Category Archives: Grants

In the vicinity of Grants, NM.

Gooseberry Springs Trail #77 – 05/26/2023

May 29, 2023

We returned to Mount Taylor again this year. This Gooseberry Springs Trail presents a challenging hike with great views going up, coming down, and from the peak – together they make it one of our favorite hikes. We plan to hike it each year in to the ?? future.

The Drive In

Borrowing from our visit back in 2020:

“We had an easy drive to Grants, then through Lobo Canyon on NM 547 to FR 193 and on to our target campsite. The road has fresh, deep gravel (a Class 3 road) but the Tacoma/R-Pod handled it easily. We chose the campsite closer to the trailhead; an added benefit – it is located on the edge of Lobo Canyon and thus affords better views than the other campsites. ~~This, our first setup outside of an established campground challenged us in maneuvering~~ It was still a challenge to maneuver the R-Pod among trees and rocks to an area relatively level – great experience for future forays.”
This is our new 2023 R-Pod – RP-171. We enjoyed 12 years of great camping and traveling with our 2011 RP-177, but time came for it to be retired. We miss the space of the slideout in the -177, but we are adjusting to this more compact camper – and we like very much the “picture window” in the front which “opens up” the space inside. And a new, larger 100 watt, solar panel.

The Hike

Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike.Pat.2023-05-26

Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

We “trained” for this hike, walking daily in the Bosque during the winter and hiking up Three Gun Springs during the preceding weeks. This preparation no doubt served us well, but 2,000 feet elevation gain is nonetheless a challenge. The trail is well used, and descriptions of our previous hikes are still accurate.

Weather was perfect for this day’s hike, sunny and cool with some breezy and chilly conditions at the higher elevations. We stopped regularly for brief rests, especially on the steeper sections. We encountered only a couple of other hikers, ‘tho about half way up the open zig-zags approaching the peak, we noted a hiker with a dog following us; she passed us before we reached the peak. It was apparent from her pace and her pack that she was a through-hiker – she confirmed it during our brief conversation.

Approaching the peak we passed a couple of snow banks left over from this year’s heavy snow season. Reaching the peak, we took the obligatory selfie to document our arrival, then joined Brittany (trail name Dits) and Mono for lunch and pleasant conversation. As we headed back down the mountain, we wished her well on her journey as a NoBo (NOrth BOund) on the CDT.

This year we chose to return on the trail rather than the alternate routes that we chose on previous hikes. Returning to the R-Pod, we opened a beer and relaxed in the wonderful blue skies and clear air of New Mexico.

Highlight

As a bonus, during this last half of May we can anticipate meeting northbound through-hikers on the Continental Divide Trail. On the our hike in 2021 with Jay and Nancy, we met a couple of through-hikers and a Trail Angel, Cheshire Cat, and enjoyed the company of a through-hiker, trail name NoNo. And again this year, it was great to meet another CDT through-hiker, Dits and her dog Mono, and to share a mid-day meal with them atop Mount Taylor.

In 2021, No-No, gave us the link to her VLOG on YouTube, Jennifer Journeys. We continued to follow her progress up the CDT to Canada – she produced some truly great videos through which she shared her experience. She has published two other series of her adventures on YouTube: Peru 2022 and Mountains to Sea Trail. We hope that she is continuing with the life that she loves, and perhaps publishes VLOGs of more of her adventures. Thank you, Jennifer!

Statistics

Total Distance: 6.46 miles
Elevation: start 9,325 ft, maximum 11,305 ft, minimum 9,274 ft
Gross gain: 2,031 ft. Aggregate ascending 2,221 ft, descending 2,221 ft
Maximum slope: 26%% ascending, 34% descending, 12.4% average
Duration: 8:04

Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike.Pat.2023-05-26 (KML)	271 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike.Pat.2023-05-26 (GPX)	79 Downloads

If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out Using Google Earth Track Files.

Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike – 05/10/2021
Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike – 06/10/2020
Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike #2- 06/13/2018
Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike – 06/01/2018

References and Resources

A Note: I realize this is a long list of References and Resources, but I found many of them to be interesting, some going beyond just a hike up Mt. Taylor on the Gooseberry Springs Trail. I’ve marked with ** some that I found intriguing.

