Soda Dam

Soda Dam, along the Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway.

New Mexican Waterfall

A delightful discovery this weekend was this waterfall in the Jemez. It’s very close to Battleship Rock but it isn’t Jemez Falls. If it has a name, I haven’t learned it.

Valle Grande Descanso

The same descanso originally photographed on July 9, 2011 (and posted on July 31, 2011). This version was taken just five weeks after the first. The new grass is incredibly green.

White Rock Canyon

The Rio Grande courses through northern New Mexico — via White Rock Canyon — shortly before sunset.

Valle Grande Cross

A descanso leans against a fence overlooking part of Valle Grande. The haze in the distance is smoke from the Las Conchas wildfire — the same fire that burned this portion of Valle Grande.

In the Jemez

One of my all-time favorite views, in the Jemez.

Fire Truck at East Fork

It was with great relief that I realized this meadow — and the beautiful area just north of it — escaped the Las Conchas wildfire, still burning after three weeks. It was clearly a close call.

In the Wake of the Las Conchas Wildfire

Some of the wreckage of the Las Conchas wildfire.

Valle Grande, from Coyote Call

Looking out over Valle Grande from the Coyote Call trail (both in Valles Caldera) during a much wetter summer than this one. I’m guessing both areas have been burned in the Las Conchas wildfire.

UPDATE, JULY 17: I was wrong. Most of this part of Valle Grande remained unscathed. As for the Coyote Call trail, it is still closed. From what I could see from the road, large parts of it burned — but many parts did not. In particular, it looks as if many of the aspens along the trail survived.

Valle Grande, seen from Rabbit Ridge

Looking north from Rabbit Ridge: Valle Grande, part of Valles Caldera.