Category Archives: 2016

Tsankawi Ruins Hike – 10/12/2016

Taking a break from busy times, Pat & I headed to Taos for a couple of nights.  To get in some hiking, we took a short side-trip towards Bandelier National Monument to visit an outlying site, the Tsankawi section of the monument.  On this two mile hike up and around the top of a mesa, we wandered among the ruins of the home of the Ancestral Tewa Pueblo people (the NPS web page provides great detail about the ruins and its people, and about the surrounding environment).

The Hike

Tsankawi Ruins Hike - Pat
Tsankawi Ruins Hike – Pat

We hiked the loop in a clockwise direction, climbing to the mesa top via a ladder, then going south to the ruins site. Exploring the ruins, we found pottery shards scattered throughout, and encountered a couple of room-blocks with walls still standing.  From the mesa top the trail descends to a ledge some 60 feet above the valley floor via another ladder and a couple of stretches on steps carved into the rock. From there the trail remains on the ledge, passing through fascinating geology from the ancient volcanic activity, a few caves in the soft, fragile rock, and with numerous walls covered with petroglyphs.  Much of the trail up to and down from the mesa is a narrow, sometimes deep groove worn into the soft rock by centuries of foot traffic.

Highlight

I enjoy very much visiting these sites with remains of the Pueblo cultures from as far back as 900 AD.  Tsankawi is very easy to get to, and offers an easy hike, not much elevation gain on well-traveled trails.

Statistics

Total Distance:  1.83 miles
Elevation: start  6,499 ft, maximum  6,690 ft,  minimum 6,492 ft
Gross gain: 198 ft.  Aggregate ascending 513 ft, descending 513 ft
Maximum slope: 55% ascending, 51% descending, 8.2% average
Duration: 2:05

GPS Track Files for Download
182 Downloads
166 Downloads

References

National Park Service “Tsankawi
National Park Service “Tsankawi Trail Intro
Summit Post “Tsankawi, New Mexico

 

Dome Wilderness, Sanchez Waterfall Hike – 9/25/2016

Earlier this summer, I came across descriptions of hiking in the Dome Wilderness, a small designated wilderness area abutting the western boundary of Bandelier National Monument; it looked intriguing. With the cooler temperatures of autumn, and a willingness to go further into the wilderness on barely improved Forest Roads, we headed for the trail (see references below).  

The Drive In

The drive was itself interesting: past the Cochiti Pueblo and Cochiti Dam and Lake, and the Town of Cochiti, onto Forest Road 89, then 289 (a high clearance vehicle, preferably with 4-wheel drive is recommended but not necessary).  The trailhead was easy to find, with a nice parking area for a half dozen cars.

The Hike

Dome Wilderness-Sanchez Falls Hike.Jay.2016.09.25
Google Earth screenshot of hike on Trail 118 across Eagle Canyon to Sanchez Canyon and the Sanchez Waterfall. We could not see a way to get down into Sanchez Canyon below the waterfall, so we had coffee on the canyon above it.

About 100 yards from the trailhead, we are looking down into a steep sided, narrow, fairly deep canyon – this made us wonder if this is going to be a difficult transit.  It wasn’t – the trail has switchbacks so it is never steep; the surface is rocky, but not loose rocks, which makes for good footing and easy walking.  As you can see from the screenshot, there are no (live) trees.  Two fires have burned through the Dome Wilderness, the Dome Fire in 1996 and the Las Conchas fire in 2011.  As you can see in the photos, there are many blackened trunks, standing and fallen, and only a few scrub oaks growing. But … there were lots of colors in the many different flowering plants scattered throughout the area.

Up out of Eagle Canyon across the adjoining mesa, then along the west slope of Sanchez Canyon.  The trail here is carved out on the very steep side of the canyon; the trail isn’t narrow, but the steep falloff into the canyon can be unnerving. The presence of a waterfall was first signaled by the noise of falling water.  The trail crosses the canyon above the waterfall, and there was no way safe for us to see the waterfall from there.  It was only on the way out that we sighted the stream of water down deep in the canyon.