New References:
** PeakVisor: Cibola National Forest – Mt. Taylor Ranger District (East)
      A comprehensive description of Mt Taylor and the region
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail Coalition:
** Day & Overnight Hikes – New Mexico (PDF)
       A compendium of descriptions of segments of the CDT in New Mexico
    Tsoodzil (Mt. Taylor), Cibola National Forest
** Hike with Gravity: CDT 2021: Day 27, Gooseberry Springs Trail …
This is a post in his BLOG of hiking the CDT – interesting reading.
SummitPost: Gooseberry Springs Trail
** Quincy Koetz: Mt Taylor, New Mexico Winter Hike
Hiking Tom: Mount Taylor – Gooseberry Springs Trail (YouTube, late winter)
Sharing my Suitcase: Mt. Taylor- The Gooseberry Springs Trail
** Overland Mama: Weekend Camping: Cabezon Peak to Mt. Taylor etc
Trip Advisor: Mount Taylor

From Previous Posts:
US Forest Service: Gooseberry Springs Trail
Gooseberry Springs Trailhead
SummitPost: Mount Taylor
AllTrails: Gooseberry Springs and Mount Taylor Loop
Mount Taylor via Gooseberry Trail
ondafring: Day Hike: Mount Taylor
ASCHG: Mount Taylor From Gooseberry Spring Hike
Stav is Lost: Hike Mt. Taylor via Gooseberry Springs Trail (great photos)
Four Corners GeoTourism: Gooseberry Springs Trail – Mt. Taylor
Outdoor Project: Gooseberry Springs Trail to Mount Taylor
Hiking Project: Gooseberry Trail

George’s Photos w/ Captions: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

El Malpais-Narrows Rim Trail Hike – 04/14/2022

April 17, 2022

We’ve looked forward to hiking the Narrows Rim Trail a the Malpais for some time – and doing it this time of year (spring or fall)! The trail begins at the south end of the Rim in El Malpais National Conservati0n Area. The Rim is a sheer cliff 300-500 feet above the road along the eastern border of the lava flow. The hike runs along the edge of this cliff with a great view across El Malpais National Monument (the area of the lava flow) and beyond to the Zuni Mountains.

This Rim Trail is one of the more accessible and easy trails we’ve found. ‘Tho an hour and half from home, the trip is easy and relatively quick – I-40 for 60 miles, then 20 miles on a state highway with interesting scenery along the way. The trailhead is just off of the highway, in the past a campground so there is plenty of parking and a pit toilet.

The Drive In

From Albuquerque, drive west on I-40 for 60 miles, turn left onto NM 117, continue for 21 miles. At about 18 miles the road enters The Narrows, a 3 mile narrow corridor between the lava and a 500 foot sandstone mesa. At about 17 miles you will pass La Ventana, a very large arch in the wall of the canyon. Then into The Narrows – not much notable about the view to the right (lots of lava), but the view to the left is amazing – the various layers of sediment exposed in the cliffside and the huge rocks that have detached and fallen down the face of the cliff.

The Hike

Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

The trail begins with a short climb up a rock face (maybe 15′ with footholds).

Once past this one steep place the views south, west, and north arrested our attention – wow.

From there the trail presents a steady, shallow climb on a surface sometimes sand, or gravel/rocks, or in many places flat rock outcroppings (when among the latter, there are rock cairns that help one stay on the trail).

The view to the northwest and down the face of the Rim’s edge to the lava below. One can make out lava tubes down there on El Malpais.

For perspective, looking down at the highway from atop the Rim.

Typical rock/sand trail surface, and one of the many rock cairns that mark the trail.

Highlight

Prior to moving here from Virginia, we were once asked by a local there: “Why are you moving to New Mexico?”. It wasn’t long after our move and while exploring New Mexico’s wonderful open spaces that we started asking the rhetorical question “Why?!”. As we enjoyed another “special” place in this Land of Enchantment, I realized that we might be beyond “Why?”. As we hiked among ponderosa, piñon, and juniper trees, among fascinating rock formations, under a -clear blue- sky, and with amazing views near and far all around, a more appropriate exclamation might be “Because!”

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.87 miles
Elevation: start 7,078 ft, maximum 7,412 ft, 7,077 minimum ft
Gross gain: 335 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,318 ft, descending 1,319 ft
Maximum slope: 37% ascending, 37% descending, 8.0% average
Duration: 4:51

Narrows Rim Trail Hike.Pat.2022-04-14 (KML)	56 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Narrows Rim Trail Hike.Pat.2022-04-14 (GPX)	0 Downloads

If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out Using Google Earth Track Files.

References and Resources

Pat’s Photos w/ Captions: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show

George’s Photos w/ Captions: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show

Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike – 05/10/2021

May 13, 2021

Pat and I have hiked up Mount Taylor, last year and 2 years ago, and we were looking forward to doing it again. Jay and Nancy were intrigued and also wanted to ‘go the distance’. So we scheduled a 2-night camping trip, giving us a day to make the climb.

