As I was preparing to take my first trip to Big Bend National Park in 1984, I was trying to visualize the park in my mind. I always envisioned Texas as rolling pine hills in the east followed by the desolate mesa area of west Texas. I was not aware that mountains even existed in Texas. I had seen some pictures taken by my friend Ed but these did not really prepare me for what I was to find.
On the initial trip to the park, Ed, his son Lane and I left early on the first Saturday of the new year for the 14 hour drive into Big Bend. We were in Ed’s Chevrolet pickup truck with all three of us crowded into the front seat. I remember being very apprehensive about this adventure. I had not backpacked since my days as a Boy Scout and I was not in great physical shape.
We arrived in Big Bend around 8:30 pm. It was a very dark and cold night when we stopped at Panther Junction Ranger Station for a bathroom break and a quick pay phone call to let everyone know that we had arrived. The most amazing sight was directly overhead. I had never seen so many stars in all my life. I was a real novice as to star constellations but as Ed began to point out the different collections I was totally awed. Until one has seen the sky in the absence of light it is hard to describe. The Milky Way on a moonless night in the vast Chihuahuan Desert of Big Bend is a must see.
We proceeded to a spot in the desert along Ross Maxwell Scenic Highway where our hiking trail will near the road. We hiked a short distance into the desert and hid 3 gallons of water to resupply as we work our way through the trip. My apprehension level continued to escalate as this exercise left me breathing very hard as we climbed back up the hill back to the truck.
Since it was very dark I had no real feeling as to my surroundings. At night, the mountains surrounding me took little form and had no reference as to their height. We continued on to the Chisos Mountain into what is known as the Basin, a bowl seemingly carved out of the mountains where the park lodge, store and campgrounds are. After a short night’s sleep in the back of the truck, I awoke to see what this place really looked like.
As the dawn began to break, I was stunned by the enormity of the Chisos Mountains. All the features seemed to be super-sized. The landmarks I had read about-Casa Grande, Lost Mine Peak, the South Rim- all were much larger than I had imagined. The Chisos was much greener and lusher in vegetation. I remember thinking “Is this really a desert?” I was to later learn that there was plenty of desert for me to see.
After getting our gear situated and back in the truck, we headed back to Panther Junction to get our backcountry permit and head to the trailhead. I was not prepared for the absolute enormity of the park. The drive from Panther Junction to Elephant Tusk Trailhead, our starting point, was well over an hour of some of the worst 4 wheel drive roads I have ever been on. It was not the muddy Louisiana swamp roads but rocky, rutty, wash-board, dusty desert roads that will rattle your teeth.
We finally arrived at our trailhead in the middle of nowhere. Actually we were at the Elephant Tusk Trailhead off of Black Gap Road looking north into the Chisos Mountains. The elevation was probably around 2000 feet and the Chisos were two and a half days and 5800 feet in elevation away. I could now since the wildness of this place. For all the beauty around me, I also knew that one must respect Big Bend for what it is-an inhospitable, uncompromising environment that must be taken seriously.
To Be Continued…..
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