Chiricahua National Monument 1

Scouting day, forecast to be windy, tomorrow rainy (but updated forecast, not so rainy tomorrow) so we took a day to scout out the Chiricahua without much hiking.  Good choice too!  It was very windy and cool.

It’s 35 miles from here to the CNM.  Quite scenic route, we saw mountains up close that we have seen from Safford so many times.  And once up at the Monument it was spectacular.  We have so many photos that I don’t know how to sort them for the blog tonight.  Columns, Pinnacles, balanced rocks every few feet.

Because we were just scouting we took Skye along for the ride.  She did get to go for a 1 mile hike at the end of the day before coming home.  There are a couple houses of early settlers just inside the Monument where dogs can go on trails.  She’ll stay home when we hike for the day.

Cold day tomorrow, in the 40s.  We’ll do some laundry, pick up some Rx meds I ordered here, might check out the Rex Allen Museum.  

On our way out of Wilcox we waited for a train.  They are very long trains out here!

I have never seen one train passing another while both are in motion

The nearer train is moving at moderate speed.  The farther train is moving quite a bit faster.

Both westbound

I think this is called the Organ Pipe formation

China Boy

I don’t know how it got that name

Carlene found some ice!

Most of the trails and this observation point were made by the CCC

Cochise Head

Blowing sand & dust on the way back to Wilcox

Wind was forecast at 30 mph, plus gusts