The Drive In

Because Jay & Nancy are tent-campers, we planned on camping in the Coal Mine Campground. Arriving there, we discovered that is not yet open for this year, But, Pat and I provided a fallback; from the 2020 Post:

The Hike

Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike.PatJayNancy.2021-05-10

The hike this year is much like Pat & I did last year, at least the ascent; I won’t repeat the description, but invite you to review that BLOG post. For the descent, we opted to follow the precedent of our first hike to the summit: descend on the trail to the tree line, then turn right to follow Gooseberry Creek down to it’s junction with the Gooseberry Spring trail.

As we continue to embrace New Mexico’s vistas and features, we very much enjoyed the views from the many vantage points on the trail up Mount Taylor. The open forest through which we pass for the first half of the hike is so very pleasant, with the healthy aspen, ponderosa, and fir trees. Then above the edge of the trees, the views of the slopes ahead and along one section to the right are breathtaking. Out on the slope of the last half of the ascent the views to the west and south are wondrous. Topping out on the summit opens more views to the south and east.

Please step through the gallery of photos below to get a sense of what I’m trying to describe, and some descriptions of the hike.

Highlight

Inspecting maps closely, I had noted that the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) passed near our campsite. Then, a half mile into the hike a young woman caught up with us. It appeared by her pack that she was backpacking. Chatting briefly we learned that she had come from Grants and was in fact a through-hiker on the CDT. A half mile later, we caught up with her as she was chatting with Cheshire Cat (his trail name). He was introduced as a Trail Angel, well known by CDT through-hikers, particularly for providing ice cream sandwiches out on the trail. After a convivial conversation, the hiker continued ahead (being new at this through-hiking universe, we didn’t think to ask her trail name), and she was soon out of sight. Cheshire Cat headed back to the trailhead and his crazy-painted car (unfortunately, we didn’t think to take a picture of the car as we began our hike). And we continued on our way.

(Cheshire Cat challenged us with a $1,000,000 bet: who has right-of-way, a hiker going uphill or one going downhill? We all posited – uphill has right-of-way. He asserted that downhill has precedence, his logic being that one going downhill has difficulty stopping, particularly on a steep, rocky slope. ‘Tho that seemed to make sense to all of us, we continued to think – uphill. So I guess we have and IOU to him.)

As we were climbing up the switchbacks on the upper half of the ascent, we noticed another hiker gaining on us. A couple of hundred yards from the top, she caught up and went ahead. Upon arriving at the peak, she was there taking photos. We exchanged cameras to get ‘selfies’ to document our arrival. We invited her to join us while we had lunch, which she graciously agreed. We enjoyed great conversation, learning that her trailname is “No-No”, that she has been on the CDT for close to a month (starting at the US-Mexico border) and plans to finish at the Canadian border come September.

As we prepared to head back down, No-No told us we might encounter another through-hiker, trailname “Beer Goddess”. And .. as we returned to -the summit, a young woman was there taking her documentary photos. We may have surprised her, asking if she was Beer Goddess. Yes, she said, as we told her No-No was just ahead, packing up to continue on the trail. After getting a picture of her on her camera, we continued on our way, back down Mount Taylor.

Postscript

During our descent, we were reminded of our first hike on Mount Taylor back in 2018. Pat & I hiked to the saddle not far above the tree line. It was a great introductory hike and gave us perspective (and confidence) that we could hike to the summit. We returned two weeks later to ‘go to the top’. Reflecting on those experiences, and in conversation with Nancy & Jay, it occurred to us that others may hike to this half-way point, a bit more than half way in distance and half way in elevation gain. Such a hike would not be so strenuous and would give one great views all around, especially the last 1/4 mile along the east side of the ridge, with a beautiful view across Rinconada Canyon. Then descend, as we did, down into Goosberry Canyon, back to the Trail and to the trailhead.

Statistics

Total Distance: 6.31 miles
Elevation: start 9,275 ft, maximum 11,309 ft, minimum 9,275 ft
Gross gain: 2,034 ft. Aggregate ascending 2,246 ft, descending 2,247 ft
Maximum slope: 40% ascending, 41% descending, 12.8% average
Duration: 6:44

Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike.PatJayNancy.2021-05-10 (KML)	64 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike.PatJayNancy.2021-05-10 (GPX)	54 Downloads

If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out Using Google Earth Track Files.

Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike – 06/10/2020
Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike #2- 06/13/2018
Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike – 06/01/2018

References and Resources

See References and Resources for the 2020 hike
Through-Hikers APP: GutHook Guides
Hiking Dude: Continental Divide Trail (download .kml file)

George's Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery View.

