More Photos from the Dragoon Mountains

Friend and fellow blogger Dean Ketelsen critiqued me for not having linked to larger, more appealing images in my story about Wandering in the Western Stronghold.  I knew he was right, but the collection of images is an older one in my archive and would require going back to the original scans.  So that's what I've been doing today, and the Western Stronghold blog entry has now been (mostly) updated to link to wallpaper-ish sized images.  But if that isn't enough, you can get to my highest-resolution pics in this gallery, but I don't have any captions there (click all the way through each image for the best one).

The bonus for you in this exercize is that I dredged up a few more images of the Dragoon Mountains from my archive.  Many of them are from a stormy day in November 2000, often the best time of year to visit.  Spring can be nice too, but you don't get the colors.

Council Rocks above, and the little pillar that I think of as a wise elder below.

Cliffs and crags in West Stronghold Canyon.

A magnificent sycamore...no shortage of them around here.

Whitehouse Ruin.

The pictogaphs at Council Rocks.

Rain-filled grinding holes at Council Rocks.

View from the shelter of Council Rocks.

Recent homes have been built near Knob Hill...truth be known, I'm more envious of the homeowners than upset about the development.

 

A 4-wheel drive road leads to a basin behind Sheeps Head.

As good as snow-laden tree branches, the sotol yucca holds an autumn surprise for your unsuspecting friends...a good shake releases a spray of seeds! (The stalks also make excellent walking sticks.)  The cute little cactus next door is no bigger than my thumb.