Crossing through the riparian zone around the Santa Fe River diversion.
Mr. Gorman’s Fourth- and Fifth-Graders, along with parents and CIS Coordinator Shawna Jones, at Junction 29 on Upper Canyon Rd., pinon-juniper country in the background.
The perfect rock shelf for snack time. Picacho Peak looms in the background.
Our second field trip with Camino Real Academy took place on Oct. 1, 2014, with Mr. Gorman’s 4th- and 5th-Graders. Once again, after orientation at the trailhead map, we hiked up to the rock shelf below Picacho Peak, learning about the Santa Fe River and watershed, the Acequia del Llano, the old hydro-power ditch, and transitions in flora and fauna on the way. We saw an Abert’s squirrel on the way up, distinguishable from lowland squirrels by its square-ended, fluffy ears.
Ponderosa pine country in the cool, north-facing canyon, where we also saw an Abert’s squirrel, which is not found in pinon-juniper country.
A barrel cactus the kids named “Bob the Cactus.”