Armijo Canyon-Dittert Site Hike – 12/12/2020

December 14, 2020

This time of year, we avoid going north, into the Jemez, Sangre de Cristo, or other mountains – it is winter – cold, likely snowy, etc. Going west is better ‘tho it can be cold because places thereabouts are at a higher elevation. I had read about this hike some months ago (see References below) and thought it would be a good destination for our hike this week.

The Drive In

From Albuquerque, west on I-40 (68 miles), then south on NM 117 along the east edge of the Malpais. You will pass La Ventana (10 miles from I-40) then drive through the Narrows (there is a nice trail here, the Narrows Rim Trail that starts at the south end of the Narrows and goes north to a nice overlook of La Ventana). Continue on NM 117 for 16 miles, turn left onto Pie Town Road (also identified as Rd 41), a Class 3 road (New Mexico Pavement – graded and sanded). Another 3 miles, turn left onto Armijo Canyon Road, a Class 4 road. Park at the gate 1.5 miles from Pie Town Road, the boundary of the El Malpais National Conservation Area (NCA),.

The Hike

Armijo Canyon-Dittert Site Hike.Pat.2020-12-12

The Armijo Canyon Trail proceeds from the gate up the bottom of Armijo Canyon. We left the gate on a well-used trail, heading northeast on a well used trail; 125 yards on we were faced with a deep arroyo with the typical vertical sides. But from this trail we could enter the arroyo and … climb out the other side. Back on level ground, the trail we anticipated was nowhere to be found. But … I had downloaded the track from ASCHG to USTopo on my phone/GPS, so off we went towards the features of our interest.

The surface was a bit challenging – tufts/mounds of grass interspersed with soft soil – a trail would be nice to have. Our first point of interest was the Dittert Site, ruins dating from the 1000-1200 era. Situated on a mound, well constructed rock walls have been excavated including a circular enclosure, presumably a kiva. To the north of the exposed walls was more mound suggesting that only a small part of the ruins have been exposed. A few yards further to the northwest is another mound which would appear to be another ruins site.

From there we set out on a heading of 95° for the remnants of a ranchstead. About 2/3 of the way there, we encountered another of those deep, steep sided arroyos. In this case, we found a cattle (or game) trail, an easy down and back up onto the other side. Soon we came upon signs of occupancy nearby – pieces of rusted metal, even a tin can. A short distance further along was a collapsed structure of poles (juniper tree trunks) and a rock walled room – it must be a building of the ranchstead along with what appeared to be a fireplace (notice the large rock behind what must have been the hearth). Also interesting – there was a prominent mound adjacent to the building, suggesting that this might be another site of ancient ruins.

From the ranchstead, we struck out for “Igor”, a name given to the site of petroglyphs. From this point we had a gradual climb for the half mile to the rock outcrops identified on the ASCHG track as the site of Igor. About half way along, we paused to look at the large kiva, a depression in the terrain some 30 feet in diameter.

Approaching a rock outcrop that forms the end of a ridge, we started looking for signs of Igor. From the base of a steep, rocky incline, our first take was an image that looked like a face. On further inspection, it was … only lichen on the rock face. Continuing to work our way around the rocks, we spotted .. Igor.
Climbing closer to the rock we found that there are other petroglyphs, some quite clear, others a bit washed out.

The weather, tho’ sunny, was a bit chilly with a light breeze blowing. Failing to find a spot out of the breeze and in sunshine for a warm spot to have our lunch, we headed back to the truck where we enjoyed hot drinks and our PB&J lunch.

Heading home, as we reached the intersection with Pie Town Road we decided .. let’s take the longer way home – to Pie Town, then to Socorro and I-25 ( and avoid the heavy truck traffic on I-40). Pie Town Road is a Class 3 (in some places 3.5 – it would be soft when wet) and passes through 3 or 4 ranches and 2 or 3 residential developments. The latter are very remote from anything, a different place to live.

As we approached US 60, we encountered a small heard of elk – the first we’ve seen up close as they crossed the road in front of us. A great treat to end our visit to these parts. Then it was eastbound on US 60, through Pie Town (didn’t stop for a pie), across the Plains of San Agustin and the VLA (Very Large Array).

Statistics

Total Distance: 2.85 miles
Elevation: start 7,257 ft, maximum 7,552 ft, minimum 7,253 ft
Gross gain: 299 ft. Aggregate ascending 388 ft, descending 387 ft
Maximum slope: 31% ascending, 21% descending, 4.7% average
Duration: 2:20

Armijo Canyon-Dittert Site Drivein.Pat.2020-12-12 (KML)	230 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Armijo Canyon-Dittert Site Drivein.Pat.2020-12-12 (GPX)	150 Downloads
Armijo Canyon-Dittert Site Hike.Pat.2020-12-12 (KML)	216 Downloads
Armijo Canyon-Dittert Site Hike.Pat.2020-12-12 (GPX)	117 Downloads

I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.