We walked some 100 yards up the canyon and found some shade afforded by fallen tree trunks and debris washed down the canyon.  It was here we had our traditional mid-hike refreshments, and a bit of rest and relaxation before heading back to the Tacoma.

On the way out, we explored FR 89, which goes further north from the intersection with FR 286.  Tho’ a bit rough (high clearance recommended), we found ourselves among fruit trees, and at the end of the road.  We drove past a quonset shelter filled with boxes used for transporting fruit, and found them labeled “Dixon Orchard”.  Maybe this is the Dixon Orchard, popular over many years until the Conchas Fire wiped it out.

Statistics

Total Distance: 2.95 miles
Elevation: 6,600 start, 6,692 maximum, 6,470 minimum
Gross gain: 222 ft.  Aggregate ascending 1,127 ft, descending: 1,128 ft
Maximum slope: 59% ascending, 66% descending, 11% average
Duration: 2:44

GPS Track Files for Download
148 Downloads
695 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

USFS Santa Fe National Forest, “Wilderness Areas in the Santa Fe National Forest”
From Albuquerque Journal, July 1998: “Sanchez Canyon”
ASCHG Hike “Base Of Cerro Picacho Hike”, 2/6/2015
Summitpost “Dome Wilderness”
Excerpt from “New Mexico Wilderness Areas; the Complete Guide”
From Doug Scott Art, Photo of Sanchez Falls from below

Paliza Canyon, Ruins, Goblin Colony Hike – 9/11/2016

I’d found a hike at ASCHG that visited some Pueblo Ruins above Paliza Canyon and included a visit to Goblin Colony.  Jay and I had visited the Colony in July a year ago, and Pat and I had recently hiked up Paliza Canyon to the Colony, so this was a revisit for both of us.

The Hike

Paliza Canyon-Ruins-Goblin Colony Hike.Jay.2016-09-11
Google Earth track of our hike to Paliza Canyon, with visits to Pueblo Ruins and the Goblin Colony, 9/11/2016.

The first 1.3 miles is mostly open, along a tw0-track that leads to a few strip mines in the area (we don’t know what mineral they were mining).  Crossing one of the larger areas of disturbed earth, we ascended to the mesa on the east of Paliza Canyon, atop of which were the reported ruins (see the blue waypoints in the GoogleEarth snapshot above).  At some point, we started to feel familiarity with the area, and soon realized we had visited the south end of the Mesa on our earlier visit to Goblin Colony.

Atop this mesa, we followed a two-track northward towards Ruins 1, and found it easily.  On entering the area, we found two depressions that are typical of a Kiva in ruins like this. This is a large ruins: about 200′ in length, 60′ in width, and at the north end the rubble pile was maybe 15 feet tall.  This must have been a large pueblo with multiple stories to have left such a large pile of rubble.

We continued on along the two-track, and looking left and right found other ruins (marked Ruins A and B, plus what would appear to be a one-room blockhouse marked with waypoint 003.  Although we thought our Ruins B were the ASCHG Ruins 2, when I plotted our track and waypoints on GoogleEarth, it came to light that we did not visit Ruins 2.

Walking a bit further north we came upon a well-maintained Forest Road, so followed it back towards Goblin Colony.  Using the track I had on the GPS, tho’ Jay was doubtful, I left the road and to our great surprise we were looking down upon Goblin Colony from a vantage point on earlier visits we didn’t think we could get to.  The descent through the Goblins was truly amazing, a differend and interesting view as we passed through these hoodos – the many tens of Goblins.

Descending through the Colony, we sought out the same spot where we had our mid-hike coffee a year ago. then the hike back to the Tacoma was uneventful; the hike was another truly great one.

