We saw 8 deer, the first big mammals we have noticed. The RZR is noisy, so we don’t sneak up on things very easily. Besides these three, we also saw a doe and two spotted fawns plus two other solitary deer.
A d lots and lots of flowers. The best were around 7500’.
A lot of clearing cedar trees had been done to the hillsides. It isn’t done by cutting the trees, but by dragging these huge chains between two tracts/bulldozers. It looks pretty horrid right after, but the work will open up the lane for more native vegetation. The fact that it will increase cattle grazing space is also factored in.
There were some old favorites that showed up.
At 7000’, the landscape was mostly sage and cedars.
There were a few surprises like this amazing flower. This was the only one like it I noticed.
We had lunch at Rex Reservoir. Those trees across the lake? Their trunks are 2-3 feet deep in water!
When we got up to 7500’, the scenery changed significantly. Lots of scrub oaks started showing up, and the Mountain View’s improved. If you blow up the picture below and look carefully,there is still snow!
It was the first cloudy day we have had. Ignore the rutted road and look at the lovely sky.
I found only one of this beauty too. An odd cup-like shape.
More sky drama. It wouldn’t be of as much note but the skies have been pristine blue until late afternoon since we arrived.
It was a fabulous trip, but processing this many pictures is time consuming! Just a short drive tomorrow to check out a specific trail, then it will be time to drive into town to get gas.