Date: 02/20/2009

Number: 1

On Friday, February 20th, we traveled to Cerro Pelon.

This site is completely different experience that Sierra Chincua. More concentrated and able to be closer to the Monarchs. After about an hour of horseback and after a short hike, we arrived at a place with a rope marking the location the Monarchs had been just a week earlier. Our tour guide Paul Justice said the Monarchs actually moved up the mountain which he said was unusually for them to do. Usually, they are moving down the mountain. The skies were sunny and elevation was 9520 feet.

The sounds of monarch wings in flight was overwhelming. We witnessed several cascades and clumps of Monarchs breaking off the branch and taking flight. We also noted clusters on both trunks and branches.

One of the guides Moreno de Jesus Elidio told us that he has seen more Monarchs in the sanctuary now than any other time in his 35 years of coming here. He said you have to take care of the Monarchs so they stay well and keep coming back to the trees.

After our trek back, we enjoyed a traditional fresh trout lunch at Rosa's complimented by agua fresca de avena (made with oatmeal, cinnamon, sugar and water) and wonderful guacamole.

In her garden, we observed a number of Monarch chrysalis near a healthy Butterfly Weed plant.

Both sites were an amazing experience.

Cerro Pelon, MIC

Latitude: 19.4 Longitude: -100.2

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