Silver City Lifestyle

Gila River at the base of the Mogollon Mountains

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:52:07 +0000

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

admin — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:20:23 +0000

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

admin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:59:07 +0000

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.

The Catwalk Recreational Trail

admin — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:35:04 +0000

I found 2 superb videos of the Catwalk Recreational Trail. The Catwalk is located about an hour and 2o minutes northwest of Silver City just east of Glenwood, NM. This canyon trail starts from a beautiful picnic area situated under giant Arizona sycamores. It has been updated with informal kiosks and a wheelchair accessible trail up to the catwalk itself.

This excellently produced video by Nick Kutler. The cinematography is wonderful and the producer gives you a real sensation of what it is like to cross over Whitewater Creek on the catwalk. He even wrote the music himself. Great video!

This next video is a slideshow with exquisite photography of Whitewater Canyon and the catwalk. Too bad 480p in youtube doesn’t do the original photographs justice.

Dragonfly Trail Loop near Silver City

admin — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 18:37:31 +0000

This morning I took a newly marked/improved trail called Dragonfly Loop in Fort Bayard. The trail has been around for years but has been improved and the signage installed this last spring. It is fairly tame topography and passes through some nice riparian areas along Twin Sisters Creek. The trail is named after a ancient petroglyph along the trail. See Gila National Forest photo below the slideshow. I used my smartphone camera this time and the pictures are not quite focused in places, sorry.

Day Trip to Mogollon, NM

admin — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 23:11:56 +0000

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

admin — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 19:25:36 +0000

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

Collector’s Guide for Art

admin — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 19:53:11 +0000

The New Mexico Collector’s Guide has some great links to local art galleries and artists as well as a nice article about the Youth Mural Program.

Mexican Poppies in the Desert

admin — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 21:16:29 +0000

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

admin — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:50:57 +0000

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.