Category Archives: 2020

North Crest Trail-North Sandia Peak Hike – 06/18/2020

June 27, 2020

After our hike to the summit of Mount Taylor (11,300 feet), having found we aren’t acclimated to the thinner air, we returned to a higher elevation than other trails – North Crest Trail on the Sandia Mountains(starts at 10,660 ft). The trailhead is at the north end of the parking lot for the Sandia Crest House.

The Hike

North Crest Trail-North Sandia Peak Hike.Pat.2020-06-18

The trail begins by skirting the downhill (east) side of the radio antenna compound. A half mile along it follows along the edge of the Crest. A mile down the trail we chose a Y to the left that kept us “on the edge” and afforded us the best views of the various features on this west side of Sandia and across the Rio Grande valley: Albuquerque, the West Mesa, Tierra Grande beyond Kirtland AFB & the Sunport to the south, and the Jemez Mountains in the distance to the northwest – spectacular (tho’ limited this day by smoke in the lower atmosphere from fires in Arizona).

About 2 miles another Y presents itself: to the right to continue on the North Crest Trail to the Del Agua Cañon Overlook (and ultimately to Placitas), or to the left a less used trail to the summit of North Sandia Peak (10,447 ft); we chose the Peak (we had done the former back in 2017). This leg of the Y was a bit difficult to identify because it began with a short rock scramble, not easy to identify -the- trail. Beyond that, as it is all along the Trail, the slope to the summit was gradual and easy. We paused at the Peak for our mid-hike break, then made the return to the trailhead, hopefully having gained some acclimatization to thinner air.

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.26 miles
Elevation: start 10,660 ft, maximum 10,660 ft, minimum 10,214 ft
Gross gain: 446 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,518 ft, descending 1,524 ft
Maximum slope: 45% ascending, 54% descending, 10.9% average
Duration: 4:06

North Crest Trail-North Sandia Peak Hike.Pat.2020-06-18 (KML)	176 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
North Crest Trail-North Sandia Peak Hike.Pat.2020-06-18 (GPX)	84 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:

AllTrails: North Sandia Peak Trail
North Crest Trail
SummitPost: North Sandia Peak
ondafringe: Day Hike: North Crest Trail to Del Agua Canyon Overlook
Visit Albuquerque: Some of the Best Hiking Trails in & Near Albuquerque

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

Flower 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)	99 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Gooseberry Springs Trail Hike.Pat.2020-06-10 (GPX)	238 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

Iron Gate Campground-Monte Vista Trail Hike – 05/21/2020

May 31, 2020

This hike is a continuation of the hike the week before – Iron Gate Road Hike. Having acquainted ourselves with the road out of the Canyon up onto Hamilton Mesa, this week Pat drove up the steep road (on a very steep hillside), onto the Mesa and to the meadow where we turned back last week.

The Hike

Iron Gate Campground Hike.Pat.2020-05-21

Starting out on Iron Gate Road, headed for the Campground.

We began our hike by staying on Iron Gate Road. We were tempted by what appeared to be a hiking trail off to the right not far from the meadow, but not knowing where it might go, we stayed on the Road. That made for an easy walk of 1.5 miles to the Campground. Along the way we passed through more semi-residential areas; most appeared to be retreats rather than full time residence. Where we passed through areas open to views, Santa Fe Baldy and other peaks made for great views like that above.

Trail Junction a short distance from the Campground.

Reaching the Campground, we checked out the 14 campsites – a number appeared suitable for our small R-Pod camper. We continued through the far end of the Campground to the trailhead. There we found helpful information for hiking further north on the Trail, a log for hikers, and other general information. Looking for another route back to the truck, we checked USTopo. It showed a ‘dotted line’ depicting a trail that paralleled the Road headed back to our meadow. A couple of hundred yards on the trail into most pleasant woods, we encountered a sign that identified destinations of trails further along the Mesa.

Trail junction up Monte Vista Trail, to Valle Largo Trail.

We headed uphill on the Monte Vista Trail to the Valle Largo Trail which would take back to the truck. Again we found a signpost identifying trails from there. Valle Largo tracks nicely along the edge of Hamilton Mesa. The view to the left is down a steep hillside (aka cliff in places) to the Rio Mora river. Across the Rio Mora valley we enjoyed great views of the mountains to the east including Valle Largo and Valle Medio (which appear on the topo map to be not a valley but a ridge above 10,400 feet).

One of the aspen groves on Valle Largo Trail.

