Charlie and Janice's home page

Here are a few photos from our trip to Big Bend National Park, Texas in November 2010, to celebrate our seventh wedding anniversary and for Charlie to hike Elephant Tusk trail again. Click on one of the small images below to see it full size.

In February, Elephant Tusk trail had almost killed Charlie. Now he was back, much better prepared and ready for a perfect hike. Sunrise on the Dodson trail, looking West. Looking North towards the Chisos Mountains at sunrise. The Dodson trail was very overgrown.
The trail was hard to follow in places. Our wedding place on the South Rim of the Chisos Mountains. Just like in February, Charlie left water at the Dodson Trail / Elephant Tusk junction, just in case of an emergency. The trail crosses the canyons and ridges to the left of Elephant Tusk.
The view looking East, near the start of Elephant Tusk trail. It was hard to see many of the cairns that mark the trail. Charlie was very glad to have his GPS for route-finding. No wonder Charlie's legs were covered in scratches by the end.
The trail follows this dry wash for a mile or so. Looking East from one of the ridges under Elephant Tusk. The dry washes were easier to walk through than the cactus-covered slopes. The entrance to the canyon where Charlie got lost in February.
It's easy to go too fast in the canyons and miss the cairns. This cairn marks an important climb around an impassable section of the canyon. If you miss these two cairns, you end up in a lot of trouble. The canyon where Charlie got trapped in February after missing the exit trail.
Once you go too far (like Charlie did in February), there's no safe way to climb out. Another view of the canyon where Charlie got lost. Safely out of the canyon this time, the view South-East towards the trailhead. A great view of Elephant Tusk from the canyon rim.
Janice rented a jeep, drove 25 miles on rough roads to the trailhead, and called Charlie on the radio. Charlie was thrilled to hear that Janice was hiking up the trail to meet him. The best view of the whole hike. Dominguez Mountain from near the Elephant Tusk trailhead.
Elephant Tusk from near the trailhead. The Chisos Mountains from near the trailhead. Charlie at the trailhead, much happier than in February because this time it was the end of his hike. This was a much better way home than hiking back 16 miles with no water.
The next day we hiked up to our wedding place in the mountains, seeing a beautiful sunrise on the way. The Chisos basin from the pass on the Laguna Meadows trail. We had a beautiful view of Emory Peak from the trail. Our wedding place on the South Rim. Happy seventh anniversary!
Looking south to Elephant Tusk and the route that Charlie hiked the previous day. Our wedding place seen from the East Rim trail. Wonder what happened to this tree? "The Boot".

Charlie and Janice's home page

Last updated: 12/15/12 09:31 PM by Charlie Ashton