Banta Shut-In/Estufa Canyon Hike

It is now Saturday morning, my third day off. Yesterday I hiked the Banta Shut-In also referred to as the Estufa Canyon hike. It was about 15 miles round trip and I am pleased that I was able to go about 13 miles pain-free. The hike is also MUCH easier than the Marufo Vega - made up of sand and gravel with very little cobble, much less the horrendous cobble of the Marufo.

The Falcon Hiking Guide lists the hike as "strenuous" but I think only so because of the distance and possibly because of the extremely hot conditions possible on this trail. It was sunny and in the low 60's when I hiked. The Spanish term "estufa" means furnace. Perhaps the early people here noticed the deep red, fiery color that develops as the setting sun plays off the rock formations. Perhaps the stove pipe appearance of the rocks lent to the name. Either way, it can be quite beautiful.

To me the best part of the hike was the wildlife I saw. No photos of them because they were so fast moving! A couple of times little lizards skittered across the path. The best was when I scared up a hawk that was in the middle of a hunt. After he knew I was in the area I patiently waited while he resumed the quail hunt he was on. He dove into some brush and 6 quail burst into the air and flew to safety. The hawk gave up and went on his way down canyon. Twice more I saw coveys of quail that day. I love how they run helter skelter through the brush with their little crests held high!

The guide book says that the Banta Shut-In is the narrowest part of the huge Tornillo Creek drainage. After entering Tornillo Creek the hiker goes left for about 1/2 mile to a large, dark igneous rock formation. I always have to look up these terms! Igneous rock is the result of the cooling and solidification of magma or lava. I did not hike up through the entire narrows, but saw enough to be impressed and was glad I made the hike.

At first I was thinking that this was a pretty boring hike, but the scenery was nice. It was also a very gentle downstream hike the whole way to the shut-in. Imagine my surprise when I had to hike up the whole way back! What a dunce I am sometimes!

I love this cairn - it is the last one on the flats before you drop steeply off into the canyon! When I say "steep" I mean really steep!

"Life and death" in Big Bend. Not sure whose bone this is, but it is right in the middle of the trail.

Lonesome Boot

Cool rocks and curly grass

I cannot remember if I made this cairn or someone else did. The guide book said to carefully mark the washes with your own cairn so that you could find your way back - a caution I took very seriously. I was glad I had done as I picked my way home through the maze of washes that entered Tornillo Creek.

The beginning of the rock formations that give Estufa Canyon its name.

The pools of the Banta Shut-in.

The jagged, sharp igneous rock of the shut-in.

That's it for today! I'm going to rest and read books for the rest of the day. I've got a lemon cress pie baked for the Christmas party tonight and Zuni is lazing in the sun, getting up once in a while to see if she can catch bees on the outside of the screen door. Good kitty.