Category Archives: Ojito

In the vicinity of the Ojito Wilderness, NM.

White Mesa Bike Trails East – 02/21/2022

March 6, 2022

With this hike we explore more of the White Mesa Bike Trails, also known as the Dragon’s Back area.

The Drive In

This trailhead is at the parking lot as one enters BLM’s Ojito Wilderness. From the Bernalillo exit off of I-25, proceed west on US 550 for 32 miles. Turn left on Cabezon Road (bear left a short distance off of US 550) and continue for 4 miles. Park on the left just beyond gate/cattle guard.

The Hike

White Mesa Bike Trails East.PatJayNancy.2022-02-21

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

Our guide for this hike was GAIA’s map of the area, showing with dotted lines what we took to be trails. We planned to make a clockwise loop, first down the steepest slope into the canyon, then return to the trailhead along the east side of the loop. So we began by heading north from the trailhead parking lot, on a 2-track that followed a fence that defines the boundary between BLM land and Zia Pueblo land.

Less than 1/4 mile on, the 2-track angled off the the northwest then petered out at the bottom of a small ravine (or canyon?). It seemed logical to head up this ravine – ‘tho it was narrow the going was mostly easy (a few small rock climbs) as it wound its way toward the top of the ridge. Along the way we passed through some of the many colors that are characteristic of this area of the Ojito Wilderness. [At some point, we noticed that GAIA’s dotted line was to our right. But we were going in the right direction – up and northerly. Later we learned more about GAIA’s ‘trail’ – see below.]

Once atop the ridge, we had marvelous views, east to the Sandia Mountains and west across Dragon’s Back itself to Cabezon beyond. From reconnoitering on GoogleEarth, we planned to take the loop clockwise so as to -descend- on the steepest section of the trail.

Thus we turned left (west) atop this mesa, then to descend on what a sign identified as the “Spine”. We shortly encountered a steep descent through a cleft in rocks. Then we continued on to the spine. And a spine it was, a narrow ridge (<20′ wide), descending gradually at first.

The last few yards to the canyon floor were -very steep-, made treacherous by sections of mud left over from melting snow. The soil is such that when wet, it becomes very slippery. To make the descent safe, we squatted, braced ourselves on the edges of the “trail”, and duck-walked down. With the weight of my pack, I was comfortable only by sitting down and working my way down a foot or two at a time.

Once we were down into the canyon, the trail was smooth and level – for 300 yards or so. We then began a climb up on the ridge that splits the middle of the canyon. Up on the ridge we had a great view of the length of Dragon’s Back, with Cabezon on the horizon beyond. Along the way we came upon one of the many springs that dot this area, surrounded by a mound of gypsum that continued downhill, from years (decades?) of evaporation of the spring water. I was curious, thinking maybe the water was warm – nope, it was cool.

We continued north on this ridge until our planned turn-around point. Before heading back towards the trailhead, we went a bit further to show Nancy & Jay the big hole Pat & I had discovered on our earlier hike (Dragon’s Back Canyon Hike – 1/21/2022). We also took a break for lunch here.

The route back started on a two-track which we followed for about 3/4 mile, at which point we took the bike trail to the right. That went well, easy to follow and an easy surface. The views to the west across the canyon were studding, with many variations of red, white, yellow, even some bluish tints in the canyon walls, punctuated by snow in shaded areas. Continuing to follow the GAIA track of the bike trail, once atop the ridge we came to a Y junction; we chose the one to the left that followed the GAIA track.

Some 300 yards on we encountered a -very narrow- section with a steep slope falling off to the right, and a sign that warned that it was a dangerous route – it was too risky for us. And it is hard for us to imagine that people would take that narrow trail on mountain bikes. So we retraced our steps to the Y junction and took the other leg that took us back to the top of the narrow ravine that we climbed through on our way from the trailhead.

We considered descending that ravine, but chose instead to continue west on the bike trail, then pick up the 2-track that would take us to Cabezon Road, then a third of a mile to the trailhead. ‘Twas a good choice to finish what had been a challenging adventure, an easy downhill trek, then head to Bernalillo and a beer at Bosque Brewing.

Jay here: Steep drop-offs my ass! What he means is that on that one descent from the spine into the canyon, some of us spent quite a bit of time on our asses. Amazing variety to this hike. Starts with walking through a confined ravine, then tops out on to a spine, across a canyon, and then back on to limestone spines most of the way back. When you think about people tackling this on mountain bikes, you have to give them a badge for bravery.

