Adventures of Clay and Pam

Big Bend in October, 2006. We journeyed with Charles and Carolyn Walker to the Trans- Pecos Big Bend area for a long weekend of hiking and exploring. Charlie and I rehiked one of our favorite trails, Mule Ears, about a nine mile round trip with some terrific views both of Mule Ears Peak and the basin through rugged remote country. We were on the trail for about 4 hours and never saw a sole. The highlight of the trip was the extreme worry that I had lost my billfold at the turnaround on the hike and we would have to rehike the trip the next day. Fortunately, although the billfold had fallen out of my pocket, it had done so in the truck. Pam and Carolyn that day chose to explore by car going to Marfa, Fort Davis and Marathon. The next day we went to the basin at Big Bend where Carolyn painted, Charlie, Pam and I hiked. Our intended trail to The Window was closed due to bear activiity so we deviated to go part of the way up toward Emory Peak. The highlight of that hike was nearly stepping on a bull snake that had chosen trail side grass to hang out. The hike was fun and pam did great - minimal whining. The park was at it's best from an asethetic standpoint because virtually no one was there. Its remoteness is my favorite part except for the extraordinary geology. (from Pam - I was better on the hike once I decided to be the leader and therefore my pace was the hike pace.)