One of our early hikes, checking out trails out of Tijeras, on the south end of the Sandia Mountains. One of our early hikes, checking out trails out of Placitas, on the north end of the Sandia Mountains.
The Hike
Tres Pistolas.Jay.2014-05-11
Statistics
Total Distance: 4.96 miles Elevation: start 6,389 ft, maximum 7,924 ft, minimum 6,322 ft Gross gain: 1,602 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,616 ft, descending 1,683ft Maximum slope: 29% ascending, 27% descending, 12.0% average Duration: 3:23
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.
This trail is not well documented, although it is used extensively as the latter part of loop hikes, such as up Embudo Canyon or other hikes that go to the top of the Sandias.
The Hike
Whitewash Hike.Jay.2014-01-26
For us, it was basically and out-and-back hike, -up- Whitewash, then back down a slightly less strenuous down a shallow ravine. The -up- part of this hike was for us quite taxing – a quite steep slope on rough, rocky ground. Looking back on it – check that one off of our list.
Statistics
Total Distance: 3.23 miles Elevation: start 5,987 ft, maximum 7,223 ft, minimum 5,987 ft Gross gain: 1,236 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,405 ft, descending 1,403 ft Maximum slope: 39% ascending, 45% descending, 15.6% average Duration: 3:04
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.
Posting this in 2019, catching up with whatever information I have. One of our early hikes, checking out trails in Tijeras Canyon, on the south end of the Sandia Mountains.
The Hike
South Crest Hike.Marlin.2014-08-12
This was a great hike with Marlin, as you can see long and with large elevation gain. But I remember it well. The initial part of the trail I’ve done many times, but only up to the junction with Upper Faulty trail. For this hike we continued on the South Crest Trail until we reached the ridge and enjoyed a fabulous view across Albuquerque. Part of the motivation for this hike was to determine if the Hawk Watch trail reached the top/ridge. On investigation, we found evidence that in fact Hawk Watch does top out here. One day, I’ll tackle Hawk Watch.
Statistics
Total Distance: 9.07 miles Elevation: start 6,552 ft, maximum 8,548 ft, minimum 6,550 ft Gross gain: 1,998 ft. Aggregate ascending 2,482 ft, descending 2,482 ft Maximum slope: 27% ascending, 26% descending, 9.0% average Duration: 6:07
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.
Posting this in 2019, catching up with whatever information I have. One of our early hikes, checking out trails out of Placitas, on the north end of the Sandia Mountains.
The Hike
Agua Sarca Hike.Jay.2014-06-15
Statistics
Total Distance: 4.66 miles Elevation: start 6,387 ft, maximum 8,276 ft, minimum 6,370 ft Gross gain: 1,906 ft. Aggregate ascending 2,282 ft, descending 2,277 ft Maximum slope: 52% ascending, 46% descending, 16% average Duration: 4:37
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.
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
Lava Falls Hike.Vince.2014-02-14
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
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)
This really was our first foray on our own into the Jemez Mountains (though we did hike Cebolla Canyon earlier in 2014, but Jay had hiked there some years before).
The Drive In
Having done virtually no advance planning, we drove up FR 10 as far as we were comfortable, then parked alongside the road and hiked onward.
The Hike
Paliza Canyon Hike.Jay.2014-08-24
Following our ?instincts?, we remained on FR 10 for a ways, then turned onto a two-track up a valley. Nearing the end of this small valley, we climbed onto the ridge, then began looking for a reasonable route down into the adjoining canyon. The slope didn’t change much, so we descended on a fairly steep route and found ourselves back on a road, later to learn it was FR 10 which we followed to return to the car.
Statistics
Total Distance: 3.92 miles Elevation: start 7,596 ft, maximum 8,099 ft, minimum 7,597 ft Gross gain: 502 ft. Aggregate ascending 773 ft, descending 767 ft Maximum slope: 27% ascending, 40% descending, 6.4% average Duration: 2:52
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.
I’m publishing this in 2018, so I don’t have fresh memory of the hike itself. But here is the usual technical data, some references, and photo galleries.
The Hike
La Luz Hike & Trail.Jay.2014-08-31
Statistics
Total Distance: 5.35 miles Elevation: start 7,010 ft, maximum 8,219 ft, minimum 7,010 ft Gross gain: 1,209 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,779 ft, descending 1,781 ft Maximum slope: 27% ascending, 27% descending, 10.0% average Duration: 3:29
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.
