Is It Snow or White Sand?

 

This the last post as we traveled from SD to AZ. We arrived November 8th and have been busy ever since. 

"Like a mirage, dazzling white sand dunes shimmer in the tucked-away Tularosa Basin in southern New Mexico. They shift and settle over the Chihuahuan Desert, covering 275 square miles - the largest gypsum dune field in the world."

plants: Little Bluestem & Rubber Rabbitbrush

Mesquite Trees? 

"White Sands National Park preserves more than half of this oasis, its shallow water supply, and the plants and animals living here."

The Andres Mountains along the north edge of the Alkali Flat, provide the winds that create and also move and shift the grains of sand. The mountains also provide moisture from snow melt.

In the area we are allowed to drive, we noticed more plant life closer to the southern edge or entrance area of the WSNP. The drivable area is 8 miles in and back out on maybe 5 miles of paved road.

It really looks like snow banks to this girl from South Dakota! We did not see any sledders but did see someone in the gift shop with a sled.

Imagine. It can be seen by astronauts from space.

comparison of other gypsum fields

Looks like and feels like grains of sugar.

"People arrived in the Tularosa Basin after the last ice age ended 11,000 years ago. The Jornada Mogollon were the first to farm the area, and lived here until drought forced them out in the 1300s. American Indians returned in the 1600s and European Americans came in the late 1800s. Soon the railroad rolled in - and so did the settlers."

President Herbert Hoover proclaimed it a National Park in 1933. The US military tested weapons in the dune field beyond the park in WWII and the first atomic bomb was detonated 100 miles north of here in 1945.

We visited the WSNP in 2010. Here is that blog post: Tuesday's Adventures in New Mexico

And finally, an interesting story to go with this photo: We first met this gentleman and his furry friend at the Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitán NM. The furry companion did not enjoy the forest service video showing at the historical park center. We met them outside on the walking path near Smokey's burial and learned he had also served in Desert Storm. The next time we met was in Alamogordo while we were geocaching at the John Stapp Space Park. Again, we said Hi and we chatted a bit and teased each other about stalking and we moved on.  On the third occasion, we were coming back to the car from the Interdune Boardwalk when the two of them were in the parking lot. I was busy taking photos and looking for animal tracks in the snow...I mean...sand when I noticed Hubby in deep conversation. He finally got the story: The gentleman had lost his wife last year and his furry friend was helping him cope with her loss. The two of them (man and dog) were doing the travel bucket list of places he and his wife had planned but did not get to complete. 

We are blessed.