1 of 22: The turnoff to La Barranca.

02 of 22: On another day, you might see La Maliciosa covered in snow from the park entrance.

03 of 22: But today, there is a slight cloud cover as we arrive which will disappear as the day progresses.

04 of 22: An informative display helps orient us.

05 of 22: The Embalse del Ejercito is to our right, La Maliciosa behind, as we start up the road.

06 of 22: After about twenty minutes, we come to the sign for the Camino Ortiz. This is our route.

07 of 22: Forty minutes on the Camino Ortiz brings us huffing and puffing up to the ruins of an old sanatorium.

08 of 22: This will be our first rest break.

09 of 22: Another thirty minutes and we reach the Mirador de los Canchales, with is spectacular view of La Maliciosa.

10 of 22: From Los Canchales, we follow the Camino del Tubo along the Cuerda de Cabrillas.

11 of 22: As youthful hikers move on, several of us take a break below the Peña del Horcón.

12 of 22: The vegetation has it rough up here in the wintertime: witness this gnarled old tree.

13 of 22: The Camino del Tubo leads out of the woods and onto the ridge.

14 of 22: Youth waits for us at a rock step they had fun scrambling up.

15 of 22: We take a more leisurely time ...

16 of 22: ... to enjoy the view (and catch our breath).

17 of 22: It is tricky wending our way through the rock formations.

18 of 22: But we top out and look back at our route. Quite a view!

19 of 22: The search begins for the best picnic spot, We have been on the go for almost three hours.

20 of 22: Rich and Marci have a table with a view.

21 of 22: And the rest of us settle for something out of the wind.

22 of 22: The long trail back.

A narrow, paved road leads into the recreational center known as La Barranca. There is also a hotel there.

Once we have had lunch, the trail heads down into the valley, back to La Barranca. It has been a pleasant outing, but like all good things, it must come to ...

The End.