Highlight

Statistics

Total Distance: 5.8 miles
Elevation: start 5,749 ft, maximum 6,028 ft, minimum 5,681 ft
Gross gain: 347 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,130 ft, descending 1,130 ft
Maximum slope: 26% ascending, 36% descending, 6.7% average
Duration: 4:28

White Mesa Bike Trails East.PatJayNancy.2022-02-21 (KML)	115 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
White Mesa Bike Trails East.PatJayNancy.2022-02-21 (GPX)	84 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.

Dragon’s Back Canyon Hike – 1/21/2022
White Mesa Bike Trails Hike – 03/09/2017
Dragon Back, White Mesa Bike Trail – 02/16/2016
All Ojito Hikes

References and Resources

BLM: White Ridge Bike Trails
           White Ridge Bike Trails (pdf)
ASCHG: White Mesa – East Loop Hike
            White Meas – East Ridge Hike
                White Mesa – West Loop Hike
AllTrails: White Mesa and Dragon’s Back Trail Loop
MTB Project: White Ridge Trail System – Main Loop
Trailforks: White Ridge Trail System

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

Jay's Photos w/ Captions: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

Dragon’s Back Canyon Hike – 01/21/2022

January 27, 2022

This is our first venture in the new year, returning to the Ojito Wilderness, one of our favorite areas. At the top of our list has been to explore the canyon below Dragon’s Back ridge. Looking down into the canyon from atop Dragon’s Back, there are many interesting feature, colors, and formations. So we went exploring.

The Drive In

Plan A: Our first plan was to enter through a gate just off of US 550 northwest of the north end of the canyon. The gate is on the left 4.9 miles from San Ysidro (the intersection of US 550 and NM 14). The gate hasn’t been locked and is an entrance to BLM land.

Parking not far inside the gate (disregarding the 2-track that continues) we had anticipated that we would need to hike a half mile or so to reach the north end of Dragon’s Back from where we would enter into the canyon. However, this plan was foiled by the Rio Salado. There was some water flowing in it and we did not see a place where we could cross the water, and with the water present the wide creek bottom was very ‘mushy’. So we abandoned this plan.

Plan B: On a previous visit to the Ojito we had driven some distance on a 2-track paralleling the west side of Dragon’s Back; we hoped to be able to drive far enough to be close to that northern end of the ridge, then hike around into the canyon.

The red line is the DriveIn route from US 550 and Cabezon Road to the White Ridge Bike Trails and up the 2-track to where we began our hike (in yellow).

Note: Click on image to see full screen; [Back] on your browser to return to this page.

We returned to US 550, went back through San Ysidro, then turned right onto Cabezon Road (2.3 miles from the junction of US 550 and NM 4 in San Ysidro). Not far from 550 there is a Y in the road – take the leg to the left (the other one goes up to the mine atop White Mesa).
Then continued on Cabezon Road; a quarter mile beyond parking for the White Mesa Bike Trails, we turned right again, onto the 2-track towards the north end of Dragon’s Back. We parked before going round the Back, next to a shack returning to earth.

This plan worked; the 2-track is well used, easy enough for the Tacoma (‘tho a couple of spots might be difficult without the Tacoma’s high clearance).

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).

From our parking spot just off of the 2-track (near a dilapidated building) and close to the northwest corner of Dragon’s Back, we continued afoot on the 2-track to round the north end of the ridge. Along the way we looked down upon the Rio Salado – we still were unable to see a place where we could have crossed per Plan A.

Shortly beyond where the view into the Canyon opened up, we left the 2-track and followed a well used bike trail, one of the nicest trail surfaces one can find. We followed the bike trail for close to a mile. Uncertain where the trail went from there, and wishing to stay in the Canyon below Dragon’s Ridge, we went off-trail remaining to the west of the central ridge in the Canyon. Tho off trail, it was hardly bushwhacking – rocky, gravel, in some places dirt; a few ups-and-downs across drainage coming down off of the ridge, but not difficult at all.

Along the way we passed a few ‘seeps’, identified as ‘springs’ on the topo maps but little to no water flowed from them. Each such seep, whether active or dry, was marked by a large area of gypsum deposited as the water flowed downhill. In some cases, the spring was marked by a mound of gypsum deposited over time. About 1.4 miles along, we started to gain elevation up towards and ultimately to the top of this mid-canyon ridge. Nearing the top we found ourselves crossing a large dome of gypsum with a spring near the peak. A bit further on we discovered a large pit in the northern reach of the mound. Some 20′ across and 15′-20′ deep with a pool of water in the bottom; a strange discovery.

