rain

While I didn't get an official reading on rain fall so far this year, it was clear that there had been a good deal of rain in the west side of the park. Things were very green and lush, even seemed like I was hiking in the highlands of Scotland when I went up the Bush Mountain trail, and it probably rained at least a half inch while I was at the Dog Canyon campsite.

I took the 137 highway in from Carlsbad, and with a stop at Sitting Bull falls, it probably took a couple of hours to do the seventy miles.

I had my pack down to pretty light weight, but the water (we were planning to stay two nights in the back country) really added weight. I took 2 and a half gallons and used all but a quart. My problem is that I'm just getting too old for long climbs with a heavy pack. I'll just trim the mileage down. I still think I can make it to the Marcus campsite, about 3.5 miles from the Dog Canyon trailhead.

I can report to all that the Dog Canyon area is a great destination, if the weather is cool. I could tell the Bush Mountain hike would be impossible in full summer.