References and Resources

ASCHG: Armijo Canyon – El Malpais Hike
Cargo Van Conversions: Dittert Site
BLM: National Conservation Area
The Dittert Site (PDF)
National Geographic Four Corners Region: The Dittert Archaeological Site:
Archaeology Southwest: Dittert Site

Previous Hikes

El Malpais – Narrows Rim Hike – 03/26/2014

George's Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show

Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike – 06/10/2020

June 13, 2020

We returned to Mount Taylor where Pat & I made two hikes two years ago (a reconnoiter hike followed two weeks later by a hike to the summit). As then, we took our R-Pod camper for two nights giving us a whole day to make the hike without traveling. As for camping, since the Coal Mine Campground was closed, we made a one-day trip a week ago to locate a suitable campsite where the Forest Service permits “dispersed camping”. We found more than a dozen such sites; checked 3 or 4 of them to determine suitability for bringing in the R-Pod (care taken to avoid branches that might snag the camper); we marked 2 that we judged to be suitable.

Drive In and Camp Setup

We had an easy drive to Grants, then through Lobo Canyon on NM 547 to FR 193 and on to our target campsite. The road has fresh, deep gravel (a Class 3 road) but the Tacoma/R-Pod handled it easily. We chose the campsite closer to the trailhead; an added benefit – it is located on the edge of Lobo Canyon and thus affords better views than the other campsites. This, our first setup outside of an established campground, challenged us in maneuvering the R-Pod among trees and rocks to an area relatively level – great experience for future forays.

The Hike

Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike.Pat.2020-06-10

After a pleasant night (‘tho chilly – a cold front brought night time temperatures into the low 40s – the extra blanket was welcome as was the heater in the early morning – but .. cooler temperatures were promised for the hike), we drove the two miles or so to the trailhead and set off. The first half of the trail is quite pleasant, wending through open forest of mostly ponderosa pine. The trail itself “gets with it quickly”, enough slope to get blood moving and breathing heavy. In places the surface is a bit rocky, in other places it’s dirt with pine needles that soften the footfall.

As we left the forested portion of the trail, we stopped to recharge with Instant Ramen Soup. The 2nd half to the summit is in the open; we again enjoyed the magnificent views to the east, south, and west. (See more descriptions from our previous hike to the summit.) At the summit, we relaxed a while with coffee & hot chocolate and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches.

Because of the rocky surface on the last 1/4 of the trail, we opted to take a different route back down the mountain. AllTrails showed a track that went north from the summit, then west and south to make a loop back to the trailhead (Gooseberry Springs and Mount Taylor Loop). The AllTrails map also showed a dotted line down the west slope – we chose to take that ‘shortcut’. It proved to be a seldom-used two track that was not too steep – ’twas a good choice. Where this two track intercepted the AllTrails track, we chose to make a more direct route towards the trailhead by descending down the wide open grassland. The slope of the terrain was fine (for descending) and covered with thick grass. We used this opportunity to gain some experience in interpreting the topo maps versus ‘ground truth’. We sought a track with lesser slopes and one that didn’t require any climbs up from the intervening valley.

Overall we were successful, descending a uniform slope, then tracking a topo line where it was necessary to ascend up to a ridge. For the last 100 or so feet of elevation, we found cattle trails that made the descent easier (cattle figure out how to ‘bushwhack’). Easier .. until the final 50 feet or so of really steep slope and thick bushes that made for real ‘bushwacking’.

Before leaving this descent, we reviewed the topo map to identify a route down that might be easier on a future hike to the summit. The remainder of the hike, down Lobo Canyon past Gooseberry Springs and to the trailhead was most pleasant. Back at the campsite we had a very nice evening, slept well in the camper, and enjoyed a relaxing morning at the campsite. Heading home, on our way out of Grants we recalled on our last visit having a pleasant break at the Route 66 Junk Yard Brewery. Stopping there would have been a very nice, but since breweries have been closed due to Covid-19 we pressed on to Albuquerque. Note: We had cellphone service at the campsite and for most of the hike. This permitted us to check out AllTrails and other sources for alternative ideas.

Statistics

Total Distance: 6.0 miles
Elevation: start 9,274 ft, maximum 11,314 ft, minimum 9,274 ft
Gross gain: 2,040 ft. Aggregate ascending 2,274 ft, descending 2,274 ft
Maximum slope: 39% ascending, 43% descending, 13.6% average
Duration: 8:33

Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike.Pat.2020-06-10 (KML)	77 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike.Pat.2020-06-10 (GPX)	214 Downloads

If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out Using Google Earth Track Files.