From there we continued another 200 yards to the peak of this ridge. From this higher elevation we had great views further up the Canyon, to the north of Red Mesa and the Nacimiento Mountains, and to the west Dragon’s Back and beyond Cabezon on the horizon. We then headed back towards the truck, downhill on the east side of this ridge where we found -the- 2-track that we had left early on, which made an easy hike back to the truck.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.83 miles
Elevation: start 5,567 ft, maximum 5,923 ft, minimum ft 5,636
Gross gain: 287 ft. Aggregate ascending 580 ft, descending 581 ft
Maximum slope: 29% ascending, 23% descending, 4.9% average
Duration: 3:30

Dragon's Back Canyon Hike.Pat.2022-01-21 (KML)	111 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Dragon's Back Canyon Hike.Pat.2022-01-21 (GPX)	52 Downloads
Dragon's Back Canyon Expedition.Pat.2022-01-21 (KML)	77 Downloads
Dragon's Back Canyon Expedition.Pat.2022-01-21 (GPX)	305 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.

White Mesa Bike Trails Hike – 03/09/2017
Dragon Back,White Mesa Bike Trail – 02/16/2016
A list: Hikes in the Ojito
Google Earth tracks: Compilation of Ojito Hikes (.kml, prior to 2020)

References and Resources

BLM: White Mesa Bike Trail brochure (.pdf)
Santa Fe New Mexican: White Ridge Bike Trails … (a great article)
AllTrails: White Mesa and Dragons’ Back Trail Look
MTB Project: White Ridge Trail System – Main Loop
Travels with the Blonde Coyote: Best Hikes on Earth: The Dragon’s Back
ABQ Runner: Dragon’s Back Classic Route

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

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

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

Dinosaur Dig Trail Hike – 11/11/2020

November 21, 2020

For this week’s hike, Pat & I chose to return to the Ojito Wilderness. It is close to home (we enjoyed a very relaxed morning before heading out for the hike) and always offers a nice hike with beautiful views all around. It is also a go-to-place for hiking in seasons other than summer – it is a hot place in the summer. For this outing, we set our sights on visiting the Dinosaur Dig and circling around to Hoodoo Pines.

The Drive In

For those who haven’t ventured into the Ojito – head north out of Albuquerque to Bernalillo, then west on US 550 at Bernalillo for 20 miles. As you approach White Mesa (on top of which there is ongoing mining of gypsum for the sheetrock plant in Bernalillo), and before making the curve over the Rio Salado into San Ysidro, turn left on Cabazon Road. This road is well cared for (access to a pipeline pumping station) and well used (many people coming to hike and to practice shooting in the area before getting to the Ojito Wilderness where shooting is not allowed).

About 4 miles on we passed by the White Mesa Bike Trails, a popular area for some wicked mountain biking. It is also an interesting place for some hiking, short to the ridge above a picturesque canyon, or along along Dragon’s Back or down into the canyon. (See “Previous Posts” below). Continuing on Cabezon for another 6 miles we parked at the trailhead for the Seismosaurus Trail (which goes to “Dino Dig” where a Seismosaurus was excavated back in 1985; “Sam” is on display at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque).

The Hike

A beautiful New Mexico day – temperature in the 60s, intense blue sky with a few clouds for effect, not even any wind. We were using the ASCHG track as a guide, but we easily followed the trail to Dinosaur Ridge. Along the way, the views out across the Ojito Wilderness are amazing: one is surrounded by mesas and intervening canyons, one can see Cabezon to the west, Red Mesa to the east, and feel the freedom that comes with such open space.

Keying off of the placemark on the ASCHG track, we took the short diversion to the ruins located 9/10ths from the trailhead. Like other ruins that we’ve visited here in the Ojito, this is the remains of a small structure, maybe 15 feet across, built with the rock that abounds in the area. Continuing another 2/10ths of a mile we came across an elongated, cylindrical rocks: tree trunks but without telltale growth rings (somewhere I read that they may have been tropical, such as palm trees, which don’t have rings).

The main feature of this hike is at the end of Dinosaur Ridge. This is where Seismosaurus was excavated – only a 30×50 foot area of loose sand marks the location. In addition ’tis here where there is a collection of petroglyphs on rock surfaces overlooking Arroyo la Jara. We paused here to have our mid-hike break/lunch.

From here we retraced our route for some distance, enough to find a descent into Arroyo la Jara to continue our hike towards Hoodoo Pines. Initially it looked daunting, but as the slope became less, we found a path down that involved only a bit of scramble. Down in the Arroyo we found fascinating rocks and other features that are so plentiful here in the Ojito. To continue west it was necessary to cross the deep ditch that nearly always lies at the bottom of these arroyos. We found a way into the ditch, then walked in the bottom for 300 yards or so until we found a break to climb out.

