La Junta Trail

Thank you ever so much for yesterday's lovely anniversary wishes, sparkling stardust, and beautiful hearts. The internet is very slow here, so I may not get to thank you personally for a couple of days.

La Junta Trail (at Wild Rivers Recreation Area)
Ever since the Park superintendent fell from the trail to his death four years ago, it has been closed (see extra).  It is a steep and arduous hike, but until this solitary death, the trail was well-maintained every summer by the Youth Conservancy Project.   Last year when we hiked (yes, in spite of the sign); the trail was still in fairly good condition. 

This year, it was heavily strewn with rubble, boulders, sand and shale. I do not need to return to this hike, unless the State of New Mexico decides to maintain it once again.

La Junta, the point, where the Red River meets the Rio Grande and become one.  Both rivers are flowing so high now they are mostly whitewater rapids. When we reached the point, we could find no place calm enough to dip in our toes, soak our shirts and cool off, unlike in other years.  Not having that core cool-down made the hike back up extremely challenging.

Still, we are happy to have completed it and lucky to both still be intact, if somewhat tattered.  Cheers!