Fort Stanton Live

These are photos from Fort Stanton Live! An annual event held at historic Ft. Stanton, near Ruidoso NM. The fort was used to protect the area from the Apache threat, and later for a variety of other purposes, including a tuberculosis sanctuary and an internment camp for German nationals during WWII. The historical presentations and reenactments were very cool. 

An actor dressed as a Cavalry Soldier

 The artillery presentations were my favorite. The shock wave from the canon would hit before the sound did, then you were washed by the smoke, which smelled strongly of gunpowder, and then the crew reloaded and fired again. It was fantastic.

 It's hard to imagine what a real artillery battle would have been like, with dozens of these going off together.

 The Apache soldiers on their way to the "battle" with the soldiers. The Apaches won.

Historical chapel at Ft. Stanton. 

Organ Mountains -- Desert Peaks at night

Here is a collection of night time shots and a time lapse I did during the new moon. The photos were mostly taken at Aguirre springs recreation area, looking at the East side of the Organ mountains, part of the newly established Desert Peaks national monument.

Desert peaks, under the stars

Aguirre springs loop

Explorer... well actually, a 4runner

Milky way over the peaks

Milky way on a new moon

Star trails -- 300+ exposures layered together, just for fun

Winter camp

Adventure wagon

The road -- Thawing in mid day

Nice winter colors

Life saving fire, seriously, once this was lit everything was better

I was seriously under prepared for this trip. I had just come off an overnight shift at the hospital, which had been proceeded by my normal day job and I was verging on deliriously tired. It was sunny and warm in Las Cruces, so my simple mind reasoned that it would be in the mountains as well. I packed a pair of shorts and sandals, and a t-shirt.

Looking East, after the storm cleared up

Dona Ana Arch

The Dona Ana's are really very scenic, and right in our backyard. 30 minutes from the city and its like a different planet.

Scouting the trail to the top

Surveying the landscape

A massive rock, the picture really doesn't capture the scale.

El Capitan, Our rugged adventure wagon

The arch

Rio Grande River Valley

Rock layers

Memorial monument

The arch -- IR filter

The arch -- HDR

Durango and Silverton Railroad

I've wanted to ride the Durango and Silverton narrow gauge RR for years. This past weekend I was able to ride it, not all the way to Silverton, but halfway to Cascade canyon.

The engine itself was an impressive feat of engineering, you walk by and you can feel the heat radiating, the pistons are slamming up and down, and hot oil oozes from the joints. The thing is a beast. I could almost feel the thousands of pounds of pressure inside the boiler. I loved it.

Engine 486, manufactured in 1925

My brother and I following the train ride.

Around the bend

The mountains outside our accommodations, lit by the full moon

Venting steam over the creek

Frozen Duluth

Lighthouses at the entrance to the Duluth harbor.

Frozen waves over the rocky shore

Polar Explorers

Duluth Lift Bridge, as well as ice in the bay.

Duluth Shore Side, Lake superior is huge, cold, body of water.

Snow In Southern New Mexico

Basilica of San Albino

La Cueva

It's always super exciting to get snow in Las Cruces. 

Trail near La Cueva