In the Shadow of the Carmens: Afield with a Naturalist in the Northern Mexican Mountains (Grover E. Murray Studies in the American Southwest)

Just across the Rio Grande from West Texas in the state of Coahuila, Mexico, the mountain ranges of the Maderas del Carmen rise majestically. Often called magical or mystical, they have stirred imagination for centuries. Stories of bandits, Indians, ghosts, incredible flora and fauna, cool forests, waterfalls, and vast woodlands filter across the Rio Grande. Many people have dreamed of exploring this vast ecosystem, but few have made the trip. Bonnie McKinney is among the fortunate. In 2001 McKinney and her husband, Billy Pat McKinney, moved to the Carmens to manage the large conservation project spearheaded by CEMEX, the Monterrey-based cement and building materials conglomerate. Like those before her, she had been enthralled by the massive mountains with their cliffs of purple and gold in the sunset, and by horizon views of high forests. She, too, wondered what treasures the mountains held. Now she knows―and happily has reached out to share. Having lived and worked in the Carmens for more than a decade, McKinney has never been disappointed by these mountains, which never fail to surprise her. In intimate photographs and loving words McKinney takes readers on a fascinating armchair journey, introducing them to the incredible biodiversity of this jewel of northern Mexico. Also 04 Activeable in e-book formats, ISBN 978-0-89672-765-6 Others in Series, Title Page, Copyright, Dedication Contents Illustrations Foreword Acknowledgments 1. The Carmens 2. The Lobo Mexicano and Hacienda Santo Domingo 3. Chamiceras 4. El Club, Home of the Coahuila Mole 5. Mesa Bonita and the First Chichimoco Sighting 6. El Jardin and Canon del Diablo-Peregrine Palaces 7. Campo Cinco, Pumas, and Spotted What's-Its 8. Cuadra Pelota and the Miller's Shrew 9. La Laguna 10. Canon el Oso 11. Drought in the Carmens 12. Los Pilares and Desert Bighorn Sheep 13. The Road to Campo Uno 14. Snow in the Carmens 15. Canon Juarez 16. Zacatosa 17. La Cachuchua 18. Hacienda Piedra Blanca 19. Canon el Alamo 20. Cuesta Malena 21. Campo Dos 22. Canon Moreno 23. Canon Morteros 24. Skeletons in the Desert 25. Chihuahuan Desert Bears 26. The JoBoni Satyr 27. Billy Pat and the Flying Bug 28. The Pronghorn Returns 29. Doc Baker's Visit, July 2007 30. A Final Note Color Plates Scientific Terms, References, Index Common and Scientific Names Used in the Text References Index "A naturalist's chronicle of the Carmen Mountains of northern Mexico; essays and photographs reflect the region's biodiversity, natural history, resources, and conservation"-- Provided by publisher.