Statistics

Total Distance: 5.95 miles
Elevation: 6,838 start, 7,748 maximum, 6,838 minimum
Gross gain: 810 ft.  Aggregate ascending 1,296 ft, descending: 1,296 ft
Maximum slope: 31% ascending, 38% descending, 7% average
Duration: 4:11

GPS Track Files for Download
241 Downloads
138 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.

Agua Sarca Hike – 9/18/2016

Having only limited time on this Sunday, we chose a trail close to Placitas and not too great in length.  We had hike Agua Sarca back in 2014, remembering it as relatively easy but little more.  

The Hike

Agua Sarca Hike.Jay.2016-09-18
Googl Earth screenshot of our hike on the Agua Sarca trail, 9/18/2016. I choose this view to show these canyons on the north end of the Sandia Mountains. The peak in the upper right is North Sandia, elevation 10,460 ft.

It was an easy hike, no really steep areas, with only a couple of stretches of rocky trail surface.  Not shaded as much as around on the east slope of the Sandias, but the juniper, pinon, and occasional ponderosa make it pleasant on warm days.

Compare this hike, Agua Sarca (yellow) with our hike North Crest-Del Orno (orange). Placemarks identify where we thought we saw the cliffside, and where we actually encountered it on the North Crest-Del Orno hike.

The ridge to the east of the trail is quite impressive, and for a while we thought that it is the section of the ‘Sandia rind’ along which we hiked two years ago, the North Crest to Ojo del Orno hike.  A section of the North Crest a narrow trail with cliff going nearly straight up on our left, and straight down on our right, both for hundreds of feet.  So throughout this hike we were trying to find that section on the cliff above.  At some point, we came to the conclusion that it was on this cliff, but the one beyond, the northern section which we could see round the end of the adjacent ridge; I even believed I could pick out the section of that cliff where the trail traversed.  How wrong we were; see the screen shot below.

Statistics

Total Distance: 2.52 miles
Elevation: 6,367 start, 7,075 maximum, 6,367 minimum
Gross gain: 708 ft.  Aggregate ascending 931 ft, descending: 924ft
Maximum slope: 52% ascending, 48% descending, 12% average
Duration: 2:55

GPS Track Files for Download
117 Downloads
73 Downloads

Piedra Lisa South-Waterfall Hike- 9/4/2016

Embarked today to find the Waterfall Trail, a spur off of Piedra Lisa.  I tried it once before with Marlin, but our track up a ridge on the south side of Waterfall Canyon was very steep – we ultimately gave up our search for the ‘falls’.  

The Hike

Piedra Lisa-Waterfall Hike.Jay.2016-09-04
Piedra Lisa-Waterfall Hike.Jay.2016-09-04

Today, using counsel from another hiker (name not remembered), we stayed in the canyon itself, and found our way to a 20′ tall rock wall, with a small stream of water coursing down it’s face.  After looking up both sides of the rock wall, and finding a possible route to get above the falls, we look forward to returning, to see how much further up Waterfall Canyon we can go.

Jay here: It was an odd hike for us. Firstly, it was much shorter than usual. Secondly, it was not the hike we planned. We were supposed to take 10k to Land’s End Mine but when we pulled up in front of the Placitas Cafe we found it closed for Labor Day weekend. That put the kibosh on going up the dirt road portion of highway 165. Instead, we repaired to Cafe Diaz to find an alternate hike. Consulting our trusty Sandia Mountain Guide, we came up with the Waterfall Trail which is directly adjacent to Fletcher and Movie trails, both of which we’ve done before. It was none too strenuous although the return there and a climb over the rockfall itself could be a different story.

Statistics

Total Distance: 2.2 miles
Elevation: 6,951 start, 7,290 maximum, 6,951 minimum
Gross gain: 339 ft.  Aggregate ascending 728 ft, descending: 728 ft
Maximum slope: 43% ascending, 48% descending, 10% average
Duration: 2:46

GPS Track Files for Download
243 Downloads
300 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.

