Poobird's Rarities

A rainy day in the desert is not to be wasted indoors... What better way to enjoy rain than to go out and play in it and that is exactly what we did this morning.

Cooked us up some egg crossiants, a fresh pot of coffee, and loaded up the dogs in the truck with our packs. We spent entirely too long looking for a rain jacket. You only use them maybe once or twice a year out here in the Mojave desert so who knows where that thing ended up. We would still be looking for the darn thing if I hadn't called it a lost cause....

 While the rain drops fell clouds clung to the mountain ranges, ever shifting as we made our way closer to Red Rock. When there isn't abundant sunshine white washing the landscape it looks like an enitrely different place. The colors are rich, the greens vibrant, the landscape takes on a new feeling.

Las Vegas people are like lizards... If there isn't sun out they are no where to be seen. You definitely won't find many hiking in rainy weather that is for sure. Of course, with all the flash flood warnings the weather channel posts, you would think setting foot in the desert during a storm would be a life threatening event... We've had so little rain this year there wasn't even a puddle to be found this morning.  So we had Red Rock almost all to ourselves.

 Hitch the Hound, of course, bayed the entire way. Too excited to contain his joy. Every critter from Blue Diamond to the Red Rock entrance knows when we are coming:)

One of our favorite hikes is the La Madre Loop Trail. We see a lot of big game on this path. On numerous other occasions we have spotted mountain sheep hanging out on the ridges, mule deer herds blazing a trail, and of course every critter you can think of.  We were even lucky enough once to spot an elk making it's way across the desert.  The entire La Madre loop is 6 miles. We have done different portions of it and always see something new.

We like to take the route by the Thrust Fault trail and meander up through the pines and Juniper trees. A large wash flanks you and when there has been enough rain you can go down and cool off in the water. Definitely not nearly enough rain this year though.

Just this light drizzle intensifies all the scents around you and makes everything feel so clean and pure. A fresh lemon scent mingles in the cool air and when the breeze hits you it feels like a cold blast of a/c.

Lunch on a log

The hike is a slow grade up hill through beautiful country. One of our favorite things about this trail is there are NO Cholla Cactus... Only juniper trees spotted with blue berries, pines that smell of lemon, and scrub oak with budding acorns. Once you go back about a mile and a half or so you reach a sandstone outcropping. It's a perfect place to stop and explore and have a little lunch. I imagine the Indians used this spot to make camp many times.

Fun side trail on ridge line

There is a little side trail you can take along the ridge line and feel like you are on top of the world. This is the highest elevation on the loop trail and our favorite section of it. Below you stretches out into a valley of green. We stopped here and watched a thick cloud front roll in over the mountain tops and sink into the valley. A truly beautiful sight to see.

Just after this you begin your descent down the mountain into a valley of green. La Madre springs is only a short distance away and a good place to see the deer and mountain sheep. We decided this would be a great turn around point.

The sun should begin peaking out any moment now and we want to get back to the truck before it really heats up again. The last couple of days the temps have hit 114 degrees so our hiking has been very limited lately. We jumped at the chance to enjoy such a cool temps this morning.

We stopped for a little lunch on a log. A place I'm sure countless others have stopped to enjoy the scenery and solitude. We shared two bananas, a bag of jerky, and a granola bar., Just enough to give us a little boost. As we packed up lunch the clouds parted and the sun began to peak through...

Time to get moving before it really gets warm.

Jenn and Pups enjoying a fun hike in the clouds