New Years Day on the Santa Fe

A week or so ago, I attempted to hike the New Santa Fe Trail from Palmer Lake to Monument. I got sidetracked (literally) and ended up climbing a mountain.

I tried again on the afternoon of New Years Day, and this time I made it—although I can’t say I stayed strictly on the trail the entire time. I also started at the opposite end, in Monument, and walked to Palmer Lake and back. And I brought my camera this time. Here’s what I saw in the approximate order I saw it.

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The only member of a flock of Bushtits that stuck around long enough for me to get a photo.

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Elephant Rock

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Ben Lomand Mountain. A sign along the trail confirmed what I suspected — it was named for a somewhat similar-looking mountain in Scotland.

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The outline of the Palmer Lake Star can be seen on the mountainside on the right. Three or four almost identical coal trains passed me, all heading north.

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Another shot of Elephant Rock later in the afternoon after the sun came out.

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A flock of Black-billed Magpies.

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Red-tailed Hawk

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That’s pretty much what the doves on the wire looked like, although I darkened the picture for effect. I didn’t stop there. Here are some other versions in which I played with various filters.

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