Morning at the Window

— After a two-year absence, we finally made it back to Big Bend NP in west Texas in early December. Upon arrival at the park, I was concerned whether we’d be able to see views such as the one above. There was a thick dust cover all over the area. It was so strong that driving up to the Chisos Lodge we sometimes could not even see the mountains at all. Everything was gray. Luckily on the second day at the park, a cold front had swept through the area overnight and blew away most of the dust. In spite of the dust on the first day, we were still able to do a short hike on the very first afternoon. After that, it was much easier. By day three, everything was clear.

In the photo above, you have a classic view from the road around the Chisos Lodge area. Dead center in the photo you can see the notch between those mountains. That is known as The Window. A visit to Big Bend NP is not complete without seeing that. Mother Nature is often ready to show off beautiful sunrises and sunsets. The best part is that you can see that even from your dining room table. The mountains we see here are, from left to right, Ward Mountain (at the left edge of the photo, at 6,925 ft or 2,111 m), Carter Peak (the peak right at the Window, at 5,688 ft or 1,734 m), and Vernon Bailey Mountain on the right, at 6,670 ft or 2,033 m.

Even on the very first afternoon, I was still lucky to spot a beautiful Mexican Jay near a friend’s campsite. These birds appear all over the Chisos Mountains. They are a bit larger than the common Bluejay and don’t seem to be too afraid of humans.