There was no trail per se for the route we set out on towards Hoodoo Pines – this was ‘cross country’. We encountered various conditions – areas of rock, of hard surface, even tufts of grass. There was little elevation change, a 150′ climb up and down a ridge, and gradual ascent towards Bernalallito Mesa and Hoodoo Pines. About 3 miles into the hike, and with the afternoon wearing on, we decided to cut short of our goal of Hoodoo Pines. We cut across to join up with the Hoodoo Pines trail that would take us to Cabezon Road, then return to the parking lot. It proved to be a good choice, as the sun was nearing sunset by the time we got to the truck.

Highlight

Visits to the Ojito, and to Dinosaur Ridge, are always most enjoyable. Seismosaurus Trail is well used, an easy 1.25 miles with great reward at the end: the sand pit from which Seismosaurus was excavated, the petroglyphs, the strange rocks that look like petrified tree trunks, and the views. This is an ideal trail for the occasional hiker and especially for families.

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.56 miles
Elevation: start 5,876 ft, maximum 5,907 ft, minimum 5,726 ft
Gross gain: 181 ft. Aggregate ascending 552 ft, descending 551 ft
Maximum slope: 28% ascending, 32% descending, 3.7% average
Duration: 4:29

GPS Tracks

Dinosaur Dig Hike.Pat.2020-11-11 (KML)	86 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Dinosaur Dig Hike.Pat.2020-11-11 (GPX)	103 Downloads
Dinosaur Dig Drivein.Pat.2020-11-11 (KML)	124 Downloads
Dinosaur Dig Drivein.Pat.2020-11-11 (GPX)	270 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.

Los Posos Hike – 02/25/2018
Hoodoo Pines Hike – 12/17/2017
Dinosaur Dig Hike – 01/29/2017
Hoodoo Pines Hike – 01/08/2017
All Ojito Hikes

References and Resources

BLM: Ojito Wilderness (PDF)
ASCHG: Dino Dig And Hoodoo Pines Hike
AllTrails: Seismosaurus Trail
Albuquerque Journal: Ojito a Badlands Art Gallery
Explore Azetc: Ojito Wilderness
The Armchair Explorer – New Mexico: Ojito Wilderness
Dog of the Desert: “Dinosaur Dig” Mesas in the Ojito Wilderness
American Southwest: Ojito Wilderness Area

Seismosaurus References
Columbia.edu: Seismosaurus Chapter (great story of “Dino Dig”)
Allosaurus Roar: New Mexico Museum of Natural History, Albuquerque, NM
Orlando Sentinel: Paleontologists Unearth New Dinosaur

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

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

Querencia Arroyo Driveabout & Walkabout – 04/01/2019

April 8, 2019

We went looking for new territory in the Ojito Wilderness. I’d planned to park on US 550 across from the north end of Dragon’s Back and explore the valley below the Back and the mesas and such to the east. (Thanks to a Land Ownership overlay for Google Earth, I knew that we would be on state-owned or BLM land.) However, as we drove away from San Ysidro, I looked over at the Rio Salado and, behold, there was water running in it. That meant that we’d have to ford the Rio to get to the area of interest, so … we went to Plan B.

The Driveabout

Querencia-Arroyo-Driveabout.Jay_.2019-03-31

I’d often noticed a gate on the left further along on US 550; we found it to be only chained shut (not locked) and a sign “Ojito Wilderness” beckoned us to enter. Driving past some well-built corrals, we found ourselves on a reasonable well used two-track. Upon reaching the Rio Salado we found water running, only a few feet in width against the near shore. The bottom appeared to be hard as did the sand beyond, so putting the Tacoma in 4-wheel drive we drove through – easily.

From there we proceeded into an exploration of the northern extents of the Ojito Wilderness. The two-track was generally good, until that is we encountered a more challenging stretch – steep and somewhat washed out (I think one would need a high clearance vehicle for this stretch). Just past this stretch was a gate. Our first thought was to hike from here, but after a quarter of a mile on foot, the wind and cold caused us to reconsider – back to the gate (again only chained) and make this a DriveAbout.

Jay, rock surfing again. He’s getting good at it.

Continuing on what would be a ‘nice’ two-track, we headed southeast in the Querencia Arroyo with Cucho Mesa on our right and unnamed mesas ahead. Encountering a ‘Y’ in the two-track, we headed more westerly into a large basin; we continued until the two-track ended at the base of the mesa. Still curious about the area, particularly if we might get near territory familiar from other hikes, we returned to the ‘Y’ and went up the other leg (labeled on the topo map as a “jeep trail”). We proceeded until encountering a ravine crossing that was more than we wanted to challenge.