Just to explore, we hiked a quarter of a mile up Valle Largo, having in mind finding a nice place not too far from the campground for a future mini-backpacking trip. Finding a nice open overlook we stopped for our mid-hike break. Valle Largo is a really easy trail, trending generally downhill through open forest. In places it wanders through wonderful stands of aspen. We stopped often to enjoy the views of the green forested mountain slopes to the east, to look down the Rio Mora valley, or to enjoy the forest around us. About half way back we stopped again for our lunch break.

Signpost at entrance to Valle Largo trail (just off of the road near the meadow).

Having enjoyed very much the scenery along the edge of the mesa, we followed the trail as it turned downhill back towards Iron Gate Road. It goes through still more beautiful aspen groves before turning parallel to the road. Then … we discovered that the trail which we had seen leading off of the road as we started is … the terminus of the Valle Largo Trail. Next trip we will drive to the Campground and … what lies beyond??

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.77 miles
Elevation: start 8,958 ft, maximum 9,563 ft, minimum 8,958 ft
Gross gain: 605 ft. Aggregate ascending 925 ft, descending 931 ft
Maximum slope: 20% ascending, 30% descending, 6.5% average
Duration: 5:01

Iron Gate Campground Hike.Pat.2020-05-21 (KML)	307 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Iron Gate Campground Hike.Pat.2020-05-21 (GPX)	101 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

USDA Forest Service: Iron gate Campground
                                        Iron Gate Trailhead
                                        Hamilton Mesa Trail #249
Sangres.com: Santa Fe National Forest Trails
ExploreNM: Iron Gate
AllTrails: Hamilton Mesa via Iron Gate Campground
                  Hamilton Mesa #249 and Larkspur #260
ASCHG: Hamilton Mesa Hike
The Dyrt: Iron Gate
Another Walk in the Park: Sweeping Vistas from the Hamilton Mesa Trail
Best Wildflower Hikes: Hamilton Mesa Trail (book exerpt via Google Books)

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

Iron Gate Road Hike – 05/13/2020

May 17, 2020

Back to the Pecos River Valley in the Sangre de Cristo, to explore the road to Iron Gate Campground. From the topo map and our assessment when visiting there last week, we wanted to assess our comfort level with driving up such a steep incline on such a steep hillside with no guard rails. So we made a hike of it.

The Hike

The hike proceeds -up- quickly, with the view down to the bottom of the canyon becoming further and further -down- a very steep slope. The climb is about 1.5 miles from whence elevation gains are minimal. Along the way the road passes through private land designated as Cowles and Geronimo communities, and a “Summer Home Area” both with cabins/houses scattered about. Geronimo appears to be made up of a lovely ranch which appears to have been possibly the original settlement hereabouts – it is quite a nice spread.

Santa Fe Baldy from a meadow along Iron Gate Road.

At about 1.5 miles the road skirts a large meadow, cleared of trees. From there we could take in the full scale of the southern end of the Sangre de Cristo, with Santa Fe Baldy in full view, still with lots of snow on top. Again at the 3 mile point, in another open space we enjoyed the great beauty of these mountains. We took our first break here (pre-lunch), then our full lunch half way back to the Tacoma.

Yes, the road is steep and the terrain falls away steeply on the downhill side. But it is wide enough for meeting cars to pass. Next trip we will drive up to the 3 mile point and hike the remaining distance to the Iron Gate Campground.

Statistics

Total Distance: 6.16 miles
Elevation: start 8,259 ft, maximum 8,986 ft, minimum 8,225 ft
Gross gain: 761 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,383 ft, descending 1,390 ft
Maximum slope: 24% ascending, 33% descending, 7.1% average
Duration: 5:27

Iron Gate Road Hike.Pat.2020-05-13 (KML)	99 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Iron Gate Road Hike.Pat.2020-05-13 (GPX)	111 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.

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

Rio Mora Hike – 05/08/2020

May 14, 2020

The Pecos River area has beckoned to us for sometime. We made a foray last year, hiking on the Holy Ghost Trail. For this trip we hoped to make it to the Jacks Creek Campground and one of the many trails that start there. But we discovered that the entrance gate at Cowles was closed. So we backtracked and stopped at the Pecos Complex Wildlife Area (’tis also the Mora Campground). The Campground was closed so we parked at the blocked-off entrance. The topo map showed a two-track along the northern boundary of the Complex, then continuing some distance up the Rio Mora; we decided to give it a try for a short hike.

