Today, we all headed up to Tesuque Peak! Since this is a relatively easy to moderate hike, climbing less than 2,000 feet stretching over 12 miles round trip, my human pawrents packed my carrier and brought me along! There is nothing like being in the fresh, mountain air and enjoying the beautiful scenery for a weekend outing with my pack.
The beginning of the hike began at the Aspen Vista Picnic Ground, and I must tell you, it is aptly named! The aspen groves at the beginning of the hike were stunning - I've never seen such a thick aspen forest before. We'll have to come back next month when the aspens peak in their bright golden color. A few aspens were turning gold, but most were still their vibrant and sharp green. My little snort nose loved their scent as we climbed up the trail.
For the first part of the hike, we fell across a number of small, mountain streams carving their way down the mountain valley. Of course, we had to refresh at every stream and scout for little fishies!
As we began to climb higher up the trail, again, the mountain flora began to change to higher alpine, introducing the ponderosa pine as the aspen grove thinned away. Here, we began to see beautiful vistas of Santa Fe and Tesuque. My human pawrents picked me up to show me the views - I'm too short to see over the rocks and scrubs. The views were magnificent!
Big sis blending in with the landscape. She's such a lioness!
My human pawrents were shocked that I made it this far by myself! Here's my scowl in response. Hrumph!
But then it was time to be carried... I have to admit, I love my little carrier! It's comfy, and I can see the trail and explore without wearing myself out too much. Plus, there's a wee hole for my tail! Just bliss! I may have snorted a bit in happiness.
After a few more miles, while my human pawrents carried me, we made it to our destination with a panoramic view of the Santa Fe and Tesuque valleys. The sky was clear with just a few puffy clouds, and we could see for miles and miles down across the land. We explored a bit along the top, before finding a nice spot for a picnic lunch.
Here we decided to stop for a little picnic. My human mama gave me a little snack while we rested before the descent back down to the trailhead. But going down is the easy part for me! I didn't have to be carried once!
Roxie began leading the way back down.
Squirrel! Do you see the wee squirrel?
Going back down gives you a great appreciation for the beauty of the mountains here in Northern New Mexico. Again, you witness the change in the mountain flora from high alpine ponderosa pines to thick aspen groves, and in between the trees, you catch glimpses of gorgeous vistas of the mountain valley. Can I say every hike is my new favorite hike?
-Rosie
Rosie is such a babe!!!
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