Page 44 - Walks In The Black Range, Vol. 4

3. The general impression of this trail is quickly reinforced (photo previous page).
4. The second cabin of interest on this walk is found in the first wide spot in the canyon. There are corrals and a pasture here and an adobe cabin (photos above) which has seen better days. The ceiling has collapsed allowing observation of the primary source of ceiling/roof insulation in times-gone-past, dirt. A layer of dirt of 3+ inches is seen in the bottom photograph, on top of the collapsed ceiling. Generally, a cloth covering (often muslin) was hung beneath
the ceiling to capture dirt as it worked its way through the cracks in the ceiling.
5. Erodium cicutarium (Redstem Storksbill, Redstem Filaree) is a member of the Geranium family and is an exotic. (Photo at the top of the following page.) That being said, this species can be found in all but the highest places of the Black Range. On this walk, they were blanketing the pastures at the cabin site. Walking along the track through the meadow with a mass of these flowers all around was (is) a memorable event.