This view is from a place a few miles from Sunspot. I saw turkeys, tracks, scenery, snow, birds, and heard coyotes. I took the panorama photos at about 2pm. This is at 8264 feet elevation covering about a 150 degree field of view on the large one.

I drove down the highway to this turn off and parked nearby. The road is paved a short distance into the snow and is dirt from there. I intended only a short hike but was prepared for being trapped overnight with single digit temperatures. The weather information I used was for Sunspot, over 1000 feet higher, and it was warmer here so I put the outside of my big coat in my pack.

While walking west on the road I saw these turkey tracks. These tracks are 75% as big as my hand. I like to stay off the roads and trails but a corner on this road is near good places for seeing the vista.

Here are some views from along the ridge.

Birds soared along the ridge. This may be a raven or a hawk although I’m not sure. I like this picture. It has an artistic look.

This is a zoomed photo of mountains 35 miles across the basin. In person there was a mystical quality to this sight.

The trunk of an alligator juniper tree.

I walked through the forest and heard coyotes. They make many different sounds.

Various tracks. I think the last set is from a raccoon.

I arrived at my truck and started the drive back. Then I saw turkeys near the road. Since I had to stop in the road to take pictures these were taken through the windows.