Tag Archives: Jay

Latuvi Hike (Oaxaca) – 01/10/2018

February 8, 2018

Pat & I taveled to Oaxaca, MX, planning to spend three and half weeks, two weeks in Oaxaca City then a week in Puerto Escondido; Jay joined us for the first week and a half. We arranged with a friend and frequent guide, Eduardo, for Jay and me to visit Los Pueblos Mancomunados, a group of eight indigenous Zapotec villages in the mountains north of Oaxaca City who have joined to develop ecotourism programs. As part of those programs, they have developed a network of hiking trails that connect their villages and they offer guide services for hiking on their trails.

The Drive In

Eduardo made arrangements for us to hike from Santa Marta Latuvi to a spot near Santa Catarina Lachatao. We drove from Oaxaca City up Route 175 (Tuxtepec-Oaxaca road) into the Sierra Norte, climbing on a paved road (not all roads hereabouts are paved) from 5,400 feet elevation topping out at nearly 9,000 feet, then descending to about 6,000 feet. Like all the roads in the Sierra Norte that I’ve been on, this was a twisting, turning two-lane highway, many switchbacks, often with a cliff above on one side and a drop-off cliff on the other side of the road. Throughout the vegetation was thick on both sides of the highway. About 24 miles from Oaxaca City, we turned south onto Av Benito Juarez, a road that soon turned to gravel, ascending back up to about 8,000 feet at Latuvi. After disembarking at Latuvi, Eduardo’s driver headed off for Lachatao to wait for us at the other end of the hike.

The Hike

In Latuvi we met Juan whom Eduardo had engaged to be our guide on the trail. The first three quarters of a mile was down a steep, well used path, from 7,800 to about 7,000 feet elevation where we joined the main trail along the Arroyo Socorro (river). From there we hiked along the river, passing through what to me was high-elevation tropical vegetation, finishing with a short climb up to the road near Lachatao. <span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" data-mce-type="bookmark" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span>

The trail is well used – few local folks have vehicles so these trails are in constant use by people going to and from the villages, fields, markets, and many of their daily activities. The trail passes through lots of vegetation, from shrubs and vines to various deciduous and conifer trees, even a few agaves (someday to be harvested for making Mezcal). We also passed many small plots of corn, some already harvested; at one field villagers were in the process of gathering the ears, picking each from it’s stalk, placing it in a bucket, then transferring to a larger container carried by a burro back to their village. Along the way Juan took time to point out some of the plants and their medicinal benefits – an example: leaves known as ‘deer tongue’ that relieve stomach discomfort.

The bottom of Arroyo Socorro is seldom wider that 100 yards; steep forest-covered hillsides bound the valley with rock cliffs appearing in a couple of places. The stream runs year-round we’re told; ’tis low during this time of the year (the dry season) but becomes quite high during their wet season. We also passed a few small springs, those being the source of water throughout the year.

Climbing up some 500 feet from the river, we met the car and driver near the village of Lachatao who took us into San Miguel Amatlán (a nearby village) and the facilities for Los Pueblos Mancomunados where we had a quite nice lunch. We were then back on the twisty-winding roads to join up with Route 175 to return to Oaxaca City. Check out the GoogleEarth .kml file Latuvi DriveInOut.Jay.2018-01-10 to see the complete ‘expedition’.

Jay here: Following the river for most of the hike made for an uncharacteristic experience. We usually start off with ascent rather than end with it. Juan would frequently stop and explain what a particular wild plant was good for and Lalo would translate it for us. It became comical after a while because it seemed as if every plant was good for “estomica” leading us to believe there was a lot of indigestion in the valley. At the end of the hike we dropped off Juan who casually loped off for an 6 or 7 mile hike back to his home in Latuvi. All in a day’s work.

Statistics

Total Distance: 7.02 miles
Elevation: start 7,833 ft, maximum 7,833 ft, minimum 6,446 ft
Gross gain: 1,387 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,707 ft, descending 2,591 ft
Maximum slope: 48% ascending, 36% descending, 8.8% average
Duration: 4:23

Latuvi DriveIn.Jay.2018-01-10 (KML)	73 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Latuvi DriveIn.Jay.2018-01-10 (GPX)	62 Downloads
Latuvi Hike.Jay.2018-01-10 (KML)	154 Downloads
Latuvi Hike.Jay.2018-01-10 (GPX)	209 Downloads
Latuvi DriveInOut.Jay.2018-01-10 (KML)	174 Downloads
Latuvi DriveInOut.Jay.2018-01-10 (GPX)	341 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