Boletsakwa Ruins – Ponderosa Mes Hike- 8/7/2016

I was quite pleased to introduce Jay to one of my favorite hiking spots, Boletsakwa Ruins.  It is one of the most accessible “remote” Pueblo ruins that I’ve found.  Parking off of Forest Road 10, the ruins are found about a mile along an easy-to-follow path.  (For about 200 yards, the path skirts a large rock formation, with a steep slope down into San Juan Canyon.)

The Hike

Ponderosa Mesa-Boletsakwa Ruins Hike.Jay.2016-08-07
Track of the Ponderosa Mesa-Boletsakwa Ruins hike, 08/07/2016, on Google Earth image.

I’ve visited here twice before and have looked forward to continuing southbound on Ponderosa Mesa to the end of the mesa.  Jay was willing, so we extended the hike out to 2.5 miles – the view down the Jemez River valley was stunning.  (Later, looking at a topographic map, we realized we were not at the bitter end of the mesa – that would be another 3/4 of a mile.)

Google Earth view of the ruins.
Google Earth view of the ruins.

Jay here: The end may not have been bitter (or the actual edge for that matter), but the trek across the mesa was a lot like traversing a hot frying pan…with rocks for homefries. Imagining the Boletsakwa ruins as they might have existed around the year 1500, with 650 rooms and who knows how many people living there, makes the experience more impressive. Walls with mud chinking have survived for us to see today — amazing. Not only did they move thousands of rocks to build their homes, they also had to go back down to the mesa base every day to haul water back up top. Best part about the hike besides the ruins? That’s easy — there was hardly any elevation to climb.

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.9 miles
Elevation: 7,216 start, 7,267 maximum, 6,945 minimum
Gross gain: 446 ft.  Aggregate ascending 811 ft, descending: 811 ft
Maximum slope: 30% ascending, 53% descending, 25% average
Duration: 3:40

GPS Track Files for Download
268 Downloads
308 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: Goblin Rocks And Ponderosa Indian Ruins Hike
ASCHG: Ponderosa Mesa Hike
ASCHG: Ponderosa Mesa from Paliza Group CG Hike
OtherHand: Boletsakwa Ruins
Museum of New Mexico, Office of Archeological Studies:
       Archeology of the Jemez Province 
“Archeologies of the Pueblo Revolt ..”: Extract from

North Mystery Hike – 7/31/2016

The Hike

North Mystery HIke.Jay.2016-07-31
North Mystery Hike. (Click on the above image for a full-size view.)

The trail starts with a decent grade along a wide canyon and then works its way across a series of canyons interspersed with fairly long stretches of level ground. There are some hikers who heed the thoughts of poet Longfellow….”into each life some rain must fall;” and then there are some hikers that would be just as happy if the trail stayed level the entire way. The stretches of trail that were under a shaded forest canopy on soft ground with pine needle cover were exhilarating for the speed with which we crossed them. We were moving through the forest like Chingachgook and the Mohicans…minus the moccasins of course.

There were only a few hikers returning on the way in, but naturally we ran into one of George’s neighbors and his 2 dogs. Seems like we can’t hike anywhere anymore without running into someone George knows. He’s like the Mayor of the Sandias.

Speaking of dogs, many of the hikers we saw on our return trip were hiking with their dogs, rarely on leash. The more accessible the trailheads, the more dogs we see. Most are well behaved.

Highlight

This trail will be very pleasant come fall. We will definitely put it on the list for October and November, as long as there’s no snow on the trail.

Jay here: Not sure what the mystery to the Mystery Trail is. It may be the mystery of why it took us so long to see this one on the Sandia trail maps. The trailhead is only a few miles up the Crest highway in the East mountains. It’s a little below 8,000 ft elevation but the trail works its way slowly up. It had rained the night before and the temps were thankfully a little lower (around 84 degrees down on Juan Tabo).