References and Resources

US Forest Service: Gooseberry Springs Trail
Gooseberry Springs Trailhead
SummitPost: Mount Taylor
AllTrails: Gooseberry Springs and Mount Taylor Loop
Mount Taylor via Gooseberry Trail
ondafring: Day Hike: Mount Taylor
ASCHG: Mount Taylor From Gooseberry Spring Hike
Stav is Lost: Hike Mt. Taylor via Gooseberry Springs Trail (great photos)
Four Corners GeoTourism: Gooseberry Springs Trail – Mt. Taylor
Outdoor Project: Gooseberry Springs Trail to Mount Taylor
Hiking Project: Gooseberry Trail

George's Photos (with captions): Click on a Photo for Gallery Show, or Click Here for Slide Show

Pat's Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show, or Click Here for Slide Show

El Malpais-Lava Tubes Trail Hike – 08/15/2019

August 26, 2019

With a grandson coming to visit, we thought we might explore the Lava Tubes in the El Malpais National Monument. To check it out in advance, we made it a day-trip.

The Drive In

First stop was the Visitors Center located just off I-40 on NM-53 in Grants. We obtained vital information for our visit including maps and brochures as well as an information sheet for each cave. And … to get your Visitors Permit for the Tubes along with:

A briefing on protocols for visiting the Tubes
Advisories such as:
1. –don’t drive into the Big Tubes unless the road is -dry-,
2. –call a friend before going in a cave and call them again when exiting the cave, and
3. –wear clothing (shoes especially), a helmet, gloves, and even kneepads for protection from from the sharp lava.

[Note: Some references refer to the “El Malpais (NPS) Information Center”, 20 miles from from the Visitors Center on NM 53, as a place to get the permits. We were told this location is permanently closed.]

So, off we went, 24 miles to our first stop, the El Calderon Area and its handful of smaller caves. The parking lot is just a very short drive off of NM 53, then short and easy walks from there to the caves.

The Hikes

El Malpais-Big Lava Tubes Hike.Pat.2019-08-15

Visiting Junction Cave, the one closest to the parking lot, we descended maybe 20′ on large rocks that are strewn about. The cave is shallow, maybe 30′-40′ across in one direction; it must go further in the other direction but a fence blocks access. On Google Earth and the brochure, there are clearly more caves to see here, but our focus was to visit the Large Tubes. Note: Though the fence blocks access, the opening in Junction Cave is so small as to require crawling; this example lines up with the description provided at the Visitors Center about the other caves in El Caldron and … the advice to bring kneepads.

Getting to the Big Tubes, one proceeds 6 miles further on NM 53, then turn left onto Cibola County 42, a gravel road, for 4.5 miles. Then it’s a left turn onto a dirt road for another 4.5 miles to the parking lot for the Big Tubes Area. [Note: The “road” for this final 4.5 miles is not maintained, is mostly clay, and should -not- be used if it is the least bit wet, or even if there has been any rain in the past 2 days.]

On the ‘lava trail’, following the rock cairns.

The parking area is at the edge of the lava flows; entering the trail we found ourselves on a very rocky/lava surface – makes walking tough. The trail is marked with rockpile cairns every 50′ or so; without them we would not have been able to find our way. There are many features in the area: the 3 caves noted in the brochures plus lava bridges, trenches where the roof of tubes have collapsed, and simply the tortuous terrain.

The day was hot, especially on the lava flows, with no shade to speak of. We decided to visit the Big Skylight Cave first. Approaching the cave we were surprised to find the trench to be quite deep, and in the bottom – very large rocks. ‘Tho not intending to go into the cave that day, we could not find a path for descending into the trench that appeared to be navigable, at least not for us. Maybe with someone as a guide?

Arching over the trench was a lava bridge from which we followed the trail to the Four Windows Cave. Like Big Skylight, access to Four Windows required descending into a deep trench; we did identify a route that we might manage, but only on a day when we were fresh for the experience (i.e., not so hot). Experiencing some disappointment, probably induced as much by the strange terrain, etc., we decided this was not a place to go during our grandson’s visit. Maybe in cooler weather?

Statistics

Total Distance: 1.27 miles
Elevation: start 7,618 ft, maximum 7,650 ft, minimum 7,615 ft
Gross gain: 32 ft. Aggregate ascending 171 ft, descending 173 ft
Maximum slope: 35% ascending, 26% descending, 4.2% average
Duration: 1:17

Malpais-Big Lava Tubes Hike.Pat.2019-08-15 (KML)	98 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Malpais-Big Lava Tubes Hike.Pat.2019-08-15 (GPX)	104 Downloads

I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.

