red john 1990 Journal 5 Juni Mountains (eastern portion McKinley and Cibola Counties, New Mexico. May 26 Forest at Benavidez Canyon. I followed the road S. to (Cont) Forest Rd 554, which turns E and ascends the upper end of Deaver Canyon toward Mt. Sedgwick. I worked this upper portion, then slowly retraced my route, stopping often to walk the middle and lower portions of Deaver Canyon. This I did between 14:30 and 17:30. I then returned to Harcum & I-40 and went E. to San Rafael and Gjs del Valle on the eastern edge of the Juni Mountains. From 18:15 to 18:30, I visited the area of the springs. The habitat in Deaver Canyon's upper reaches is coniferous forest in which occur a few open areas of sand grass. In the canyon bottom is a small, now dry creek. On the N.-facing slope grows mixed conifers - mostly douglas-firs and ponderosa pines, with a few limber pines admixed. This is a closed canopy growth, of mostly medium sized trees. In several spots the conifers give way to groves of aspens, particularly near the course of the creek. On the S.-facing slope grows an open forest almost entirely of ponderosa pine. These, too, are mostly medium size trees, with a scattering of large ones admixed. In a few places along the creek, Ribes thickets, mostly small ones, occurs in relatively few portions of the drainage, which has a moderate gradient. As you descend the canyon, first the limber pines and then the douglas-firs drop out, and where the canyon drainage changes from W. to N. is where this begins to make a difference in the aspect of the forest. Shortly beyond, the only conifers are ponderosa