Gila River at the base of the Mogollon Mountains
I shot some video and photos from a visit to the Gila River yesterday. This picnic/campground area is located on Box Canyon Road (NM 293) about 30 miles northwest of Silver City near Cliff-Gila, NM. Enjoy!
New USDA Plant Hardiness Map shows Silver City in Zone 8
New Mexico USDA Hardiness Zones Map
The newly revised 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness map has been redrawn with data based on elevations, and locations of water bodies, etc. that have not been taken into consideration in past maps. The new map is also based on more recent climate data than previous editions. Silver City proper is shown in zone 8A (minimum annual low temperatures from 10-15 degrees) with many other locales in zone 7B (5-10 degrees). Click on the map for a larger view. Also, click here for an interactive map on the USDA website. According to the Western Regional Climate Center website, Silver City has at least a 180 day growing season.
Gila Wilderness and Gila Box Hiking Videos
Backpacking the Gila Wilderness from Snow Lake to Flying V Canyon and back. By Crazy Tailez
Lower Gila Box near Red Rock by Crazy Tailez – Rare Coati footage, Desert Poppies, Vermillion Fly Catcher, etc.
Day Trip to Mogollon, NM
I highly recommend a trip to Mogollon, NM. It is about an hour and a half northwest of Silver City in the rugged Mogollon Mountains. The last 9 nail biting miles start when turn off of US 180 and quickly climb a narrow paved road (NM 159) up and over a steep ridge with a blind corner barely wide enough for 2 medium sized vehicles. Honking your horn prior to approaching this corner will help on coming vehicles know that you are on the other side. Just take your time and take in the breathtaking scenery. This quiet and quaint mining “ghost” town still boasts a small year round population and even welcomes visitors on Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer. The Purple Onion Cafe is the only place in town to chow down lunch and some wonderful pie. Surprisingly, a nicely appointed art gallery across the street is worth a look. You can also browse the Curios shop next door. The museum is a little lacking on education but still has an interesting entrance to an old mine. Be sure to visit the old cemetery above town up a rough gravel road if your vehicle has high enough clearance and you can begin to appreciate what kind of hardships were suffered by the local population a century or more ago. If you would like to stay awhile, check out the Silver Creek Inn.
Ecoregions of New Mexico from EPA.gov
New Mexico is blessed with more ecologically diverse regions than most other states. Most of southwestern New Mexico are part of the Arizona/New Mexico Mountain and Chihuahuan Desert ecoregions. Part of the bootheel is considered part of the Madrean Archipelago ecoregion. Silver City and the surrounding areas are categorized in the following sub-ecoregions: 23b – Madrean Lower Montane Woodlands, 23c – Montane Conifer Forest, 23d – Arizona/New Mexico Subalpine Forest, and in the lowest elevations: 24b – Chihuahuan Desert Glasslands. The maps and posters feature detailed explanations of the flora/fauna of each ecoregion as well as climatic data. Visit the EPA website to view download these outstanding posters/maps. Example images are below:
Another great source of reading about our region is the Nature Conservancy’s Analysis of the Arizona/New Mexico Mountains ecoregion
Mexican Poppies in the Desert
This is a rare show after a wet desert winter. Mexican poppies grace the slopes of the Florida Mountains near Deming, New Mexico.
Best Plants for New Mexico Gardens and Landscapes
According to author Baker H. Morrow in his book Best Plants for New Mexico Gardens and Landscapes, Silver City has an long list of plants that can grow in the area. The town’s climate is generally mild and pleasant which consists of an average growing season of 185 days and receives between 15 and 18 inches of moisture per year. The climate compares favorably with that of Albuquerque but doesn’t experience as much cold and heat. The soils in Silver City are rocky but workable. There is an extensive list of plants that can be grown here and it includes: deciduous and evergreen trees, ornamental Trees, deciduous and evergreen shrubs, ground covers, vines, and flowers.
The Mountains of New Mexico
Southwest New Mexico is home to several mountain ranges originating from volcanism that occurred over 25 million years ago. According to author Robert Julyan who wrote The Mountains of New Mexico, the volcanic activity in this part of New Mexico makes Mt. Saint Helens seem like a candle’s small flame.
The major range groups that make up Silver City’s backyard include the Mogollons, the Black Range, Pinos Altos Range and the Burro Mountains. The highest point in this part of New Mexico is Whitewater Baldy (altitude: 10,895 ft). The highest point in the Black Range is McKnight Mountain (10,165 ft). Snow visits these highest areas of each range regularly in winter.
Other minor mountain ranges in our area include: The Silver City Range, Diablo Range, Elk Mountains, Tularosa Mountains, San Francisco Mountains, Brushy Mountains, Saliz Mountains, and the Sierra Aguilada. The moutain ranges listed are enclosed in the vast untrampled Gila National Forest. It boasts the world’s first wilderness designation and two of the largest wildernesses in New Mexico: the Gila and Aldo Leopold Wildernesses.