References and Resources

National Park Service:
   El Malpais National Monument
   Lava Tubes and Caving
     Al Malpais Caving Brochure (PDF)
     El Calderon Area Trail Guide (PDF)
AllTrails: Big Tubes Trail
American Southwest: Big Tubes, El Malpais National Monument
Wikipedia: El Malpais National Monument

George's Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

El Malpais-Narrows Rim Hike – 03/26/2014

February 27, 2019

One of our early hikes, checking out trails around Grants, NM. This summary is posted from memory; it took place before I began this Hiking BLOG. This was such a nice hike with friend Vince. I think my memory will bring back some particulars.

Statistics

Total Distance: 7.65 miles
Elevation: start 7,078 ft, maximum 7,437 ft, minimum 7,078 ft
Gross gain: 359 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,975 ft, descending 1,974 ft
Maximum slope: 29% ascending, 30% descending, 7.4% average
Duration: 5:24

Narrows Rim Hike.Vince.2014-03-26 (KML)	189 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Narrows Rim Hike.Vince.2014-03-26 (GPX)	56 Downloads

I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.

References

BLM: Narrows Rim (pdf)
ExploreNM: Narrows Rim Trail
New Mexico Meanders: 2017-07-02 The Narrows Rim Trail
AllTrails: Narrows Rim Trail
Only in Your State:
The Best New Mexico Hike You’ve Never Heard Of But Need To Take
Stav is Lost: Hike Narrows Rim Trail

George's Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

El Malpais-Lava Falls Hike – 02/14/2014

February 22, 2019

Exploring the El Malpais National Monument, near Grants, a large area of volcanic rock with some interesting features, including tubes.

Drive In

From Albuquerque, head west on I-40 towards Grands, but turn south on NM 117. For some 28 miles you will drive between the Narrows Rim and the Malpais, and past La Ventana Natural Arch (beyond the Arch is a trailhead that goes up on the Rim, north to an overlook with a great view of the Arch). At about 28 miles, turn right on a dirt road to the parking for the Lava Falls Trail.

The Hike

Parking is at the edge of the Malpais lava. From here, the trail crosses dirt for a few yards, then quickly rises onto the lava. The trail on the lava is marked with cairns, stacks of rocks – keep them in view – if not for these marks of the trail, one could quickly get lost on this featureless terrain. The surface consists of sharp points and ridges, tough on boot soles (and skin should one fall down) and at times it is difficult to discern the track of the trail.

As noted above, the terrain is basically devoid of features. We did encounter some collapsed lava tubes, but none in condition to enter into. We also encountered a mound with a relatively smooth surface, and of course we found our way to the Falls, a large depression that appears to be an area that collapsed as lava beneath ‘drained away’. This is an interesting place to visit and take a short hike.

Statistics

Total Distance: 1.52 miles
Elevation: start 7,105 ft, maximum 7,139 ft, minimum 7,101 ft
Gross gain: 38 ft. Aggregate ascending 279 ft, descending 280 ft
Maximum slope: 28% ascending, 34% descending, 5.4% average
Duration: 2:00

Lava Falls Hike.Vince.2014-02-14 (KML)	89 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Lava Falls Hike.Vince.2014-02-14 (GPX)	61 Downloads

I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.

References (Lava Falls and other features in the Malpais)

National Park Service, El Malpais National Monument:
   Lava Falls
   Lava Falls Gallery
   Lava Falls Area Trail Guide (pdf)
AllTrails: Lava Falls Trail
ExploreNM:
      Lava Falls
      La Ventana Arch
American Southwest: El Malpais National Monument
New York Times: Into a Lava-Lined Underworld Near Albuquerque

George's Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

Cliff Ruins Expedition – 08/20/2018

September 26, 2018

Lanny and I had seen a video by Jeff Gilkey flying over Pueblo ruins atop a small mesa, specifically Mesa Pueblo. We located them using GoogleEarth, and headed that way.

The Drive In

Driving route from Grants to Cliff Ruins.

As you can see from the red track above, we missed a turn or two, found ourselves wandering among the diggings of the nearby coal mine operations, and when the tracks we were following with the GPS and USTopo became -terribly- rough, we aborted the attempt to get to Mesa Pueblo Ruins.

However, Lanny had a backup – Cliff Ruins. We located ourselves, and a label on USTopo for “Cliff House”, and judged that we were reasonably close. USTopo also indicated what appeared to be serviceable two-tracks from our position among the mine diggings towards Cliff Ruins. Along the way Nearing the site, it appeared that we needed to turn off of the “good two-track”, onto one we could barely follow. That brought us to a point adjacent to the site as indicated on USTopo; a short walk to the west and we were at the edge of White Mesa, looking into Cliff Dwelling Canyon.

