Melissa i
Strong

The warm weather came with the people this season.  Right around Christmas the days got warmer and have continued to be so throughout January--if you are not a climber this sounds plesant but not good for friction. The hotter it is, the warmer the rock is, and the warmer your body and hands are reducing the friction. 
After our first winter in Hueco (2005/2006) we decided that the best way to enjoy The Tanks to its fullest was to become guides(three out of the four mountains are guided access only).  We went through guide training in June, and shortly after that, Adam and I were approached by our friend John Wallace to see if we wanted to start up a guiding concession.  Out of this Wagon Wheel Co-opt grew.  2006 was our first year.  Initially, we accommodated a small group of guides, but over the years, there was a demand for a larger-scale guiding concession.   We went from taking out a couple hundred people a year to taking out almost 400 people this December.  The website our friend and fellow guide Andy Klier designed has helped get guides and clients together–wagonwheelcoopt.com. (redesigned in 2024 by another guide, Gus).
Our busy season has come and gone. In addition to tours, people are always looking for a place to camp. We try to help but have tried not to become a campground. Over the years, we have welcomed as many friends as our land can comfortably handle. Among the many people visiting Hueco for the holiday season are a lot of close friends.  During these three weeks, I feel like I cannot get to all of it–organizing tours, keeping a handle on the land, hanging out with friends, and getting to projects. It can get stressful and a bit crazy but it is usually fun and in the end things quiet down.  And that is where we are for now–quiet.  If you wanted to you could walk onto north mountain (only 70 spots available per day) with ease today.