Cedar Hills- Another Walkabout - Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument

 I wanted to get out in the desert sunshine, even if just for a  few hours, a couple of Sundays ago. I settled on a backdoor route to the Foster Box Canyon. I went up over hills, looking at rocks. I went down towards arroyos, trying not to lose too much elevation against the next hill to conquer. Along the way were four deer and a few cattle.

 Large ancient junipers, and natural cisterns carved and made slick by storm waters rushing through the red rock canyon over millennia,  were the hallmarks of the box.

 

I explored two alcoves at the rocky top of hill nearby. The larger one had a low wall, and few bits of  grayish chert that could be evidence of long ago use of this shelter. Nearby was a strange hole, which was not a mineral prospect.

 
I moved to inspecting gray boulders that had tumbled down the hillside and then began hiking up to one of several saddles where cattle always seem to like to congregate in the desert, as evidenced by the abundant cow patties at nearly every one I cross.
 I kept on exploring rocky and rounded peaks on my return trip, and then finally descended to an old excavation with a side road leading to it; perhaps a marble prospect.
 I was back in the truck before the winds turned cold.