The Walkabout

Walkabout on the mesa overlooking Cliff Ruins.

Walking around the edge of this canyon brought into view the Cliff Ruins, perched on a large ledge under a ceiling midway up the cliff face. We noted that the House appeared to be in excellent condition, walls almost all intact and the corners square; some fine workmanship. We could not see any reasonable path to ascend from the canyon floor to the House.

Returning the Lanny’s Jeep, we were impressed with the view across the Rio Miguel to Chivato Mesa and Cabezon. Heading back towards Grants, Lanny chose an alternate two-track which to our surprise brought us to what appeared to be an old ranch-stead. We found a corral with stables (rock walls still standing) and what may have been an abode, with the fireplace still standing.

Cliff-Ruins-Driveabout.Lanny.2018-08-20 (KML)	437 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Cliff-Ruins-Driveabout.Lanny.2018-08-20 (GPX)	84 Downloads
Cliff Ruins Walkabout.Lanny.2018-08-20 (KML)	100 Downloads
Cliff Ruins Walkabout.Lanny.2018-08-20 (GPX)	83 Downloads

I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.

References:

Google Maps: Cliff Dwelling Canyon

FOLLOWUP NOTES:

From a set of comments regarding my posting of photos, “Ranch House and Stables, Rio Puerco Valley“, on Facebook’s group “Abandoned in New Mexico“, March 17, 2019:

“John Cortesy – That looks like one of the old stage coach stops on the route from Milan to Cuba. If you followed the road through the ranches, you passed a dry arroyo with a rock outcropping on the right that was a place where they watered the horses when it was flowing. The passengers would get out of the coach and carve their names and dates into the rocks above. We had taggers back in 1905 and 1897 if I remember the dates correctly. Can’t trust no one to not deface a property these days!”

“George Young – Thanks, John, for adding that information. Your suggestion would certainly make sense to me; the stable (building and fencing) appears to be more than one would use for a ranch. And I see on GoogleEarth that it is on a line from Milan to Cuba. I see also on a topo map that “El Dado Springs” is very close by. It might be worth another trip for us. From which direction did you describe the location of the “tagging”? Do you know of any more features, etc. of that stage line?”

George's Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike #2- 06/13/2018

June 17, 2018

Two weeks ago we hiked up the Gooseberry Springs Trail on Mount Taylor near Grants. That was such a great hike, we decided to return soon with the goal of going all the way to the top. So that we could make an early-morning start, we traveled to Grants the day before and spent the night in a motel. (On the lookout for craft beer, we stumbled on the Route 66 Junk Yard Brewery – check it out on the east end of town.)

The Drive In

See the description in the previous post Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike – 06/01/2018

The Hike

After a McDonalds burrito and coffee breakfast (the only restaurant in Grants that is open early), we headed for the Goosberry Trail trailhead. See the report on our earlier hike for particulars on the first half of this hike. Oh, by the way, we made the turn onto the Trail that we missed on the previous hike. And knowing we faced a 2,000+ elevation gain, we took frequent breaks (and kept up the intake of water).

Nearing the location of our mid-hike break on the previous hike, above the tree line on this side of the mountain, we headed up towards the summit. The trail continued to be a moderate slope, well used and easy going, ‘tho on fairly steep hillsides. The views to the east, south, and west were glorious, despite the hazy atmosphere. And the views of the surrounding slopes of the mountain were stunning, particularly in the light of the early morning sun. An occasional rock outcrop added another dimension of Mother Nature’s beautiful work. ‘Tho it has been hot at lower elevations, the early start coupled with the upslope breezes made the weather conditions quite cool and pleasant.

Reaching the summit, we enjoyed an extended break with coffee and empenadas, and taking time to enjoy the sights. Heading down, again the slope and general condition of the trail made the descent reasonably easy. And looking at the scenery from this new angle or direction made it beautiful in ways different that during the ascent.

Close to a mile from the summit on the way down, we opted to follow the ‘canyon’ towards -the- Gooseberry Spring. ‘Tho not a marked trail, we found ‘trails’, tracks left by cattle, elk or deer, a maybe people, that were easy to follow and allowed us to remain in shade (the temperature was rising and the sun intense). For a short time we rejoined -the- Gooseberry Trail, but then descended again into the ‘canyon’ and followed it until the point where the Trail crosses the ‘canyon’. From there it was about 2/3rd of a mile back to the truck.

Statistics

Total Distance: 6.69 miles
Elevation: start 9,273 ft, maximum 11,314 ft, minimum 9,273 ft
Gross gain: 2,041 ft. Aggregate ascending 2,366 ft, descending 2,364 ft
Maximum slope: 32% ascending, 40% descending, 12% average
Duration: 8:44