The Hike

The Rio Mora was flowing smartly, which added a lot to the hike since so many places have -no water-. The two-track served us well for about 2/5ths of a mile; from there we followed a well used trail. For the most part the trail was easy, being above the water even with that day’s high flow. There were, however 2 or 3 rock scrambles that we had to navigate. Although we planned for a short hike (still recovering a bit from last week’s 8 miler), today’s hike ended where we encountered a rock outcrop that we weren’t comfortable scrambling over.

On the return trip, we made the usual stop for our mid-hike/lunch break. We also scouted out potential tent sites, thinking the short distance from parking would make this a good place to test our mettle for back-packing. We identified three that looked quite good (placemarks are on the GPS track).

[Speaking of the GPS track, it got a bit messed up: I failed to make a necessary change to Options on USTopo after reloading everything on the phone. But the track (with sketched extensions) will still give you an idea of the hike.] We enjoyed the beauty of this area and will be returning; it is especially attractive because of it’s high elevation and … cooler temperatures in the summer.

Statistics

Total Distance: 2.04 miles
Elevation: start 7,917 ft, maximum 8,038 ft, minimum 7,917 ft
Gross gain: 121 ft. Aggregate ascending 478 ft, descending 470 ft
Maximum slope: 41% ascending, 56% descending, 9.4% average
Duration: ~3:00

Rio Mora Hike.Pat.2020-05-08 (KML)	93 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Rio Mora Hike.Pat.2020-05-08 (GPX)	91 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

The Dyrt: Mora Campground

Embudito Canyon-Three Gun Spring Trails – 05/01/2020

May 2, 2020

This week we chose the Embudito Trail, which Pat & I had not hiked before. The trailhead is in the Glenwood Hills neighborhood: on Montgomery Ave, go east past its intersection the Tramway Blvd, left on Glenwood Hills Dr, look for the sign to turn right onto Trailhead Rd. There is ample parking for all but the busiest days.

The Hike

Embudito-Three Gun Spring Trails Hike.Pat.2020-05-01

From research, I learned one could go up the bottom of the canyon or on a trail on the slopes of Oso Ridge north of the canyon bottom. We chose the latter, the ‘high trail’, to avoid the rock falls described by others who had stayed in the canyon bottom. The trail leaves the north side of the parking lot; in about 1,000 feet turn left to take the ‘high trail’. The first 1.5 miles or so presents a steady, easy climb of 1,000 feet; this is one of the most pleasant beginnings for any of the trails on the west side of the Sandias. Beyond a mile or so we encountered some rock outcrops that required a bit of clamoring. We were on the trail early so had the shade of the mountains until the sun rose above them; because there are no trees this would be a bit warm later on a summer day. At about the 2 mile point, going above 7,000′ elevation we found ourselves in a mixed forest of juniper, piñon, and a few ponderosa pine. The shade was welcome and the trail surface changed from sand/gravel/rocks to loam/pine needles – a welcome change. At about the 2.25 mile point we passed the junction with the Oso Ridge trail and descended into and across Embudito Canyon where trail continued on the south slope of the Canyon. At this higher elevation and in the forest, we enjoyed pleasant, cooler temperatures and more of the very nice trail surface (interspersed with some climb-over rocks). At this point we debated whether to begin our return to the trailhead or … forge ahead tho’ without a definitive plan. We estimated some distances to consider options: 1) continue to the junction with Three Gun Spring ( mile further), then return, or 2) continue to the junction with Embudo (another mile further), then maybe continue to the Three Gun Spring trailhead. When we reached the Embudo junction, we decided – what the heck – let’s make it another “over the top” hike (and call brother Garth for transport back to our truck at the Embudito trailhead). So that’s what we did, our longest hike yet, with the most elevation gain.

Statistics

Total Distance: 8.63 miles
Elevation: start 6,239 ft, maximum 8,486 ft, minimum 6,239 ft
Gross gain: 2,247 ft. Aggregate ascending 3,106 ft, descending 3,020 ft
Maximum slope: 33% ascending, 26% descending, 12.4% average
Duration: 9:19

Embudito-Three Gun Spring Trails Hike.Pat.2020-05-01 (KML)	106 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Embudito-Three Gun Spring Trails Hike.Pat.2020-05-01 (GPX)	104 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

USDA Forest Service: Embudito Trailhead & Embudito Trail 192
Albuquerque Parks & Recreation:
Albuquerque Open Space Foothills Trail Map (PDF)
AllTrails: Embudito Canyon Trail
Sandia Mountain Hiking Guide: Embudito Trail
ASCHG: Embudito Canyon Hike
Dog of the Desert: Embudito Trail in the Sandias
ondafringe: Day Hike: Embudito Trail to Oso Pass

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

Embudo-Three Gun Springs Trails Hike – 04/21/2020

April 30, 2020

Having ‘tested our mettle’ on Three Gun Springs two weeks ago, we addressed Embudo Trail this day. We started out with just the idea that it was another in our preparations to go “over the top” in a future hike (up Embudo, down Three Gun Springs), and to refamiliarize ourselves with the trail. With warmer weather coming, we headed out early to get into the canyon (and some shade) before the sun got too high.

