Big Bend Summer 2009 – Last Day Even though it was summer, it seems like most of our explorations had been in the lower elevations. We decided to make a trip into the high Chisos on our last day and enjoy the cooler conditions at elevation and see what the recent rainfall had done to the mountains.
We loaded up water and lunch into our day packs and headed directly up the Pinnacles trail behind the stone cottages. The first 1/4 mile is always the worst part of this hike. It is steep and it takes a little while to get a rhythm in your stride. We made it to Juniper Flat shortly and continued at a steady pace trying to make it to Pinnacle pass before the sun made the exposed parts of the hike too hot.
We topped the pass about 2 hrs after leaving the Basin and ran into a trail crew doing some work on the Boot Canyon trail. After a brief visit we continued downhill toward Boot Spring.
Water was available in a small draw just north of BC 2 campsite and the area was lush and green.
We arrived at the cabin about 3 hrs after leaving the Basin and enjoyed lunch at the picnic table in the shade.
We had a visitor the entire time we were at the table. He seemed curious and not at all alarmed with our presence. I was hoping he would act as a mountain lion alarm…just in case. Boot Canyon is a little creepy when you think about the lions and lion activity there in the past.
We checked out the spring and while the pools below the spring were minimal, the spring was pushing some water out the pipe.
A few more deer slid through the trees around us while we were there, and there we quite a few hummers feeding on some of the newly blooming flowers above the spring. We waited for some time trying to get a glimpse of a Blue Throated Hummingbird, but although I have seen them at the spring many times in past, we were’nt so lucky this day.
We headed down the mountain and enjoyed views of the Basin and Casa Grande on the way down.
After arriving the Basin we drove down to RGV for a shower and took a look at the RGV Campground. Not surprisingly, there was not a single site occupied in RGV and only 2 of the full hookup sites had an RV parked.
Big Bend Summer 2009 – Last Day came to and end. On the way back to the Basin we sighted a lone bear crossing the road between Lost Mine Trail and the Basin. It was a big bear with no cubs, I assume a boar. He quickly crossed the road and headed into the brush with no opportunity for any photos. Next morning up early and headed back to H-Town. Got stopped by the Val Verde county sheriff on TX-90 and was given a written warning for having a dealer frame around my rear license plate. (Its only been there for 6 yrs!) Arrived in H after about 10 1/2 hrs, extra 1/2 hr for sure cause we came through Houston at rush hour. All and all, it was a great trip. It seems like every time we go we add some places to our list of where we need to explore next.
Thanks for reading.