Outdoor Project: Sierra Norte of Oaxaca
HoofingItInOaxaca: Hiking Venues for “Hoofing It In Oaxaca”
Independent:
   How to have a Mexican Adventure Without Destroying the Local Communities
Things to do in Oaxaca: Sustainable Tourism in Oaxaca
TripAdvisor:
   Beautiful hike and Outstanding Bungalows—Hike fromLatuvi to Lachatao
TripAdvisor: Latuvi to Amatlan
Oaxaca mio:
   Santa Marta Latuvi
   Santa Catarina Lachatao
   San Miguel Matatlan

Jay's Photos - Click on a Photo to show Gallery

George's Photos - Click on a Photo to show Gallery

Hoodoo Pines Hike – 12/17/2017

December 19, 2017

‘Tis winter’s colder weather, so ’tis time to return to the Ojito Wilderness; we chose to start this year by returning to Hoodoo Pines. The terrain makes for easy hiking and the geology is mesmerizing. At times we followed the track of previous hikes, at other times wandered about looking for anything interesting. And the Ojito didn’t disappoint.

The Hike

Hoodoo Pines Hike.PatJayNancy.2017-12-17

Jay here: We eased back into the Ojito with a relatively easy hike to start the winter exploration here in the Rio Puerco Valley. Leo the West Highland White Terrier was a great trail dog who often led the way on this hike. Besides fascinating geology there’s a lot of history in the valley that centers on the 4 villages that attracted land grant farmers for many years until the water and drought send them packing in the late 40s and mid 50s. Excellent bakers favored us with homemade Oreos and chocolate chip cookies that outshined our usual fare.

Update: A few days after the hike, Pat and flew out of Santa Fe and over the Ojito Wilderness. She took these aerial photos of Arroyo la Jara and the end of Bernalillito Mesa, where we hiked to Hoodoo Pines. The photos were taken with an iPhone; we were flying about 2000 feet above the terrain.

In this photo, the parking area is in the lower right corner. From there we hiked to the base of Bernalillito Mesa in the upper center of the photo.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.77 miles
Elevation: start 5,797 ft, maximum 5,956 ft, minimum 5,790 ft
Gross gain: 166 ft. Aggregate ascending 438 ft, descending 439 ft
Maximum slope: 29% ascending, 29% descending, 4.5% average
Duration: 3:42

Hoodoo Pines Hike - 12/16/2017 (KML)	300 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Hoodoo Pines Hike - 12/16/2017 (GPX)	65 Downloads

I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.

References

Hiking in New Mexico: Hoodoo Pines Hike – 01/08/2017
ASCHG: Dino Dig And Hoodoo Pines
New Mexico Birder: Hoodoo Pines Trail – Ojito Wilderness
Some great photos.
BLM: Ojito Wilderness

Pat's Photos: Click on a photo for gallery show.

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Jay's Photos: Click on a photo for gallery show.

George's Photos: Click on a photo for gallery show.

Sandy Bottom Canyon Hike – 12/10/2017

December 12, 2017

Wishing to have a short day, we chose to stay close to home. Looking for territory on the north end of the Sandia Mountains that we haven’t already hiked (near Placitas), I used Google Earth to identify a canyon that looked attractive.

The Drive In

GE showed a road leading to a spot near the mouth of this canyon, and I had sketched out a path to guide us with the GPS. But we discovered my starting point was from a road that is private; we decided to not park there. Instead, we headed to the Agua Sarca trailhead near Tunnel Springs.

The Hike

We proceeded up the Agua Sarca trail for a ways, then headed west towards the canyon of interest. Using the GPS on the Android phone, and the topo maps in the US Topo app, we bushwhacked our way over ridges and across 2 arroyos, when we came across a trail (with many cairns, so I’ve dubbed it Cairn Trail). We followed Cairn Trail until it headed north, not the direction we needed to go. So, back to bushwhacking, across another 2 or 3 arroyos, and discovery of a very old two-track (which made things easier). When the two-track petered out, we had just a few steps into canyon.

After that bushwhacking, it was a relief to have a smooth sandy bottom in this canyon with only occasional rock outcroppings that we had to traverse; and there were very little downfall to impede our way. The slope was steady and easy going. We were in and out of sunlight; in the shade of the sides of the canyon it was quite cool and there was a dusting of snow on the ground from squalls last week. We continued up the canyon until it became narrower and there were obstructions ahead, and we wished to preserve energy for bushwhacking we expected to face on the return. So we had our mid-hike break 2.5 miles into the hike.

