With uncertain weather in the area, we stayed close to home – revisited the Osha Spring Trail. It was cloudy and chilly with snow flurries throughout the day, especially as we went to higher elevations – much like on our last visit to Osha Spring Trail in 2015.
The Hike
Osha Spring Hike.Jay.2018-03-11
Jay here: We like to think that there must be at least one hike every year where we are trekking in a snow storm and this was it. Ironically, a week later we outran a snow squall in the Ojito Wilderness. Maybe we are now under the “Two Snow Storm per Year” rule.
Statistics
Total Distance: 4.95 miles Elevation: start 6,502 ft, maximum 7,771 ft, minimum 6,502 ft Gross gain: 1,269 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,407 ft, descending 1,406 ft Maximum slope: 29% ascending, 29% descending, 10% average Duration: 3:34
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.
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
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.
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
Los Posos Hike.Jay.2018-02-25
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
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.
Feb 2018: This is another ‘looking back’ entry in our Hiking Journal.
One of our many hikes through the Elena Gallegos Open Space and into the Sandia Mountain Wilderness on the Piño Trail.
The Hike
Pino Hike.Jay.2015-03-08
Jay here: And one of the reasons we have not been back is that this hike has a very long pre-hike component in which you walk for 20 minutes or more in open space (i.e. in the hot summer sun) before you even get close to something resembling a treeline. It’s the kind of hike where you wish there was a taxi service to get you to the starting gate.
Statistics
Total Distance: 5.5 miles Elevation: start 6,451 ft, maximum 7,729 ft, minimum 6,4551 ft Gross gain: 1,278 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,647 ft, descending 1,652 ft Maximum slope: 28% ascending, 31% descending, 9.2% average Duration: 3:54
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.
[Feb 2018: This is another ‘looking back’ entry in our Hiking Journal.]
This hike, to the crash site of a TWA airliner, is one of the ‘go to’ hikes in the Sandia Mountains. It begins in Albuquerque’s Elena Gallegos Open Space – from the parking lot head towards the Domingo Baca Trail via trails 141, 342, 230a, and 230.
The Hike
Domingo Baca-TWA Hike.Jay.2015-03-15
We entered the Sandia Mountains Wilderness Area from trail 230 and followed the well-used Baca Trail. Soon we were in the lower reaches of the canyon, which will become progressively narrower as you climb. Throughout the views of the face of Sandia Crest are stunning. About 2.25 miles into the canyon we encountered a daunting rockfall that was a challenge to overcome. By then we were near the TWA site and there was no turning back; it was only some 300 yards further. At the site, we looked about the area, finding various parts of the plane, reading the information sheet, and thinking of the passengers and crew who perished in the crash.
While we enjoyed our mid-hike break, we watched cars of the Sandia Peak Tramway pass far overhead. (One -can- see the crash site from the Tram, and if the sun angle is right see a glint of reflection from one of the aluminum panels.)
Jay here: Funny, the way I remember it, the 300 yards past the big rockfall were some of the toughest hiking we’ve ever done. You could hardly call it a trail, which underscored for me how difficult it must have been for rescuers to get to the original crash site.
Statistics
Total Distance: 7.3 miles Elevation: start 6,393 ft, maximum 8,731 ft, minimum 6,393 ft Gross gain: 2,338 ft. Aggregate ascending 2,629 ft, descending 2,630 ft Maximum slope: 59% ascending, 45% descending, 12% average Duration: 5:57
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.
Went looking for a hike with no snow or muddy roads, headed for FR 269 which goes up San Juan Canyon from the upper end of the village of Ponderosa. But … ’tis winter when the Forest Services closes many of the roads in the Jemez. This called for Plan B, which we decided would be to go up FR 10 beyond the Paliza Campground, to a point where we thought we might be able to descend into San Juan Canyon. No dice for that either – FR 10 was also closed.
The Hike
Ponderosa Mesa Hike.Jay.2018-02-18
Oh well …. We hiked up FR 10 to the top of Ponderosa Mesa, then headed into the woods looking for ruins at locations that I had found on Google Earth. What we found were the open areas but could not conclude that they were ruins sites; if sites, then they were covered after archeology work. But we think it’s more likely these sites were related to mining.
However … in the vicinity of the first area I saw a depression characteristic of a kiva which I’ve seen at other sites, and at each area we -did- find one-room ruins. The first one had very well defined walls, straight and at right angles to each other. At the other site, the shape of the structure was not so well defined, mostly a pile of rock rubble but clearly an example of Pueblo ruins.
Having hiked out about 2.9 miles, we headed back along FR 10 for a short distance, then descended into Goblin Colony for today’s mid-hike repast. From there, back to the truck.
Jay here: The mountain goat forgot to mention bushwhacking (or more accurately boulder whacking) up a canyon because “it’s more scenic than going by road.” Uh-huh. I still have scars from the last time we took the scenic route up a cliff face. Also, we took the route that skirts most of the upper portion of Goblin Colony which was much less difficult than the last time when we tried to come down the center line over some treacherous drops. It was like taking the relief route.
Statistics
Total Distance: 5.11 miles Elevation: start 6,982 ft, maximum 7,689 ft, minimum 6,915 ft Gross gain: 774 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,167 ft, descending 1,165 ft Maximum slope: 29% ascending, 34% descending, 7.3% average Duration: 3:43
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.
Feb 2018: This is another ‘looking back’ entry in our Hiking Journal.
The Hike
Del Agua Hike.Jay.2015-03-22
Statistics
Total Distance: 5.13 miles Elevation: start 5,948 ft, maximum 7,168 ft, minimum 5,948 ft Gross gain: 1,222 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,855 ft, descending 1,855 ft Maximum slope: 37% ascending, 41% descending, 10.4% average Duration: 4:48
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.
