Today we continued above the canyon, crossed the stream that fed those falls below, and continued further North along the west bank until we saw a route that led through clearing in the scrub due West of us. At a N-S wall, do not cross, but head North on a steady upwards
course. This path dissipates but keep a look-out for a substantial rock wall on your right. You will eventually cross this wall and head further North to the Crus de las Cruces, up grassy slopes now on the Eastern side.

To get the picture, recognize that after the stream crossing, you headed to the more Western side of a ridge which leads North. The Eastern side of this ridge is a more-or-less impassable with heavy growth – we have tried it before: it took all day and we still didn't make it
to the cross! The cross is encountered after topping (~8,800'), the end of this long ridge. There is also a valley route, dodging thorny
scrub along the stream and then on up more grassy slopes, but this Western route makes for the fastest time by far.

Having topped the ridge and heading briefly downwards again, the cross appears on the edge of an Eastern cliff – with an expansive view.  Having started below 7,000' at 9 am, we arrived at about 11:45.  Geoff and Stella are no slouches – they had me running to keep up. Just us three on this hike – nobody for me to use as my excuse for calling a halt.

This part is familiar territory usually reached by several routes from the Eastern side of these mountains. We made this hike circular by following the familiar Eastern route down, until we could clearly see the ridge which terminated with the distant La Mesa. Then we turned South, with no defined trail, dodging from clearing to clearing on the proximate top of this ridge.

After crossing an E-W stone wall, look for a larger wall on your East (left) side which marks the more precipitous terrain leading to huge
cliffs to the East of La Mesa. Before you reach La Mesa,  you need to cross this wall and head down a very precipitous route to get down the Eastern cliff. That cliff is unstable and if you fall,  you will bounce once after several hundred feet and then find yourself launched over another ~ 1,000 feet of mixed trees, cliffs and impassable steepness. There is only one (1) passable down- route here!

With Geoff fearlessly out in front (Isn't he nice - he believed me, when I said this was a trail!) we zigged and zagged down this cliff.  Eventually we found ourselves on a more horizontal route, leading below the cliff-face. There had been fresh rains – even the night
before – which made the narrow trail perilously slippery. This was not a Sunday picnic walk!

From the dam we took the same rocky trail down to the village where we were quaffing a beer in a tienda with friendly kids around,
before 3 pm. We had covered about 7 strenuous miles at a good clip.

Congratulations on your one-year anniversary since your arrival in San Miguel, Jeff and Stella!   Thanks for another great companiable hike! Don't know of any encore to match this, for next Sunday! You have done most of our collection of Picacho trails now – minor variants are mostly what is left.