The Walkabout

Querencia Arroyo Walkabout.Jay.2019-03-31

We chose to do a WalkAbout (just wandering, not a great distance), exploring galleries protruding into the ‘unnamed’ mesa. (We were also curious about the condition of the two-track beyond our stopping point; as far as we explored, it was in good condition. On further inspection via GoogleEarth, it appears to be very challenging further along as the canyon becomes more narrow before topping out still some distance from Pipeline Road. It would seem to make a great route for something more nimble than the Tacoma, like an ATV or such.) After the WalkAbout, we enjoyed our traditional mid-hike snack, then headed back to US 550.

Jay here: When the wind was at our backs it did not seem that cold. Then we turned back into the wind and realized that the combination of wind and temperature was making it a bone chiller. Happy to get back in the Tacoma out of the wind. All of this area is worth exploring again under better weather conditions, but before the blistering summer heat. Sometime in May might be about the right time…unless the aforementioned Rio crossing is still running strong with snowpack runoff.

Compilation of our Hikes in the Ojito Wilderness (link to KML file below)

Through all this, we were curious about our position in this excursion relative to the many other hikes we’ve made in the Ojito Wilderness. Using that wonderful tool, GoogleEarth, I plotted those hikes. As you can see (click on the screenshot above for a bigger view), we were still some distance from any previous hike. But .. I see that this entrance into the Ojito (red line near top of screenshot) offers potential for more hiking, to explore this amazing geology. And … what else might we find (like the petrified wood pile we found on a hike back in 2017).

Statistics

Total Distance: 1.15 miles
Elevation: start 5,660 ft, maximum 5,717 ft, minimum 5,660 ft
Gross gain: 57 ft. Aggregate ascending 216 ft, descending 205 ft
Maximum slope: 43% ascending, 49% descending, 5.8% average
Duration: 0:54

Querencia Arroyo Driveabout.Jay.2019-03-31 (KML)	110 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Querencia Arroyo Driveabout.Jay.2019-03-31 (GPX)	63 Downloads
Querencia Arroyo Walkabout.Jay.2019-03-31 (KML)	107 Downloads
Querencia Arroyo Walkabout.Jay.2019-03-31 (GPX)	129 Downloads
Compilation of Ojito Hikes - 04/04/2019 (KML)	608 Downloads
Compilation of Ojito Hikes - 04/04/2019 (GPX)	148 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

Hiking in New Mexico: Our hikes in the Ojito Wilderness
Descriptions, tracks, references, and photos

Jay's Photos w/ Captions: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

Los Posos Hike – 11/04/2018

November 10, 2018

‘Tis winter and time to return to “open spaces” (’tis too hot for hiking in the summer). So we headed for the Ojito Wilderness and chose a hike around what we’ve called Dinosaur Ridge (because a large dinosaur was found on the northwest point of this mesa; see our other hikes Dinosaur Dig and Los Posos, and article about Alamosaurus found on Dinosaur Ridge).

The Hike

As described in the other posts in the Ojito, this is an amazing place to hike – variety of geology, superb views within the Ojito and beyond, to the Nacimiento Mountains to the northeast and even a glimpse of Cabezon to the northwest. There doesn’t seem to be a -trail- so our track followed “reasonable” terrain; only one place did we find it necessary to search for a “safe”, a route not too steep or rocky.

For an abbreviated narrative for this hike, I’ve added captions to the photos below. For other narratives, please go to the posts from our other hikes: Dinosaur Dig and Los Posos.

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.06 miles
Elevation: start 5,881 ft, maximum 5,881 ft, minimum 5,672 ft
Gross gain: 209 ft. Aggregate ascending 497 ft, descending 497 ft
Maximum slope: 21% ascending, 27% descending, 3.8% average
Duration:4:13

Los Posos Hike.Pat.2018-11-04 (KML)	155 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Los Posos Hike.Pat.2018-11-04 (GPX)	60 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

Montana State University: New study reveals North America’s biggest dinosaur
Backpacker: Albuquerque, NM: Ojito Wilderness
The Armchair Explorer: Ojito Wilderness
Only In Your State: The Ojito Wilderness, New Mexico
The Southwest Backpacker: Backpacking th Ojito Wilderness – Hoo-Doo Pines :: A Tribute to my Subscribers (YouTube video)
See the other posts for additional references.

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

La Jara Arroyo Hike – 04/29/2018

May 10, 2018

On this hike we explored the south side of Bernalillito Mesa in the Ojito Wilderness, an area that we hadn’t visited before. I’ve labeled this a Wander rather than Hike – there aren’t any defined trails; the topography lends itself to just exploring. Like other parts of Ojito, the views are interesting, the geology varies greatly, and this time of year the early flowers are abloom.