The Hike

I posted a good description of the trail from our hike last year. We debated this day whether to take the Horse Bypass or tackle The Rocks – we chose the latter (‘serious rocks’ on the GoogleEarth track). Not mentioned in last year’s BLOG, there is a section of trail above the ‘serious rocks’ that is quite open, giving a truly great view into the upper reaches of Embudo Canyon and South Sandia peak. This section is memorable to us, harkening back to our first hikes in 2010 when the signs of the burn were still fresh. Last year we stopped short of another section of more ‘serious rocks’ at the start of the steepest section of the trail.

Upon reaching this ridgetop, we were treated to our first view of south end of the Sandias and the Hawk Watch promontory- ’tis quite a sight. Looking south along the ridgetop, became curious where it might lead (and we started looking for a good place for our lunch break). I had seen evidence on an old map of an alternate trail from Embudo Canyon into Three Gun Springs canyon, and wondered if it might be here. We proceeded about a quarter of a mile and saw what was clearly a trail, but weren’t willing to explore it this day. After some searching, we found a place that was suitable for our break – a bit level with rocks for a backrest (some shade would have been nice).

After the challenging climb up Embudo, now near the top and the junction with Three Gun Springs, and .. knowing we could call my brother (who recently moved to Albuquerque) for a ride, we decided to make this our over-the-top hike. We returned to the Embudo Trail, continued to the junction with the Three Gun Springs trail, and descended to the trailhead where Garth was waiting for us.

Statistics

Total Distance: 6.13 miles
Elevation: start 6,175 ft, maximum 7,905 ft, minimum 6,175 ft
Gross gain: 1,730 ft. Aggregate ascending 2,033 ft, descending 1,883 ft
Maximum slope: 36% ascending, 35% descending, 10.6% average
Duration: 7:01

Embudo-Three Gun Springs Trails Hike.Pat.2020-04-21 (KML)	97 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Embudo-Three Gun Springs Trails Hike.Pat.2020-04-21 (GPX)	101 Downloads

If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional

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

USDA Forest Service: Embudo TH, Embudo Trail 192 & Horse Bypass 193A
TripAdvisor: Embudo Canyon Trail
References from last year’s hike: Embudo Canyon Trail Hike – 04/26/2019

Tapia Canyon Hike – 04/06/2020

April 10, 2020

I’ve been looking forward to hiking Tapia Canyon with Pat. It’s time to go there before the higher temperatures of summer.

The Drive In

Just off of US 550, heading into Rio Puerco on CR 279.

The drive in is straightforward: US 550 to CR 279/San Louis Road. Continue through San Louis, stay on 279 as it turns from pavement to a Class 3 road (‘New Mexico pavement’), about 8 miles. Resist turns at 11.5, 16.8, and 21 miles. The road descends into the Rio Puerco valley; along the way it crosses two deep arroyos – the road to the bottom and out is -very- steep .. interesting to drive thorough. At 29 miles from US 550, the road climbs over a sharp saddle, below the Guadalupe Ruins up on the adjacent mesa. From there its .4 mile to the turnoff into Tapia Canyon on a Class 5 road (two-track). Park at the end (there is ample room to turn around).

The Hike

The first challenge is to find a path down into the wash of the canyon. Pat led the way, through the fence 50 yards from the truck, then along the sometimes narrow shelf above the wash, avoiding the sandy/rocky bottom of the wash. We passed through side ravines along the way that were too steep for us to enter the wash, until the shelf ended about a mile along. From there we alternated between hiking -in- the wash and on the margins.

An example of the many petroglyphs in Tapia Canyon.

Special features of Tapia Canyon are petroglyphs on the canyon walls. We encountered the first gallery on the left wall 1.6 miles into the hike. The first that we saw appeared to be ‘modern’, a la graffiti. But nearby were others that appeared to be genuine (Gallery #1 on the GE track). About 300 yards further we found a 2nd gallery, then 250 yards to a 3rd gallery, and another 300 yards to the 4th gallery. These last three are on walls above elevated margins on the right (north) side of the canyon. And from Gallery #3 we caught a glimpse of the Torreon on the ridge above the south side of the canyon.

