Driving the Tran-Mountain road by El Paso, Texas a baseball sized rock fell off of one of the cliffs and wouldn't you know it, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. You can also kiss my wiper blade good bye.
After the baseball rock to the windshield I pulled off the road into the Franklin Mountains outside of El Paso. These mountains are teeming with unique plants and beautiful scenery. I will have to come back some other time when I have more time to poke around and see what I can find.
Here are some salt flats to the west of Guadalupe Peak. That high mountain-rock-looking thing in the far back ground is in fact Guadalupe Peak.
There is El Capitan in Yosemite National Park and El Capitan in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Both are dramatic cliffs rising straight out of the ground. I managed to capture El Capitan here in the Guadalupes just as a low cloud was passing by.
I am now botanizing the desert floor of Guadalupe Mountains National Park looking for unique and interesting plants. I have a fascination with cacti and I always keep my eyes peeled for species I have never seen before. Here is a Christmas Cholla (Cylindropuntia leptoclulis).
My camp site at Pine Springs Canyon in the Guadalupe Mountains.
It took me forever to figure out what the heck this plant was. It is a Mexican Orange (Choisya dumosa). It is interestingly a member of the Citrus family and is highly aromatic.
These were easily my favorite trees around the park. They are Texas Madrones (Arbutus xalapensis) and have incredibly red-orange shiny bark and gnarly twisted shapes. Needles to say, they made great photo opportunities. I have also heard they are the hardiest of all the Madrone tree species.
The Guadalupe Mountains were a hot bed for agave. The agave I found in the park were slightly different than most of the other agave I have seen. They had an amazing ice-blue felt/matte color but had jet black spikes and spines. I think these specific agave are (Agave neomexicana).
Texas Madrone.
The live tissue looks like a tumor or alien growth growing over the dead wood in this Texas Madrone. I took so many pictures of these plants and each new tree I came came across seemed to become weirder and weirder.
Texas Madrone.
Foggy cliffs in Pine Spring Canyon.
Here is an Agarita (Mahonia trifoliolata). It produces edible red berries (not pictured) and is a member of the Barberry family I believe.
Crossing a beautiful clear stream in McKittrick Canyon in the Guadalupe Mountains. McKittrick Canyon had been described by some to be the most beautiful place in Texas.
Stream in McKittrick Canyon.
Approaching the top of Guadalupe Peak, El Capitan came into view. From up here you can really see just how massive the cliff face really is.
This is El Capitan from the top of Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas. 8,749 feet.
At the top there is a metal pyramid. I wonder how many times it has been struck by lightning?
Me on the summit of the highest point in Texas. Guadalupe Peak. I forgot to mention it was ridiculously cold up there.
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