Walking up FR181, from the twin water tanks off West Jemez Road (NM501), to where the road finally tops out, I spotted a tall rock cairn on the left that marked an obvious trail. I didn't remember ever following that trail so I did. It follows the rim of upper Water Canyon and the views from into the 3 branches of upper Water Canyon are fabulous! I could look over to Red-Tailed Hawk Point which is above the meadow where Water Canyon splits in two - one branch going up to FR181 and the other going to the Water Canyon Gallery where there is a spring that the laboratory once used to supply water to S-Site.
Suddenly ahead of me on the trail was a gangly-legged fawn. It looked so fragile to be alone out there and I was moved by its vulnerability. I watched as it toddled off the trail over to some dead logs and grass clumps in a slight depression. It laid itself down and I saw it no more. I wanted to walk over to see it again because it was such a fascinating, tiny creature but that would have only frightened it once more and forced it to move further exposing it to predation.
The trail dead-ended at an old logging road that someone had marked with rock cairns on either side. I followed that road back to FR181 and continued walking for a while.
On the way back down, I met the Mountain Canine Corps search and rescue woman walking uphill with her big hound dog Clancy. I asked if he would be gentle if he saw the fawn and she assured me he would. They planned to walk up to the Perimeter Trail and then back down to the twin water tanks on a rough, steep trail. That woman loves to wander just as much as I do but she at least has a companion. Some of her hikes provide training for Clancy. She hides and its Clancy's job to find her. She most likely enlists the help of another person to pull this off.
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