Guadalupe Mountain National Park - we can see it!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_o-LAxess4rKoSJBNKSwJjoOXupgCiOpp-veK6ZDiQNSTHC1p7xZOSmjJSv1O-hyVpfCYlYqcKIvNwJRDuq5KqJyhopLJwlKpxFjAX2Q7ur7oUHvvecmAV-I9ja5m-4q18i2Sme3BzNs/s320/1+Road+to+Guadelupe.jpg)
We're here!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfB2PKqtAIkeaSWIpuerzIf6oRagseuqo8uAKYK0xaJWUKCfsZnmwwNq8LokB9fiIz1cCkOSiWqC44-PBgOj-R3cyhQfTBcJ1BANgWULhCgRAmCn2riRfNd1c6nj_IbESXoFdViBoiUoo/s320/1b+Guadalupe+Sign+Us.jpg)
Great news - we got the keys to the Ranch!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilruvhh-Jt4F5UNmhGBR5iM2wYPDHitQC8ERPEj45icNuQ3AUw4g_1xhFHq9i4x-Urrt6PqvESzLNk-JIrvipSeQ9uWpj7i3alrAmfvRFFGNr0xJQgXyQfZNFCX8yvNCWvPpKWPGyiPLM/s400/4+Williams+Ranch+keys.jpg)
Uh Oh - Which Lock?
Ingenious system you unlock and remove your lock and it allows the lock rod
to slide thru the hole and open the gate!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-VXGWHOTj0jSjGtbjBU93vd5dGpujXy58mQOzXfe4ocT_2YRPJ8kXkMyFmyKA3D0jYel5O_j5ZVusTG0RcVNnM1BZitqaDZvUqEzoEc5maE3v5atMIUi0FWMuZDY9J9LX0Jww5XwvXk/s400/5+Williams+Ranch+Lock.jpg)
Did I mention the 4WD road?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZqFQUnHAZErMqoRMIztoxyF_mIYlviApqvO-Lslvr8XGZIDu4o7HG2aicaTpgNOJM-eg-fDYWQCckm_r2vU_zweSArMawmqzOplcasah0fJxYt7bKzRk2hn0NgRcq6Iey2xT-f3XS1U/s400/6+Williams+Ranch+Road.jpg)
Part of it is actually the original Butterfield Statecoach Route
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49q9JsnzQuUX7JzLXyQzYkvTeWuFvkdOzS5Q269tirImCJ9rDKYVp1wunD0UYJCOkke6g4AEiYkNig3wm4aFSdGTadW4DuSEO0jLgXMQkY1EyuZRPl41pPdZozvhq8r9Az6gG-C8ffko/s400/7+Williams+Ranch+Stage+Sign.jpg)
Honey we're home!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6vn3vWZjkdq-zfK_prpvxWATEGAiZoasO0iGaw0OajqceulwxGB2hd8wgx5AY-HLMeTaXTWv84J7EWdXQyWF63m36KNKuFTOVOC3xhOTZdKMF3urv3pa3ihB0LPCql7qBIE7dUsmu8Q/s400/11+Williams+Ranch+House.jpg)
And a floweringclaret cup cactus to boot!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCzHS3_0xRksxcHvhqqrvAiZKIQoeH3PKZbwZ4DHklLsr9-kI2bXVdJOeuvkaolu-ZDJS4X3co-ImA0vTpjGFqZGbHZMIF5_FggThS_mqv01cqnjZd1LmO99JFnG21j5y4-MSMvX0RN0/s320/13+Williams+Ranch+Claret+Cup+2.jpg)
Time to rest up at the Campground for tomorrow's adventures
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We decide to hike to Devil's Hall
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkT7bCOVUkulFQP4O6Qb39f9rK2ExU1an7MGmcaj3pGamtMOTCbmK8468vHIhgx1c9snpE_cshpL37gZ_A7GJR7n6Z6dWpxoar1p92hdgxI2lP8tcttpai2RfjkCukBV73iwCsLYL-lps/s400/Devils+Hall+Trail+2.jpg)
Gary is such the gentleman making sure the rock doesn't fall on me!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbpJggtpSunCUwLUKS3nqAA6xz_rLXFHy1O_g0dntCm_GIaP32wcGJeS-2FEzuTtlaaeX1Xq6qHuf3pC-c9BwGzkJ4NP2NteCAVc52gzMmX171l1Npaho-a1-4XsyV9KjxL04W0zz_KM/s400/Devils+Hall+Trail+4.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYawmsoOL1UUDk6drwxQnMwE2meL3fEkgm21U8BGXge7NTgjKV0fovOfogIj33V6SnzxYEdylv5dTFTMQOE_7N0MAGrxfQu-ZO4S2bBzHml3zWEuf3jLYip6wdr5c6t0FkdFSX-uxjLCg/s400/Devils+Hall+Trail+5.jpg)
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjao8IDS1pPacMs2CYTYbj7bpILEn43B_14DSijjcex3A9kRuCs1gl6C7-HlSo0thTThlWVqeV51N_-_FciWCpP70nUNLnJsWhyphenhyphenV147fYN5-QMfUDsTivMOLs4u3dTFAIfT7YXXPv8jvfw/s400/Devils+Hall+Trail+7.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eJZTMou0icoYa_STzVc-b_oxmCuclkx5SZYjk_i25YYfDljz3xSbkr2i7S7BFWIedzVtQa_sPSi94vTQG6wLIJN9wGo8zZ8_gS-YPDRCdxXMctX6LoB_97vibTl2iOz7vq7SS8b_HA8/s400/Devils+Hall+Trail+8.jpg)
What's with all these great trails coming to an end??