The Hike

The first 1.25 miles of our wander allowed us to remain close to the bottom of the edge of Bernalillito Mesa. But then we faced a deep washed-out arroyo that we chose not to attempt crossing. So from there we wandered around the bottom of the “sub-mesa”, then back towards the mesa and a bit further for our mid-hike break. Along the way the geology changed continuously (rocks, outcrops, types of material); always great scenery near and far.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.87 miles
Elevation: start 5,847 ft, maximum 6,024 ft, minimum 5,825 ft
Gross gain: 199 ft. Aggregate ascending 507 ft, descending 508 ft
Maximum slope: 16% ascending, 21% descending, 4% average
Duration: 4:00

La Jara Arroyo Wander.Jay.2018-04-29 (KML)	126 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
La Jara Arroyo Wander.Jay.2018-04-29 (GPX)	173 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

Hiking in New Mexico: Our hikes in the Ojito Wilderness Howdy, George Young
Descriptions, tracks, references, and photos

Jay's Photos: Click Here for slide show.

George's Photos: Click Here for slide show.

Windmill-Hoodoo Pines Hike – 03/18/2018

April 3, 2018

It was still winter, the best time to hike in the open territory of the Ojito Wilderness; the weather becomes quite hot in summertime.

The Hike

For this day we set out from the end of the two-track in Marquez Wash that we usually use for the Mesita de Ricardo hikes, this time going to the east (rather than north) which takes one below the north face of Bernalillito Mesa. After inspecting the building and windmill at the parking place, we headed around the somewhat tall hill, then along the lower slope of the Mesa. The going was reasonably easy, easier when we found rock cairns marking a trail that we followed the remainder of the hike.

Always looking over us was the face of Bernalillito Mesa, with varying, interesting formations along the edge. We remembered that we had hiked out to the point of the Mesa (Bernalillito Mesa Top Hike – 12/11/2016) , and the deep crevices at the edge that defined large blocks that seemed to be ready to break off like calving icebergs (someday). Along the trail we found many quite interesting rock formations (check the photos below).

About 1.2 miles into the hike we rounded the point and headed south. Soon we began to see things that looked familiar. Sure enough, we realized that we had come to Hoodoo Pines, a destination for other hikes (Hoodoo Pines Hike – 01/03/2017 and Hoodoo Pines Hike – 12/17/2017). We also noticed that weather that had been bringing snow to the Naciemento Mountains to the northwest was spreading in our direction. It was time for our mid-hike break (fresh coffee and snacks). As the clouds to the west became darker, we beat a retreat to the truck. If any precipitation that fell on the 1 mile of two-track back to Pipeline Road, we would surely get stuck. It was a close call; we had snow flurries on our drive out.

Jay here: Perfect example of New Mexico weather changing rapidly and biting us in the butt. We just barely made it back to the truck when the snow squall hit. You can’t photograph snowfall (it melts in the lens, ha), but it was coming down hard as we left the trailhead. Within minutes we were out of this very localized squall and racing for the paved highway.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.20 miles
Elevation: start 5,822 ft, maximum 5,958 ft, minimum 5,822 ft
Gross gain: 136 ft. Aggregate ascending 538 ft, descending 538 ft
Maximum slope: 22% ascending, 23% descending, 5.2% average
Duration: 2:17

Windmill-Hoodoo Hike.Jay.2018-03-18 (KML)	172 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Windmill-Hoodoo Hike.Jay.2018-03-18 (GPX)	59 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

Hiking in New Mexico: Our hikes in the Ojito Wilderness
Descriptions, tracks, references, and photos

Jay's Photos: Click Here for slide show.

George's Photos: Click Here for slide show.

Mesa de Ricardo North Hike – 03/04/2018

March 7, 2018

Seeking new route in the Ojito Wilderness, I sketched a track on Google Earth around the north side of Mesa de Ricardo. (Note: I’ve been unable to find a map that identifies this mesa by name. But the very small mesa at the southeast corner is known as Mesita de Ricardo. So … I’m dubbing this large one Mesa de Ricardo. (I don’t know who Ricardo was.)

The Drive In

The drive in on Cabezon Road, then Pipeline Road, is easy – it has been graded since last winter leaving it without ruts or dried-up mudholes. The turnoff onto the two-track is easy to identify and it is reasonably good- for a two-track (if careful, one could traverse it with less than a high-clearance vehicle). Parking is at the locked gate .4 mile off of Pipeline Road.

