Rio Pueblo de Taos (Taos Creek) Hike (January 23, 2010)
Thus begins a winter hike for CJ and myself. A few hundred yards upstream of the Taos Junction Bridge lies the confluence of the Rio Grande River and the Rio Pueblo. It is sometimes fished for trout and sometimes kayaked by those possessing superior paddling skills, but we saw no one on this snowy day. The drive along the Race Course section brought us our first Bald Eagle.
A popular perch across from the lone Ponderosa Pine below Quartzite Put-in.
Another in the Orilla Verde Recreation Area.
A short distance above the confluence CJ accidentally spotted this bald while watching (through her new Nikon ATB Monarch (waterproof) 10×42 binoculars), a raven feed on what she claimed to be pieces of a rabbit.
On my belly, in the rocks, attempting an unobstructed image.
Seems the camera "click" was a bit loud.
Snow and ice covers the rocks of the Rio Pueblo and getting in close allows one to admire the various abstract formations created by both wind and water in freezing temperatures.
The Rio Pueblo de Taos joins the Rio Grande.
Ice Arch.
One can drive a short distance up the old road that follows the stream to the top of the Taos Plateau and eventually back to Highway 68, but it’s no longer drivable due to a serious rock fall some years ago and now is a hiking trail only.
The Rio Pueblo.
Snow, ice and water.
Constantly on the lookout for more Bald Eagles or perhaps one of the River Otters that were released into the Rio Grande Gorge last winter, we were graced with a herd of Bighorn Sheep grazing below the south facing cliff of the canyon wall. Evidence of past inhabitants can also be found.
Bighorn Sheep.
Petroglyph.
Almost to the top of the mesa the Rio Pueblo Canyon takes a more northerly turn and one gets a look at the top of the Taos Plateau. It was nice to see the blue sky.
Up canyon view.
Down canyon view towards the confluence.
Taos Plateau view looking to the north.
CJ poses atop what I guess could be called the summit block.
The blue sky we found on the mesa soon gave way to more clouds and snow flurries with a substantial drop in temperature. On the way down we took only a moment to watch the sheep and reached the truck which had a note from the local BLM Ranger on the windshield. Oops, don’t forget to pay your $3 entrance fee to the Orilla Verde Recreation Area.
With plenty of daylight left we decided a drive was in order. Across the Taos Junction Bridge, up the west Mesa Road, which is now paved, with no speed limit signs (I guess it’s New Mexico’s version of the Autobahn) and to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. So indulge me in a few more photos.
Looking east toward Taos.
This photo has been taken a thousand times.
Looking upstream toward Ski Jump Rapid.
Looking downstream toward Three Forks Canyon.
Ok, so now one more Bald Eagle photo taken on the drive out. Along the river, in a lone Ponderosa Pine at the gaging station, sat an immature Bald.
As the sun was setting.
Remember: All these photos, and more, can be found at “www.flickr.com/photos/jorunny/”.