Feb 2018: This is another ‘looking back’ entry in our Hiking Journal.
Cienega Canyon Hike.Jay.2015-04-19,
Statistics
Total Distance: 7.22 miles Elevation: start 7,235 ft, maximum 9,229 ft, minimum 7,235 ft Gross gain: 1,224 ft. Aggregate ascending 2,716 ft, descending 2,717 ft Maximum slope: 50% ascending, 46% descending, 13.5% average Duration: 4:49
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 our first foray into visiting Pueblo ruins in the Jemez Mountains based on a report from ondafringe, “Day Hike: Stable Mesa to Kiva Ruins“. I’ve since learned that these are the Tovakwa Pueblo ruins.
The Drive In
The drive to our trailhead was up NM 4 from San Ysidro, left onto NM 485 and up the Guadalupe Canyon (along the Guadalupe River), and through the Gilman Tunnels onto FR 376. Beyond the Tunnels about 7 miles, we parked just across the bridge at Porter.
The Hike
Stable Mesa and Kiva Ruins Hike.Jay.2015-05-03
We began the hike by going south on the east side of the river, starting a climb up the face of the mesa in about a mile. It was then up a rough, steep two-track to the top of Stable Mesa; that was quite a climb – steep, long, very rough and rocky two-track.
The mesa top is quite flat and level; starting north on a two track we encountered a very interesting rock formation with a large window looking west across the Guadalupe Canyon. And the views across, up, and down the canyon are awesome. I had only coordinates for our destination, the Kiva Ruins (also known as the Tovakwa Ruins). We continued in a northeast direction along a nice two-track until I decided we needed to head more south and east towards the Ruins. ‘Twas easy hiking in open ponderosa forest, generally level with a small valley (in Kansas we would call it a ‘draw’) to cross. (In the bottom of this draw we came across a collection of modern artifacts, like someone held a birthday party here. We conjectured over the reason – maybe really a party? someone’s GeoCache site? We’re still puzzled.)
As we followed the GPS pointer, I first saw some mounds of earth that didn’t look like something Mother Nature would have produced. Then, looking down (thanks, Vince, for teaching me to look for things ‘under our feet’), I saw what, on further inspection, proved to be sherds of pottery. I then suspected we were in the vicinity of Tovakwa. As we proceeded I saw a circular depression, thinking it was the site of a kiva. Continuing further we found more ‘unnatural’ mounds, more shards, and then the Great Kiva. All of this on the edge of Stable Mesa overlooking Canyon Cebollita. We also visited more ruins, these rectangular in shape, about .1 miles north of the Great Kiva.
Noting that we had an unnecessary excursion to the north in our track inbound, I turned to the GPS to shoot for a shorter track out. We returned to the draw, then followed it downhill until it fell off steeply towards Guadalupe Canyon. At that point we made the short climb back up onto Stable Mesa, then found our way to rejoin our inbound track and headed down the two-track and back to parking.
Highlight
The drive up Guadalupe Canyon is spectacular, with Gilman Tunnel most interesting. Then the ‘window rock’ once we were up on the Mesa, and the view across the canyon was impressive. And the goal, Tovakwa Pueblo ruins, was a among the most interesting sites we have visited, especially the remains of a large Kiva and the Long House. This was one of our longest hikes to date (2015), and one of the more strenuous – the climb up was challenging. It is one of my favorites.
Statistics
Total Distance: 8.07 miles
Elevation: start 7,175 ft, maximum 7,916 ft, minimum 7,175 ft
Gross gain: 741 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,676 ft, descending 1,669 ft
Maximum slope: 35% ascending, 48% descending, 6.9% average
Duration: 5:07
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.
The Lending Library in Oaxaca arranges for numerous hikes throughout the year. Jay and I joined a group for a hike in the Etla Valley, northwest from Oaxaca City. They provided vans from the City for a group of about 30 people, dropped us in the village of San Andrés Ixtlahuaca. The valley is not mountainous or forested, but with hills and many pastures and fields. It being the dry season, everything was dry and tan colored (even the soil is tan in color), although along the rivers some cultivated fields had green crops.
The Hike
Etla Valley Hike.Jay.2018-01-12
This hike follows a dirt road for its full distance. The first mile or so passes through the outskirts of Ixtlahuaca, then starts a gentle climb up towards the ridge that separates two rivers. Along the way one will see numerous small corn plots, most all of them on a slope, in some cases a steep slope. Because of the size and the terrain, it is apparent all are tended by hand or with the assistance of oxen. Few of the fields had been harvested, the ears removed from the stalks, the stalks left standing.
From the top of the ridge it was an easy walk down the road towards San Felipe Tejalapam. We encountered a small sheep and a few cows being herded up the road by their master and his trusty dog – this certainly added to the ambience of the experience. Approaching the end of the hike we passed among numerous cultivated fields, and crossed a small stream on the way into Tejalapam.
Boarding the vans we headed back towards Oaxaca City, tho’ taking a detour for lunch in San Sebastián Etla. The buffet at Hacienda Santa Martha presented a large spread of most any Oaxacan food one might wish for, from tacos (Oaxacan tacos) to deserts. This was well worth the detour on the way back to the City.
Jay here: This hike was a little bit like walking somewhere in Marin County, minus anything green. Could have been a bit more interesting had the path gone overland rather than a dusty road, but you take your hikes as they present themselves.
Statistics
Total Distance: 5.19 miles Elevation: start 5,387 ft, maximum 5,905 ft, minimum 5,387 ft Gross gain: 518 ft. Aggregate ascending 787 ft, descending 762 ft Maximum slope: 21% ascending, 24% descending, 6.7% average Duration: 2:36
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.
