MALPAIS

[doccash]

The Malpais is a lava flow in New Mexico that covers 127 square miles and stemmed from vents in the ground some 5,000 years ago. There is quite an ecosystem there and is worth a trip to see. Dr.C

 

[stevemb]

Thanks for the pics ! Louis L'amour uses the malpais for a setting in several of his westerns. Nice to get a look at it here.

 

[TinkerDave]

Yep - Flint was the very first L'amour novel I read and it was set in the Malpais. I guarantee you that thos rocks will shred your hide in a heartbeat if you take a tumble while walking. Lots to see in the desert. I spent three summers in AZ when I was a kid and I have always loved the beauty that is to be seen there. TD

 

[Mike Armstrong]

Yeah, the only problem with malpais is the "mal" part! Great places to break your neck. Another common name for 'em south of the border is "pedregal."

Trying to move across one for just a few minutes you can appreciate why the US had such a problem "winning" the Modoc War!

Wonder how much of North America is covered with this stuff? I've seen 'em in a BUNCH of Western states and Hawaii.

 

[WendyZXZ]

Excellent photograph and some pretty country.

 

[doccash]

The lava is 45 feet deep up to165 feet deep in places. This flow is 44 miles long and that stuff is very hard to get around on. As an interestilg note the Sotol 'spoon yucca' is protected by law. Again, there is quite an ecosystem in the Malpais. Dr.C

 

[gunsbam69]

I believe you'd want to shoe the mules there :shock:

 

[Jim Puke]

Looks like there might be a "bell cow" in there.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Is this the malpais that is north of Three Rivers, near Carrizozo, and where the Valley of Fires state park is? Been through there many times, even took some short hikes out into the lava flows just to look around. They would shred a pair of boots in short order.

 

[doccash]

Sixgunsonly, that is the Valley of Fires S.P., same one you have been to. There is an El Malpais National Park at Grants, New Mexico. Yes, those rocks are sharp. IDK how you could ever ride a horse in that stuff. Huge holes everywhere. Dr.C

 

[Don Lovel]

when I was working on a railroad project in Carrizozo area, I spent a Sunday off day walking along the front edge of the Malapais on a sunny early spring day. Snakes were out on the edges sunning.
I saw four Mohave green rattlers, seven diamondbacks and heard buzzing from probably 10 more I could not see.
I gotta guess there are a million of them in all those crevaces

 

[6GUNSONLY]

We used to live in Capitan, 20 miles up the mountain from Carrizozo. Wife's folks still live there.