Thursday group hiked on lower Water Canyon Trail.  Only 4 of us.  Old road into Water Canyon, from NM4, has some packed down snow in shady areas but no significant mud or ice yet. We started at 8:30 am so any snow was still frozen.  It softened somewhat on way back but mud not a problem.

One hiker, in his 80's, remembers driving into Water Canyon on the old road which now has a gate and on which no motorized traffic is allowed.  He said there was good deer hunting in there.  He remembers one involuntary "oil change" due to a collision of his oil pan with a rock!

The group turned around after about 1.5 miles but I continued on to the saddle between Water and Potrillo canyons and down to the Potrillo Canyon channel, where I turned around.  Very satisfying to be walking on a trail!