The same winter storm that closed White Sands deposited a great amount of snow on the area that surrounds the Village of Cochiti and the Kasha-Katuwe National Monument. We had the fortune to hike it while there was still quite a bit of snow, sometimes making the hike a bit treacherous. The photo above was taken at the top of the canyon that includes some of the most interesting hoodoos, a slot canyon (Greg now thinks of it as slick canyon), and yesterday . . . snow! The geology is fascinating, worth some exploring online. This was my third trip. Usually I can hike to the top, a 1.5 mile trek in about 2 hours, even with stops for photography. Not yesterday! It was worth every footstep. So, how do you get to the site where Greg stood? See below!
Yes!! There is still snow here.
And it was to fall over and over again. On us, around us, and melting along the path!
Elk prints and something else! It was just spectacular before we even got to the canyon.
Steve took a picture of my witchie tree.
As you approach the canyon, the hoodoo at the top is just a teaser. Not knowing what is ahead, we get excited and shot it anyway.
Adding a bit of elevation to the hike. See our teaser hoodoo to the left?
At the entrance.
Right inside the entrance to the canyon there is a tree (nice and green and healthy on top) with these fascinating roots. Kids climb all over it. Ann, of course, hiking way ahead of us, hiked all the way back so excited that she had found the tree we talked abut. She wanted her photo taken with Lefty and the roots. I hurried up with her and by the time we found the perfect perch that would not abuse his cute touché, we forgot to get Ann in the photo!!
I see an Italian cannelloni with thin frosting.
Snow fall!! Sun burst. YES!
A path upward.
Still going in the upward direction. Watch your head. Cover your gear.
On every turn a new delight, new light, more snow.
Look to your left.
Your path is on the right lower corner and then up to my perch.
A wider part of the slot canyon. Some stretches are foot ahead of foot, slide, watch your camera!!
Coming out of the slot canyon into this!!
Steve got tired of our colors. With artistic license . . . I like it.
Twins!
The path is on the lower left. Muddy, slippery. The hard part is to keep your eye on the path.
By now I am out of breath, my legs ache, but every new discovery drives me to the top.
Old man . . . a favorite to capture.
Somewhere along in here we took Ann's advice. "You cannot carry tripods the rest of the way." She had already been to the top and hiked back to bear the news. "It is too steep, slippery and treacherous. You will need your hands free. You need to strap down your cameras." Since Steve and I have been to the top before, we took Greg's tripod and sent them on up. They had orders, of course. "Take photos. Many photos!!"
Now that you have reached the point of the hike where you are eye level. Wows!
Dog face!
Top of the world to ya!!
Starting back down. Eye level again.
Ann finally got her shot with the tree.
This could almost be a White Sands photo!! We are now prepared as we can shoot snow!! We can shoot white sand.