The Hike

Mesa de Ricardo North Hike.Jay.2018-03-05

We opted to go clockwise, planning to proceed northeast in Arroyo Cucho, along the north face of Mesa de Ricardo. Then around the northeast end and back on top to return to the truck. The first 1/3 mile is on a two-track and the open space of the base of the Mesa. Cabezon Peak is in view to the northwest, and the Nascimiento Mountains plus other mesas in the vicinity are in view to the northeast (as in the featured image above). Then into the Arroyo, past a fairly large dam (there are other smaller dams further down the Arroyo); the Arroyo is wide and mostly flat. Staying close to the side of the mesa on our right, we found little in the way of interesting rocks or other geology; the going was easy ‘tho we had to cross a few very small arroyos.

Rounding the northeast end of the Mesa, we found more interesting features: rock formations, rocks with strange surfaces, the edge of the mesa that in some places appeared to be ready to calve (like a glacier), and occasionally a small rock different than anything around it – where did that piece come from and how did it get here?

Since we decided to not make a complete circumnavigation, I had identified 3 possible routes to get back atop the Mesa and more directly back to the truck. Two of them went up more or less the face of the Mesa, the third up a small canyon (as it appeared on Google Earth and the Topo maps). The weather was chilly, amplified by wind, so we chose the canyon. The going was easy until near the top where we had 20′ or 30′ feet of rockfall to climb up. After a pause for our mid-hike break, Jay led the way up and onto the Mesa.

The return route to the truck was over generally flat land, among a few small juniper trees, and notably over many large clumps of prickly pear cactus. I’m always on the lookout for signs of past occupation (ruins), and ‘tho this mesa would seem to be as accommodating as others where we’ve found ruins, none came to our attention here. On the way out, we encountered a few cows, one with a nearly-newborn calf; we had to pause for Jay to take a photo of the pair.

Jay here: I was under the weather with a cold for this hike, hence its brevity. We usually can do a lot better than 3.2 miles, but under the circumstances it was the best I could do. And anything under 400 ft of ascent is always okay by me.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.22 miles
Elevation: start 6,034 ft, maximum 6,169 ft, minimum 5,975 ft
Gross gain: 194 ft. Aggregate ascending 393 ft, descending 392 ft
Maximum slope: 39% ascending, 15% descending, 4.4% average
Duration: 2:45

Mesa de Ricardo North Hike.Jay.2018-03-05 (KML)	107 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Mesa de Ricardo North Hike.Jay.2018-03-05 (GPX)	78 Downloads
Mesa de Ricardo North DrivInOut.Jay.2018-03-04 (KML)	113 Downloads
Mesa de Ricardo North DrivInOut.Jay.2018-03-04 (GPX)	201 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:

ASCHG:
   Mesita De Ricardo – Northwest Passage Hike
   Beyond Meseta De Ricardo Hike
The American Southwest:
   San Juan Basin Badlands
     Map of the San Juan Basin Badlands

Jay's Photos: Click Here for slide show.

George's Photos: Click Here for slide show.

Los Posos Hike – 02/25/2018

February 27, 2018

On this hike we set out to simply explore sections of the Ojito Wilderness that we had not yet visited. Since the weather was to be cold and windy, I set out to plan a hike that stayed in canyons and arroyos, steering clear of open territory like mesa tops. Using GoogleEarth and the Earth Point Topo Map overlay, I sketched a track that circumscribed a mesa (one that we had hiked before, Dinosaur Dig).

The Hike

As expected, we began the hike with wind and 38 degrees. We soon were in the lee of the mesa which protected us somewhat from the wind. We then faced the first of two rocky descents in narrow clefts in the terrain – not great distances but required extra care on the rocks, some of which were covered with a dusting of snow.

About .8 mile into the hike we found ourselves looking down into deep washed-out arroyos with vertical walls 10′, maybe 15′ in height. Skirting the first one, we found ourselves in the between such arroyos. It seemed our only way to the north side of the mesa was to get down into the arroyo (and hope we could get back out of it downstream). Looking into the depths, I noticed .. cow paths. Figuring they know their way around, we took up tracking these paths. Sure enough, we found a way down into and back out of the arroyo.

Having come abreast the north side of the mesa, we headed west across open space. This also happened to follow Arroyo La Jara which has a fairly large watershed, and in which there was a stretch of standing water and ponds. Before turning south to complete the circumnavigation, we stopped for the mid-hike break in the lee of a rock outcropping with a few juniper trees. Try as we might, we did not find a spot that was totally out of the wind – oh well, time for coffee, snacks, and a bit of whiskey to really warm us.

The remainder of the hike was easy, just a small ascent near the end. There was a section that seemed familiar – only when I reviewed past hikes did I realize that we passed a section of the mesa where we had ascended to the top, and that we passed below the site of the Dinosaur Dig.

