El Rito Cascades
El Rito Cascades have countless 15’
falls thru-out its half-mile length
here’s a 25’
two-tiered falls...
This steep section descends about 30 to 40 feet.
El Rito
Falls 50’ high with four tiers is the highest/steepest falls of El Rito Cascades and is well above “The Bear” rock formation.
Please enjoy more photos below the map at the bottom of this page.
beta facts:
name- El Rito
Cascades
height- 900’ elevation loss in less than
one-half-mile... highest individual falls is 50’ with 4 tiers
elevation- 9200’ to 10,100’
GPS coordinates- ±36°47.666’ N 105°32.405’
W to ±36°47.606’ N 105°31.868’ W
flow- perennial trout stream
season- May to November
accommodations- none
ownership- Carson National Forest
access- ½-mile jeep road and ½-mile very steep
trail
nearest town- Questa is about 7½ miles south of
here
fun fact- this steep beautiful cascade puts on
an exciting water-show that peaks in late May
essay bro
this is a favorite hike of mine in late May or early June. See also Virgin Cascade
Enhanced
USGS 7.5’ topo map NORTH IS UP
...this is the famous rock that climbers
love and call “Questa Dome”... it is
over 500’ high. Questa Dome is more well
known to the locals... as “The Bear”... and it is one of the better
resemblances of any named natural feature that I have ever seen... from the
highway west of here, you can even see his eye...!!!
The following photos are of as fine of a
wildlife hike the I have ever had
Nice herd of 50 elk I experienced above timberline.
What
a day this was for wildlife encounters in Latir Peak
Wilderness Area’s wonderful Virgin Canyon...!!!
...and some resting bighorn that didn’t
seem to be worried about me being 80 feet away...
Shhhhhhhh…..!!!!!! that
front left ram is asleep…….!!!!!!!
I stepped closer and asked them to move
around some so I could get a few photos of them doin’
something else...!!! With that the 9
rams decided our visit was over... as they left they
aroused about 20 ewes and lambs who departed casually with them.
This feisty mama Blue Grouse aggressively
kept me away from her nest. She circled
me for 15 minutes at 36” away and twice flew up “flogging” my face with her
wings...
Send questions and comments to dscott@TheMarbleSculptor.com