This was maybe my first visit to the Rio Puerco valley and its amazing views – the numerous volcanic necks, Cabezon being the most prominent and well known; the vista views across the valley to Mesa Chivato and Mount Taylor to the west; and … the wide open space (this video gives a truly great tour).
The Drive In
The road into the Rio Puerco valley, NM 279, is paved for a few miles off of US 550, then changes to a well maintained and traveled gravel/dirt road. Because it can seem to be trackless out in the Rio Puerco, I offer this detailed description of the route (and a link below to a GoogleEarth track):
Travel west on US 550, 53 miles from I-25; turn left onto NM 279.
Some 4 miles south on NM 279, you will cross the Rio Puerco itself, then through a small settlement and further along, the settlement of San Louis.
Pavement ends at the 8.5 mile point; continue straight ahead,
but bear left 12.3 miles from US 550.
At 13.5 miles the road again crosses the Rio Puerco.
In the past the road descended down a steep embankment into the bottom of the deep river bed. This was sometimes impassable due to muddy conditions or the road was simply washed out.
I believe since then a very large culvert has been put in place improving the reliability of getting across the Rio Puerco at this point.
Vince turned to the left 16.5 miles from US 550 which took us to the east side of Cerro de Guadalupe. Continuing straight from this point would make easy access from the west side of the Cerro.
We continued down this gravel road for 1.5 miles (18 miles from US 550), then turned west on a two track, parking on the top of a ridge from where we began our walkabout.
The “Hike”
Cerro de Guadalupe Hike.Vince.2014-02-03
Vince’s objective was to look for small, clear geologic specimens (I don’t remember the name for them) that are “mined” by ants. So after leaving the car we headed towards the Cerro on the lookout for ant hills. After inspecting a couple of them, about midway up the apron of the neck we found one where, among the “tailings” of the ant hill, we found many of these specimens.
We then continued on up to apron of the neck, which is quite steep, until reaching the neck itself. Up close it is huge and sheer vertical – we were not going any further. We enjoyed a brief mid-hike break with still more wonderful views of Cabezon to the north, and Cerro Cochino and Mesa Prieta to the east. We then wandered to the southwest across the slope, then back down and to the car.
Statistics
Total Distance: 1.02 miles Elevation: start 6,215 ft, maximum 6,543 ft, minimum 6,175 ft Gross gain: 368 ft. Aggregate ascending 531 ft, descending 531 ft Maximum slope: 70% ascending, 70% descending, 15% average Duration: 2:42
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.
This is a “catchup” post created in 2018, for a hike/expedition back in 2014, prior to starting the BLOG.
The Drive In
Good directions to San Lorenzo Canyon are offered AllTrails page for the canyon. Turn west on a dirt road about 4.5 miles north of Lemitar. Then about 1.9 miles, turn right (north), which takes one down into the ‘wash’, the sandy bottom of San Lorenzo Arroyo. Follow the wash until you encounter a rock wall blocking further driving.
The Hike
San Lorenzo Canyon Hike.Vince.2014-11-14
For this outing Vince and I wandered about in the vicinity of the rock wall. It involved a bit of climbing up steep rock outcroppings, but the area was easy to explore. ‘Tis interesting geology, and the views – of the canyon and rocks and the vistas of the surrounding area, made the visit quite enjoyable.
Statistics
Total Distance: 1.50 miles Elevation: start 5,253 ft, maximum 5,541 ft, minimum 5,253 ft Gross gain: 288 ft. Aggregate ascending 619 ft, descending 615 ft Maximum slope: 37% ascending, 42% descending, 12.2% average Duration: 4:00
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.
A Retro-post, a hike from 2014, a trail that Jay had hiked a couple of times before. One of our early hikes, checking out trails on the east side of the Sandia Mountains.
The Hike
Tree Springs Hike.Jay.2014-05-04 (Ignore the snow on the GoogleEarth image.)
Statistics
Total Distance: 3.95 miles Elevation: start 8,480 ft, maximum 9,502 ft, minimum 8,480 ft Gross gain: 1,022 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,138 ft, descending 1,224 ft Maximum slope: 28% ascending, 28% descending, 10% average Duration: 3:04
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.
