spruce-fir forest ......

 and finally arrived at tree line, where we were rewarded by the most awesome
360 degree mountain views!

Columbine all along the way.

FaultyTrail, Sandia Mountains, NM, 7/2/17

A trail with three names! In addition to Faulty, the trail is also named Mystery trail (because of its unknown origins) and Diamond trail because of the diamond-shaped trail blazed carved into the trees (see 4th photo below.)  Walked ~6 miles with an elevation gain ~900 feet. 

This was not a hike with views, so we spent time looking for wonderous expressions of nature, such as these fungi on the tree above, 

 and branches that looked like roots.

Mini Wednesday NM Mountain Club hike, NM, 5/31/17

Penstemon in bloon.

Five-mile hike in the foothills of the Sandias. Started at the Spain trail head and meandered over to the Elena Gallegos Open Space.  By that time it had started to rain and lighting threatened at the horizon.

McPhee Overlook trail, Dolores, CO, 5/28/17

Joined a friend in Dolores, Colorado, for a day hike, which was supposed to be a white water rafting trip down the lower Dolores river.  About a week ago we got word that the planned water release from the McPhee reservoir into lower Dolores was cancelled. Not enough water so no rafting trip. Instead our friend, Brenda, who lives in Dolores, took us for a hike along the reservoir. 

Distance: 7.7 miles. Elevation: ~ 1060 ft. 

 
 Dolores water treatment plant and La Plata mountain range in background.

Plenty of wildlife on this hike: rattlesnakes in the rocky section of the trail - see sign above. No, we did not encounter any today :)  Above, squirrel on the lookout: A most unusual sight! A bird of prey was flying overhead and we wondered if it was an eagle until Brenda spotted several sunning on a log: turkey vultures!

 Jim remarked on the varying terrain:  rocky section, shady forest and open meadow.

Cozy lunch spot.

Cozy lunch spot. 

Juan Tomas Canyon, Cibola National Forest, NM 4/26/17

New Mexico Mountain Club 6-mile walk in the Juan Tomas Open Space south of Tijeras.  I call it a walk as there was very little  elevation change (~1000 feet.) Walked through prairie-like areas and more dense forest. Typical New Mexico spring day: sunny, cool and windy.

 Turkey tracks but no wild turkeys in sight. 

Trail was still muddy from yesterday's rain.

Mt Maunganui Round-About hike, NZ, 2/28/17

Last hike of our month-long stay in New Zealand: walked around the base of Mt Maunganui, located at the end of our beach. and then climbed to the top,  A peak experience with one fabulous vista after the other. Perfect finale to our trip!

 

 

Rotorua City Walk, NZ, 2/25/17

 Walking tour of Rotorua, the geothermal capital of NZ. As we walked up to the Rotorua Museum, a spa from 1908 to 1966, with its imposing Tudor style, I commented to Jim, "I hope this beautiful building will not be damaged by an earthquake." To our surprise, we found the museum closed. Damage already done!

The whole city smells of sulphur and steam can be seen escaping from vents and crevasses all around town.

Next, our walk took us to beautiful Rotorua lake and up to a Maori meeting house. Across from the meeting house is St Faith's Anglican Church that mixes Christian and Maori beliefs with ease. Note the beautiful Maori side chapel and the Maori Jesus walking on water. If only all faith's could be more accepting of each other ...







Walk of Rotorua, continued. Next we walked to Kuirua park, the local city park. No ordinary park though! It has a crater lake, mud pool and steaming vents everywhere Latest eruption was in 2003! Right next to all this geothermal activity was the farmers market. Finished the walk with lunch: a Japanese pancake and Kiwi milkshake.

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