Chisos Brew

Big Bend.

We started out in the Chisos Basin and began our hike on the Pinnacle Trail.

three and a half miles later we were at the beginning of Emory Peak Trail. ~7000 ft.

The trail ended at the base of a steep hobble of boulders that jutted out of the mountain like the hand of some sort of helish golem. It wasn't so bad to climb up, but going down was scary as FUHHHHH. 7825 ft.

After coming off Emory Peak Trail, we took Boot Springs Trail. it was a sleek creek bed with boulders and deep little pools of water.  The trees blazed and blended into an invisible raging river. ~6800 ft
 

From Boot Spring to Boot Canyon Trail... and then up the steep inclines of the Northeast Rim. Talk about helllllllll, we had already done a little over seven miles and 2500 ft of climbing, and to be honest, the northeast side was not much of a looker-BUT tag on another five hundred feet of pure suffering just cause you can. ahhhhh. ~7400 ft



It got better as we ended up on the southeast side. not only prettier, but all the climbing was done too. But the winds! The winds raced, winding through pinyons, junipers, and golden grasses-the finish line, two thousand feet below, across miles of snaking canyons. There might have been no more steep inclines, but the environment sure did take your breath away. ~7400 ft





And then around to the Southwest Rim. By far the most amazing views were seen here. You could see straight over Santa Elena Canyon and into Mexico. ~7400 ft

 Our campsite was on the Southwest Rim, once we got there we opened our bottle of wine, got drunk, and went to sleep. When I woke up my camera was dead. So, no more pictures, really. I just know I can't wait to go back here. The canyons were so powerful; pictures couldn't have done them justice. You had to be there. And, well, I guess I'll just finish with that-I've procrastinated on this post entirely too long and just want it to be done.