We continued up the canyon for another 300 yards to the Arch, another feature of interest. On the right side of the canyon, it is the entrance to a slot canyon going north from Tapia Canyon, another feature to explore some day. We paused there to enjoy the first of our two-part lunch. While water was heating, Pat went looking for a way to get up on the mesa south of the canyon. She located a scramble that looked doable, ‘tho there was a possibility that a wall too steep was beyond view. We took the chance, she scrambled ahead and discovered – nope, no way to make the last 20′ or 30’. So it was back down into the canyon and head back to the truck. We continued to look for places where we could ascend, spotted a couple of possibilities and one that looked like an easy ascent (“Access to south Mesa” placemark on the GE track) .. we left that for our next visit.

Continuing down-canyon we detoured into a side canyon that had attracted our attention earlier, where we had our 2nd half of lunch. Than back into Tapia, choosing to stay in the wash until an easy climb out, a few yards beyond the parking area and the truck. Another great day, hiking in another fascinating place in New Mexico.

Statistics

Total Distance: 5.62 miles
Elevation: start 5,961 ft, maximum 6,145 ft, minimum 5,929 ft
Gross gain: 216 ft. Aggregate ascending 925 ft, descending 927 ft
Maximum slope: 33% ascending, 38% descending, 3.9% average
Duration: 6:36

Tapia Canyon Hike.Pat.2020-04-06 (KML)	150 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Tapia Canyon Hike.Pat.2020-04-06 (GPX)	131 Downloads
Tapia Canyon Drivein.Pat.2020-04-06 (KML)	115 Downloads
Tapia Canyon Drivein.Pat.2020-04-06 (GPX)	197 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

AllTrails: Tapia Canyon Trail
ondafringe: Day Hike: Tapia Canyon and Tower Ruin
CargoVANConversions: Guadalupe Ruin & Tapia Canyon
Doug Scott Art: Cañon Tapia
Dog of the Desert (great video):
Petroglyphs of Tapia Canyon, New Mexico – YouTube
City of Dust (Facebook): Juan Córdova Store & Home
My Other Posts: Tapia Canyon

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

Quebradas-Singing Rock Hike – 03/30/2020

April 8, 2020

This day we returned to the Quebradas Back Country Byway, having visited Ojo de Amado 3 weeks earlier. ‘Twas our plan to drive further south on the Byway, and find our way to “Singing Rock” in Arroyo del Tajo. A friend Lanny had told us about it, and after some research we located on GoogleEarth. And finding a great article by the geocaching folks, we chose the approach to Singing Rock from the east, a 2 mile hike down down the Arroyo from the Byway.

The Drive In

I described the drive in on the post for the Ojo de Amado Hike; I’ve included some photos in the gallery below of signs along the way. (But you probably won’t see the longhorn when you head that way.) Just as the Byway approaches Arroyo del Tajo, we found a nice parking area to the right.

The Hike

Donning our packs, we proceeded down the wash in the bottom of the Arroyo. It was mostly large particle sand interspersed with rocks. About a mile in we came upon an old rock building – ’tis interesting to imagine when and for what it was used. From there we departed the wash for higher ground – a ridge that gave us quite a view in all directions. It was also a fine spot to break for the first half of our lunch.

We continued on the ridge and soon could see the narrowing of the Arroyo where we suspected we would find Singing Rock. We descended back into the wash and entered a cañon that amazed us. Passing through the entrance we found ourselves in a huge gallery, very high vertical walls, only a few yards wide – top and bottom of the cañon sides. We continued through the canyon looking for holes in the walls; there were many but most were high above the wash. Near the end, we found a few, two of which were at a height we could stick your heads into them. I tested each with my limited range of ‘musical notes’, and think a note low in my range seemed to be amplified by the cavity. Matching my photo with one from Lanny, I conclude – these were the Singing Rocks.

We decided to take a different route back to the truck, to take a different arroyo back to the Byway. Much like Arroyo del Tajo, the wash was sand with rock – not difficult walking. And for some stretches we would walk up on the banks where the surface was harder and smoother. Nearing the Byway, we turned into a small side canyon, then cross country to the Byway and back to the truck, where we had our 2nd half lunch on the tailgate. Another great hike in this Land of Enchantment.