This was another hike for which we did not have references from other hikers. It brought home the realization that one can easily go most anywhere in the Ojito for a great hike. The geology is vastly varied; interesting soils and rocks, picturesque multi-colored mesa walls, the results of Mother Nature’s sculpting of the land, and more. Try as we might, the photos simply cannot bring to the reader of these reports the fascinating features of the Ojito Wilderness.

(A note: One can become disoriented in this land that could be described as trackless. We have a plan for these outings, we bring a GPS cellphone/tablet with our intended track, and we use the GPS to follow our progress and at times for directions along the track and, of course, guidance back to the truck.)

Jay here: Speaking of cows, we kept running into them. Well, not into them as much as around them. The most amusing meeting was when we came across 7 cows and a calf and there was a standoff on opposite sides of a deep arroyo until we made it clear we were going another way. We do admire and appreciate all the trails they leave for us to follow.

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.25 miles
Elevation: start 5,883 ft, maximum 5,883 ft, minimum 5,660 ft
Gross gain: 223 ft. Aggregate ascending 521 ft, descending 523 ft
Maximum slope: 20% ascending, 26% descending, 3.3% average
Duration: 3:32

Los Posos Hike.Jay.2018-02-25 (KML)	100 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Los Posos DriveInOut.Jay.2018-02-25 (GPX)	80 Downloads
Los Posos DriveInOut.Jay.2018-02-25 (KML)	184 Downloads
Los Posos DriveInOut.Jay.2018-02-25 (GPX)	123 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: Ojito Wilderness Area
BLM: Ojito Wilderness (.pdf Brochure)
WikipediA: Ojoto Wilderness
Wilderness Connect: Ojito Wilderness
The Blonde Coyote: Into the Ojito Wilderness
The American Southwest: Ojito Wilderness Area
The Armchair Explorer: Ojito Wilderness

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

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

Cañada de las Milpas Hike – 02/21/2018

February 22, 2018

Exploring with Pat – headed for White Mesa Bike Trails and the two-track going north in the Cañada de las Milpas on the west side of Dragon Back. We planned to hike west across the Cañada and up onto the mesa, looking for ruins that are marked on the Topo maps.

The Hike

Cañada de las Milpas Hikes.Pat.2018-02-21

Arriving abreast of where we believed the ruins to be, we disembarked and headed across the Cañada only to encounter a deep and wide arroyo with vertical walls at least 10′ high. Clearly we weren’t going to cross the arroyo here – back to the truck. We continued north on the two-track, stopping a couple of times to check the arroyo. About .4 miles from our first try, the arroyo was easily crossed, so we headed west toward the mesa. Using the Topo, Pat chose a route that avoided the steep sides of the mesa – ’twas an easy slope to climb.

As we climbed, the views were amazing. To the north, the Rio Salado and Nacimiento Mountains, to the northeast the Jemez Mountains, to the east Dragon’s Back and the White Mesa Bike Trails, to the south the wider Cañada de las Milpas. At some point, to the west Cabezon came into view, and as we neared the top we began to see across the Rio Puerco. Midway up, we came upon a two-track that made the final climb easier.

We continued on the two-track until reaching a point where, turning right, we should find the ruins. About .2 mile, following the GPS to the location on the Topo, we came upon the tell-tale pile of rocks, the remnants of ruins. (I’ve not been able to find records to further identify this ruins site.) After taking photos, we set up the “kitchen” in the lee of a juniper and had coffee, etc.

The return to the truck was an easy 1.66 miles; we stayed on the two-track as it descended from the mesa top before striking ‘cross country’. The weather had been threatening precipitation with dark clouds forming or arriving out of the southwest, so for a few minutes we were a bit anxious about the prospects of a slippery, muddy road out. The precipitation remained west of the Ojito, at least until we were safely back on US 550.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.36 miles
Elevation: start 5,618 ft, maximum 5,904 ft, minimum 5,618 ft
Gross gain: 286 ft. Aggregate ascending 456 ft, descending 457 ft
Maximum slope: 24% ascending, 21% descending, 4,9% average
Duration: 3:07

Canada de las Milpas Hikes.Pat.2018-02-21 (KML)	223 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Canada de las Milpas Hikes.Pat.2018-02-21 (GPX)	51 Downloads
Canada de Las Milpas DriveInOut.Pat.2018-02-21 (KML)	351 Downloads
Canada de Las Milpas DriveInOut.Pat.2018-02-21 (GPX)	147 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.

The Drive In

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).

Highlight

Statistics

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References and Resources

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The Drive In

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).

Statistics

Related Posts

References and Resources

Share this:

The Drive In

The Hike

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The Driveabout

The Walkabout

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The Hike

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The Hike

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The Hike

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The Hike

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The Hike

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The Hike

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