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4qWEUtW2CYr9FjA3rh_Qp7HvfCsFogB8d02t0G9lumRqSPg_2XZ0HHTZ0Zy6ttzo2dBh6kRK1cnE1t_GaVhbRb4ypC1SsuKDwdopxkex0Gtxn_KwWqHwdBV9jV7GKlnpf-Hiy7f6E74/s400/Devils+Hall+Trail++9+End.jpg)
Talk is that the Park may be closed tomorrow if the Federalbudget is not passed or extended. We wait with baited breath to see if we can hike to the Peak tomorrow or not.
A new day and . . . .
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Yeah! We are given a reprieve tje Park will stay open!
So off we go for our 8.5 mile hike up to the highest peak in Texas
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5G30JyPC5jcE61Pf2LIApr9lwZQ9hqEzkoXqZWCTsyCnr3H3r5WrGsuHW0Ro7_qmMgBeJbq6J-M4PuI3os0_hgtx90a3jMCUiMQkgAj9w9EDvO_raJlP781LnL6zUOGVmqjO_DLWOOU/s400/Peak+Trail+1.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvofANVkJm-4NvTyJphQtaK9Yja4rzJWM6LagCK8wPmpt4ldXIkFshTDQuU7FzzBuumr8_tyUa01pbx4bfGYqaAWeB55DsiGmspKP6De6XqMTNbcAi1xw5am5qjEUFOdTwbFUMaeJOGI/s400/Peak+Trail+2.jpg)
It's a bit twisty turny and very rocky in spots
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-hpvCsbyN8pqgy2E9mkMucR63pcVOYTdhXSZufuUAh4ARXIqo17hyphenhyphen-rc7ULvU4CdcuZXOZymv0lUOCCYQb6kaCS8ptuSJN0xlOnS737MDRh82s_eDjdOeShrRjEY-pBwMQ2K1WdqSd94/s400/Peak+Trail+3.jpg)
But the views are breathtaking
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOHFrDszU9CWG2QD-ZfhziYvvI2PBBXoNEEGk0ui33hfcISkIYO-IJ30Zy7WBleDfoXWbEvzd3rhwCHRKVVRSkgOitY6Jrh1WppUksX-4w4w8eeSZkKadesYJHRkfZD7S1SnfPTvRi-s/s320/Peak+Trail+4+View.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5VZqtwDf7euWKjiA5T92vjGczOJm0lyu4fEmGMlExicx0yG1IDqSk9S-gHp-WjXhPT31Kh94YIT0ugxapf1Wf2qLMZNqQUL0IQKsfWe50J9Ob8byvhDB2zEH9TEScfTrFhQzlGsg8otg/s400/Peak+Trail+5+view.jpg)
Didn't expect a bridge up this high!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhUiyA2n5IaIsU2soxyu2nZCZRIs6ugZYKmv5fVNZSayyOlyzSXLN3hka3V2gXfOxyWQkK1bHO10LQ8ga-_UeW0rG7RZjGsCG3Qh0gI9wyvQPJirSaXXprt0yiivv6HYa3RudWbwQLXs/s400/Peak+Trail+7+Bridge.jpg)
Crop Circles! Okay maybe not of the alien kind - but interesting none the less!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOeIPB6dPSJnHEPZPnSi04Yg6zlLf0XDgW1IAQ0q1pewLJXcCpylR8d4D3ve1G2-a2xSQ4-W0U7y3GTivrS-O3y5H_jQMxsVtvLcDMat-64Wuj0k50M4aIXp3pdFE5rT-6v55zW0QNDEw/s400/Peak+Trail+12+view.jpg)
We made it! 8,749 feet - it's all downhill from here!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwolEj9dxp_DdFhW7yOKBcmsv0dKV_PpFNfMJ6vuew4CsoMkVnpe2vLZ-BDITnVCbLI7q_Ty9DCDa_4nD0eqrukhN8UpqDvdz6Q62mtH7JXV62tfvyzX3tfsWQCV3hzQfL7BeFUB07JM/s400/Peak+Trail+Top+Us.jpg)
This is the view from the top overlooking El Capitan - and just to give you
an idea of how high we hiked . . . .
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0cwW8X9Z1ePvmR0NRsXYLxGwuQHAXMUCbTGKAaEJPubfSI4cTvEFjxu3bR-Puv1k9oucGbnM0UHpoAC9vokxk0lItmc2KAJKDdl1nqpj43O0w8T9IpTIo01MMe1kAqD3lRmsVVnccI0/s400/Peak+Trail+14+El+Capitan.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkah3JMsaCZSSlgzLtTl3ChZPIECCo5cKfKRZcWyDJ8i_nqO3W_AxKeWzDnimNIiJeWZAGG6pnHq18TB25_pZ53LIEUHx2-LYNB_2pm6WwCa6gslZMjGR5GSEaqHYzWrcG42sAfTkiNg/s400/El+Capitan+and+Peak.jpg)
More Later,
Melissa and Gary
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