Statistics

Total Distance: 5.3 miles
Elevation: start 5,133 ft, maximum 5,198 ft, minimum 4,904 ft
Gross gain: 194 ft. Aggregate ascending 746 ft, descending 746 ft
Maximum slope: 50% ascending, 27% descending, 4.0% average
Duration: 6:05

Singing Rock Hike.Pat.2020-03-31 (KML)	111 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Singing Rock Hike.Pat.2020-03-31 (GPX)	110 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.

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

Los Piños Hike – 03/24/2020

March 28, 2020

Exploring again new territory, this trip the periphery of the Los Piños mountain range south of the Manzanos. I did a lot of planning to identify the roads we would use and anticipating a mixture of private, state, and federal lands, to identify land ownership.

One resource was the “New Mexico Road & Recreation Atlas” (Benchmark Maps). These maps identify roads that are more likely to be Class 3.
Of course, GoogleEarth to get an idea of the topography and even to assess the condition of the roads (yes, GE is -that- good).
And GoogleEarth with the Land Ownershiop overlay, giving us information with which to anticipate what kind of access we would have.

So, with printouts of these two images plus US Topo on the tablet and smartphone, we set out on this adventure.

The Drive In

The Los Piños range runs parallel to the Rio Grande, south of US 60 on the way to Abo and Mountainair: I-25 south to Belen, NM 47 to US 60, then 3.8 miles to turn right (south) on BLM B127 (or CR 127) for 5 miles, then right on B121 (or CR 121) – Red Mesa Rd. Leaving US 60 we drive past a few buildings; after that one ranchstead and — open space — in primarily juniper “forest”. A couple of miles in we entered the Lazy JS ranch. Road conditions were as we expected (hoped for?) – graded, sanded, with only a few spots where there were ruts from traffic when it was wet.

We had in mind driving through to Escondida, but as has been our practice, when we see a spot that might make an interesting hike or walkabout, we take it.

The Hike

As we proceeded down CR 121, we noted that much of the land further south was private, but that there were state and BLM lands scattered along the route. We identified three places where BLM or state land adjoined the road. We decided to take one of those which would allow us to gain access to the Sevilleta NationalWildlife Refuge. Our first choice was blocked by fencing, so we returned to another opportunity where there was no fence along the road. In particular, a two-track led away from CR 121 to a dam/tank where we parked to commence our hike.

With the idea we would explore the territory, going as far as a long ridge that shows prominently on GoogleEarth, we set on a track of 260 degrees magnetic (but truth be told, we use the GPS to guide even on a bushwhacking track). ‘Twas easy walking among the sparse juniper trees, often on soil still soft from the winter freeze/melt cycles, in some places over terrain a bit rocky. We intended to get to the top of Entraniosa Draw, but a fence at the edge of this BLM land forced us to cross where the sides were still a bit steep.

Out of the Draw we continued, crossing another fence and proceeded along a ridge with a steep slope to our right. Some 2 miles in we stopped for the first of two mid-hike breaks we’d planned. After consulting with US Topo, we chose to return by a route that would avoid the steep sides of Entraniosa Draw. This proved to be much easier ‘tho was a greater distance back to the truck. Here we found numerous game tracks that made it even easier.

The view for lunch looking southeast down Entraniosa Draw

It being necessary to get back on ‘high ground’ we selected a relatively easy slope to climb. Having seen a promontory at the end of the ridge before climbing up, we headed there for our 2nd break, this one .. lunch. It proved to be a good choice with a great view down the lower section of Entraniosa Draw and to the horizon. The chicken ramen soup, carrots and apple slices, and PB&J were enjoyed very much.

The hike back to the truck was through the same open juniper ‘forest’, on an easy walking surface. We enjoyed another great day hiking in New Mexico’s open spaces.

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.85 miles
Elevation: start 6,402 ft, maximum 6,591 ft, minimum 6,281 ft
Gross gain: 310 ft. Aggregate ascending 526 ft, descending 526 ft
Maximum slope: 28% ascending, 17% descending, 3.7% average
Duration: 5:12

Los Piños Hike.Pat.2020-03-24 (KML)	231 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Los Piños Hike.Pat.2020-03-24 (GPX)	146 Downloads
Los Piños DriveIn.Pat.2020-03-24 (KML)	138 Downloads
Los Piños DriveIn.Pat.2020-03-24 (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.

The Hike

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Drive In and Camp Setup

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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If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional

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The Drive In

The Hike

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The Drive In

The Hike

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The Drive In

The Hike

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