This blessed year turned crispy David Canyon green

The meadow appears as we descend the steep trail. Grass dances in the breeze.

It’s green.

When we visited David Canyon one year ago, after the winter of no precipitation, we found a hotshot firefighter crew in the parking lot, babysitting the tinderbox. The meadow had parched to a washed-out beige.

But the wind never stopped sighing in the trees, and the canyon’s incredible bird lineup never stopped singing. Now, months of snow, more snow, rain and more rain have set the meadow’s colors free again.

We hike up the other side of the canyon, traveling through a burn zone where embers still smoldered last year. The hillside remains naked in spots, but grass and little clusters of yellow wildflowers sprout along the path.

We reach the forest road that runs along the canyon’s rim. It’s still green up here, but more rocky than the meadow. From up here, the opposite wall of the canyon still looks dry and brown, fire-stripped trees visible in spots.

Another steep forest road leads to the highest point of the hike. The ponderosa pines and grass yield to twisty junipers, yucca and rock, baking in the sun. It’s the point in the hike where the landscape makes me wonder, “Am I in Egypt?” We’ve already hiked close to five miles, and my feet protest.

But I know what’s coming next, and I know how close we are. I resist the temptation to look behind me until we reach a rocky landing. I turn for the full effect of what the climb gained us: a stunning view of the Manzanos’ Guadalupe and Mosca peaks above forested ridges.

A little more climbing and a steep descent over red and orange rock lead to the narrow, shady trail that will take us back. We pause to watch a group of seven or eight Abert’s squirrels scamper up trees and over hills. Two skirmish in a tree scramble, and squawking ensues. I try to get a picture, but they’re so fast. I zoom in on one only to watch it take a flying leap out of the camera’s field.

I relish that pause, because we’ve now hiked more than six miles and have two more to go. As we close back in on the trailhead, we get one last glimpse of the Manzano ridgeline, shaped from here like a pizza cutter.

We saw so much today, and a whole lot of it was green.

Hike length: 8.2 miles

Difficulty: moderate

Trail traffic: very light

Wildlife spotted: horny toad, lizards, nuthatches, grasshoppers, ravens, crows, Abert’s squirrels, brown creepers, bluejays, black-capped chickadee, sparrows, swallows