What is Your Most Amazing Moment in Big Bend?

[East Texan]

Undertaker: 68 here and still twitching a little.  I did make the climb in April to the Pinicles past the boot, to Colima trail, and then down Laguna Medows (about 8 miles I think). Next time I'll go to the rim.

[whickums]

Climbing Lost Mine last October in thick, heavy fog only to break through that fog near the top to reveal a clear, sunny sky.  The scenery from the end of the trail with all those clouds beneath us was really, really cool.

[iCe]

Mine would have to be looking out over the South Rim at the desert bathed in moonlight.

P.S.  I know what you saw!
Click Here if you want to cheat! (Richard, mister smarty pants!)

Ok, so I'll wait for you to finish your story before reposting my link.

Ditto... or maybe waking up at SW4 at midnight to the full moon filtering through the trees and shining in my eyes (no tent... it gets cold there in September btw). That's "why" I was looking out over the desert bathed in moonlight... 

Now where's that popcorn...

[Frogdown]

My most amazing moment was encountering a band of drug smugglers on the Mexican side of the river.  This was many years ago but I remember it so well.  Looked like a scene out of an old western!  All iwith their weapons and ammunition belts.  Boxes wrapped and packed on mules.  Our guide told is to NOT take pictures!  Have had other memorable moments there but that is probably the frosting on the cake!

[iCe]

I saw something similar to that last month when I was checking out Boquillas Canyon. I decided not to haul me and my over priced camera gear down to the canyon because of  what was going on. I kicked myself in the rear for only bringing a 14mm lens... would have loved to have had something longer 

My most amazing moment was encountering a band of drug smugglers on the Mexican side of the river.  This was many years ago but I remember it so well.  Looked like a scene out of an old western!  All iwith their weapons and ammunition belts.  Boxes wrapped and packed on mules.  Our guide told is to NOT take pictures!  Have had other memorable moments there but that is probably the frosting on the cake!

[fartymarty]

I saw something similar to that last month when I was checking out Boquillas Canyon. I decided not to haul me and my over priced camera gear down to the canyon because of  what was going on. I kicked myself in the rear for only bringing a 14mm lens... would have loved to have had something longer 

So you saw weapons and ammo...??  

All I ever see is a couple-three people trying to eek out a living selling sticks and bent wire shaped like scorpions. Maybe I've been lucky. I'll admit that when
I visit there alone it can be a little spooky since there is only one way in or out. I don't know Spanish so when I hear communication among those on the other side of the river it's easy to imagine this: "I'll watch the trail, you wade across cut his throat and take his wallet." I tell myself that next time I'm going to bring a small tape recorder to record their conversation and have my Mexican grandmother interpret it for me. I'm sure it will go something like this: "Hey you got any water left? I'm running low. Oh look here comes a tourist, think he'll buy any souvenirs? Nah, look at that dumb expression on his face, I doubt he can afford a pot to pee in let alone any extra money for us."

[Frogdown]

I assure you there were weapons (rifles and hand guns) and lots of ammo.  Like I said, "an old western," with the ammo belts over their shoulders and crossed.  I assure you it wasn't one bit humorous at the time either.  This was a long way into the canyons down stream from Boquillas.  My wife and I, and the guide and his girlfriend, all took it very seriously.  Six heavily armed men in that remote an area has no fun factor what-so-ever!

[iCe]

I can't say that the people that I saw were armed... can't say that they weren't. I was up at the peak of the trail to the canyon. Just sittin and watchin. I understood one word that was yelled at the singing (yep... singing... en espanol... pretty not bad too) going on downstream in the canyon... Coyote... That made me think that it wasn't about drugs... just moving people. Either way... best to avoid putting yourself in a bad situation...

I saw something similar to that last month when I was checking out Boquillas Canyon. I decided not to haul me and my over priced camera gear down to the canyon because of  what was going on. I kicked myself in the rear for only bringing a 14mm lens... would have loved to have had something longer 

So you saw weapons and ammo...??  

All I ever see is a couple-three people trying to eek out a living selling sticks and bent wire shaped like scorpions. Maybe I've been lucky. I'll admit that when
I visit there alone it can be a little spooky since there is only one way in or out. I don't know Spanish so when I hear communication among those on the other side of the river it's easy to imagine this: "I'll watch the trail, you wade across cut his throat and take his wallet." I tell myself that next time I'm going to bring a small tape recorder to record their conversation and have my Mexican grandmother interpret it for me. I'm sure it will go something like this: "Hey you got any water left? I'm running low. Oh look here comes a tourist, think he'll buy any souvenirs? Nah, look at that dumb expression on his face, I doubt he can afford a pot to pee in let alone any extra money for us."

[fartymarty]

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear Frogdown, I wasn't doubting you. I was just trying to get more details from iCe as he only said he saw something similar.

I can't say that the people that I saw were armed... can't say that they weren't. I was up at the peak of the trail to the canyon. Just sittin and watchin. I understood one word that was yelled at the singing (yep... singing... en espanol... pretty not bad too) going on downstream in the canyon... Coyote... That made me think that it wasn't about drugs... just moving people. Either way... best to avoid putting yourself in a bad situation...

(iCe)I think that it is likely that you heard Victor
doing the singing. Unfortunately I have yet to hear him in person, I usually only get a guy yelling at me to please buy souvenirs.

 

[Frogdown]

LOL - not a problem.  When it happened it was just strange.  Hadn't even thought about it for awhile.  When the guide said "don't get your camera out," I knew we could be in trouble!   

[iCe]

That might have been Victor... A big (fat) older dude rode up on a burro. He got off of the burro, took the saddle and hackamore off and laid it on a log next to a gap. Put a backpack on and went through the gap, letting the burro run loose (though it didn't go anywhere). He wandered around, sang (poorly), yelled something down canyon (where the good singing was coming from), and generally just milled around, with a backpack on. About 10 minutes later two younger men/boys? rode in on horses... pretty fast. They didn't dismount and if they were talking I couldn't hear what they said. Pretty interesting.

[Lorax]

I was most amazed on a bike ride in Big Bend.  In the evening, while riding down the RMSD toward Castolon around sunset, I saw a deer off the left just past the Mule Ears turn off.  Soon I found myself among a group of deer.  Spooky while riding down hill at a good clip. They seemed unaware of me; spookier still.  Big Bend deer are small but I would want to run into one or vice versa.

[red]

i guess when I smoked pot on the rideg next to the Window pour -ff. Just kiddin'

I think I've had many memorable moments in the park. But, the time i was camped in Cottonwood campground listening to coyotes was one of the most memorable events.

I want 2 share my Big Bend blog too:http://thedesertprimeval.blogspot.com/
 

[jeffblaylock]

(Bears are boring)

I haven't had your breadth of experience, but I still think seeing bears in the wild is pretty exhilarating, and special.

[Al]

A bear charging into your camp down the side of a mountain is pretty exciting.  At least it was for me.

Al