Magdalena Ridge, Gap - Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument

 

 I've done these hikes over the past few weeks on the rare days we've had highs that were only in the low nineties or upper eighties. Magdalena Ridge is a long, lower elevation mesa that extends arm-like to the southwest from from the highest peaks at the core of the Sierra de las Uvas.
 Long valleys penetrate the mesa, aligned with both the long and short dimensions, so that when viewed from  air the entire ridge looks like a jellyfish or some other dendritic coral reef dwelling creature.
 Rocky cliffs rim most of the mesa, and many a large boulder has tumbled down into the lowlands as well. Both are ripe for exploring for rock art, and I've been doing quite a bit in this area starting back in the spring and continuing  this summer. I explored this area many years ago in the days before Google Earth looking for and eventually finding the petroglyph sites in Apache Flats, with only those two words to go on.
 Magdalena Gap ( which isn't really much of break in the mesa) was where the Butterfield Stage Trail steeply continued through the mountains.   On the last of the three hikes, I realized there is much gentler pass just to south, which really has me puzzled now as to why they chose this route.There is a lovely, semi- circular hidden valley on the east side of the Gap which was very scenic, even in June, but would be better enjoyed sometime between November and March.

 Walking up on top, or down low,  the views, though not spectacular, both near and into the distance, pleased me.



 On the first two of these three trips I couldn't see the faint smoke around Sugarloaf Peak from the Uvas Fire, the persistent wind dissipating it and pushing it on to the east.

For my trouble, my hours in the desert yielded: Coyotes trotting away silently from their resting place at my approach; pronghorn dashing across the flats; a perfect projectile point;  a circle of rocks of unknown purpose( perhaps a survey marker) and a pile of fire- cracked rocks ( I knew I was looking at something done by humans, not naturally occurring, I just didn't know what until doing some research back at home); a small, lonely petroglyph, greening up sotol, ever present lizards and plans for future trips.