Statistics

Total Distance: 5.32 miles
Elevation: 7,487 start, 7,933 maximum, 7,465 minimum
Gross gain: 446 ft.  Aggregate ascending 1,283 ft, descending: 1,283 ft
Maximum slope: 30% ascending, 53% descending, 25% average
Duration: 3:40

GPS Track Files for Download
194 Downloads
111 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.

10K-South Crest-10K Trails Hike – 7/24/2016

Introduction

Another hot day in Albuquerque and all lower elevations, so Jay and I headed towards the top of the Sandia Mountains.  

The Hike

10k-Crest Hike.Jay.2016-07-24.
From the 10K Parking Lot on the Crest Highway 536 (upper right), hiking south on the 10K trail across the Ski Runs, ultimately turning north on the South Crest trail to the upper Tram terminal & High Finance restaurant, then down a ski run to 10K & back to parking.
(Click on the above image for a full-size view.)

Following initially the section of the 10K trail that Pat & I hiked earlier in the week, we continued across all of the Sandia Peak Ski Area, and continued on 10K until it intersected the South Crest Trail.  The South Crest Trail took us north, with a hefty climb up to the top terminal of the Sandia Peak Tram (and Ski Area).  Then it was down the northern-most ski run to intercept 10K and back to parking.

Weather up on the mountain was wonderful (above 9000 fee, as high as 10,400 feet) – temperature started out in the 70s, maybe made it barely into the 80s by the end of the hike.  Meanwhile, temperatures at lower elevations, like Placitas and Albuqeurque, were well into the 90s.

The trail is shaded nearly it’s whole length.  It is well used, by hikers during the summer and by cross-country skiers in the winter.  Since it generally follows the 10,000 elevation line (by design), it was, overall, an easy hike.

Statistics

Total Distance: 5.43 miles
Elevation: 9,977 start, 10,290 maximum, 9,409 minimum
Gross gain: 881 ft.  Aggregate ascending 1,506 ft, descending: 1,502 ft
Maximum slope: 36% ascending, 24% descending, 25% average
Duration: 3:49

GPS Track Files for Download
89 Downloads
80 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.

10K Hike – 7/21/2016

The Hike

10K Hike.Pat.2016-07-21
10K Hike.Pat.2016-07-21

Statistics

Total Distance:  3.93 miles
Elevation: start  9,967 ft, maximum  10,041 ft,  minimum  9,839 ft
Gross gain:  182 ft.  Aggregate ascending  989 ft, descending  1,000 ft
Maximum slope: 29% ascending, 36% descending, 8.5% average
Duration:3:32

GPS Track Files for Download
97 Downloads
53 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.

 

Sandia Tram & North Crest Hike – 7/13/2016

For another activity during Thomas visit, we took an early morning ride on the Sandia Peak Tram and hiked from the upper terminal of the Tram to the Visitor’s Center, located at the top of the Sandia Crest Highway.

Sandia Peak Tram up to Sandia Crest, and hike on the North Crest Trail.
Sandia Peak Tram up to Sandia Crest, and hike on the North Crest Trail.

  The Hike

North Crest Hike.PatThomas.2016-07-13
The hike itself, from the Top of the Tram to the Summit House (top of the Sandia Crest Road) and back to the Tram.

Much like the Survey Trail, this section of the North Crest Trail passes through forested territory, mostly fir with some aspen, ponderosa pine, and other plants.  So near the crest itself, there are more rocks than trails lower on the east slope of the Sandias.  There are a few overlooks, open areas on the -brink- of the cliff on the upper edge of the mountain.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.29 miles
Elevation: 10,285 start, 10,656 maximum, 10,270 minimum
Gross gain: 371.  Aggregate ascending 791 ft, descending 799 ft
Maximum slope: 48% ascending, 38% descending, 8.2% average
Duration: 2:21

GPS Track Files for Download
105 Downloads
85 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.