This virtual reality panorama, which was just added to our collection of 360° panoramas, was taken along the south base of Cerro del Medio, near the Valle Grande Lightning Shack (click here to download the panorama). This structure was built during the Baca Ranch era to shelter cowboys working on the ranch during the Jemez Mountains’ monsoon season, in which dramatic thunderstorms fall upon the Valles Caldera almost every day in July for an hour or two during the early afternoon. Monsoons are a result of humid, warm air flowing northwest from the Gulf of Mexico. As the moist air ascends to New Mexico’s higher elevations, it cools off beneath the dew point and condenses into rain and hail.
Visitors to the Southwest (and, indeed, longtime residents) marvel at the spectacle of the Jemez’ monsoon season, in which it is not uncommon for the sky immediately above to be unleashing a torrential downpour, while much of the surrounding sky is bright blue. Experiencing warm raindrops falling in a verdant valley of colorful wildflowers as the bright New Mexico sun shines through the droplets from the west, producing an enchanting “liquid sunshine” effect, is one of the most magical parts of summer in the Jemez. This experience is also extremely enjoyable at one of the Valles Caldera’s magnificent hot springs.
Click here to download this panorama. There are dozens more 360° panoramas at VallesCaldera.com — click here for the full list, including a map to help you find the one you are looking for.
You need to have QuickTime (version 5.0 or above) installed to view our 360° panoramas. Click here to install QuickTime. You also need to have a high-speed internet connection, as this panorama is 2.5 megabytes. QuickTime will automatically launch when the panorama had been downloaded.
Once the panorama loads, we recommend that you enter full-screen mode (by pressing Command-f on a Mac or Control-f on a PC) for the most enjoyable viewing experience. Drag the cursor in any direction to change your perspective. You can also press the shift key to zoom in, and the Command key (Control key on a PC) to zoom out.
Click here to download another high-resolution 360° panorama of the Valle Grande — this one was taken from Highway 4 in March, as the valle was a majestic mosaic of snow and dry land.
Finally, enjoy some some views from the sky of the Valle Grande:
The Valle Grande from above the Southeast Rim
The Southwest Rim
A meandering East Fork of the Jemez River
The Valle Grande from above the South Rim
