Badlands Residency Day 47

Today was supposed to be a second day down south, but that was cancelled.  I dealt with the disappointment by cleaning and packing, which needs to be done anyway.  Also caught up with some people at the visitor's center and the zoo (biology building).  Spent the afternoon on Sheep Mountain with Paul, who has been a seasonal volunteer at the park for I think 8 years now.  He's been coming out here for 30 years and is an avid birder.  Paul lives in Minneapolis, near where I lived for a while during college.  It was a really nice afternoon.  I haven't experienced such nice weather before while up on Sheep Mountain, I seem to always go when it's either hot or hazy.  I was able to get some of the shots I've been wanting for a while, which is an extra bonus.  Sheep Mountain is in a northern finger of the south unit, and is fairly accessible.  The road is gravel, though rough in spots, and it's best to park at the old gunnery overlook (and hike the rest) lest you get stuck on the increasingly rough two track road to the end.  Beautiful weather today.  Would have been amazing to get shots in the south unit with today's skies as the backdrop.  Hopefully some day.

I made dinner for friends and sat around for a while with Ed and Mat while fighting my computer which was struggling with downloading the vast quantity of photos I have on the camera.  After they left I cleaned my floors, packed up the bins of dishes that the park gives me to use while out here, and got to bed before too terribly late.

The last bit of the drive up to the top of the table.

Two track past the parking area.

Looking east and south towards Palmer Creek.

Almost to the end of the road.

The view at the end.

Trees at the end.

The southern finger of the table.

View off the gunnery overlook.

Gunnery range overlook.

Road back down.

Leaving Sheep Mountain area.

Along BIA27, a bit south of the town of Scenic.

Sunset behind the quad.  Angel Butte.