The return down the canyon went smoothly. We set our sights on using more of the two-tracks and trails we had discovered on the way out. That worked – we had only a short bushwhack from the two-track to the Cairn Trail, which in turn met up with the Agua Sarca Trail. Whew, that was a lot easier than the outbound portion of this hike. I’ve been unable to find any name for this canyon, so we’ve dubbed it Sandy Bottom Canyon. That aptly describes it, especially in contrast to NoName, Del Agua, and others in the area which have long sections of rocky surface and some have rock faces that are a challenge to climb up (or down).

Jay here: Just when you are convinced you’ve seen it all when it comes to the hiking opportunities in the Sandias, you realize there’s lots more out there…and some trails/canyons do not even have names. BTW, it was days later when I realized that I went to school with a girl named Sandy Bottom. What a coincidence.

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.69 miles
Elevation: start 6,355 ft, maximum 7,128 ft, minimum 6,610 ft
Gross gain: 518 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,534 ft, descending 1,531 ft
Maximum slope: 29% ascending, 32% descending, 11% average
Duration: 4:13

Sandy Bottom Canyon Hike.Jay.2017-12-10 (KML)	91 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Sandy Bottom Canyon Hike.Jay.2017-12-10 (GPX)	66 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.

Jay's Photos w/ Captions: Click on a Photo to show Gallery.

George's Photos w/ Captions: Click on a Photo to show Gallery.

Trail Canyon Hike – 12/03/2017

December 11, 2017

Having explored most of the canyons of of FR 144 and the lower portion of NM 126 above the Fish Hatchery, we set out to explore hiking off of FR 376. A couple of opportunities came to light by casting about via Google Earth and the topographic maps.

The Drive In

We chose to enter FR 376 from it’s north end, some 3 miles up NM 126 from La Cueva, and check out Trail Canyon, some 6 miles on FR 376 from NM 4.

The Hike

Our hike began where the Rio Cebolla crosses FR 376; Fenton Lake is upstream on the Rio Cebolla initially following a two-track. After crossing a fenced area (along the edge of private land), we found ourselves in an area of heavy downfall, the result of a fire sometime since 2014; the going was difficult, climbing over down tree trunks etc. Our track angled off to the left (from Rio Cebolla) to head up Trail Canyon. Here we were passing through generally forested territory (no trail, only occasional game trails) with some downfall.

The change in elevation was gradual; rock cliffs were interspersed with steep slopes to the canyon walls. As we neared the head of the canyon, it became narrower and the downfall more prevalent. We had set our sights on topping out at the canyon’s head, but having gone as far as we wished, we stopped for our mid-hike break at 3.5 miles. We hoped to find an alternative route to return to the truck, but each option we looked at seemed to involve a very steep descent back into the canyon or a large increase in distance. Thus, we returned on the outbound track, except for scirting the downfall in the burn area.

An added attraction to choosing to hike along FR 376, one can return to Albuqerque by proceeding south down the Guadalupe Canyon and the Rio Cebolla, a nice valley with a burbling stream that flows year round. At the placename Porter, the Rio Cebolla is joined by the Rio de las Vacas, becoming the Rio Guadalupe. FR 376 also leads to the Gilman Tunnels which are themselves interesting, but the canyon (also referred as the Guadalupe Box) is a surprise and it is stunning. (The road, FR 376, becomes NM 485 south of the Tunnels.)

Jay here: This hike was remarkable for both its length and distance. While the ascent was not particularly difficult, large portions of the canyon were filled with the kind of underbrush that gives you constant whiplash. The downed tree trunks section was also daunting. Getting to the head of the canyon surprised me as I truly thought we were going to be unable to reach that endpoint when I saw how the canyon narrowed more and more. A challenging hike for sure.

Statistics

Total Distance: 6.92 miles
Elevation: start 7,489 ft, maximum 8,365 ft, minimum 7,489 ft
Gross gain: 876 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,393 ft, descending 1,389 ft
Maximum slope: 33% ascending, 32% descending, 6.6% average
Duration: 4:45

Trail Canyon DriveIn.Jay.2017-12-03 (KML)	80 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Trail Canyon DriveIn.Jay.2017-12-03 (GPX)	180 Downloads
Trail Canyon Hike.Jay.2017-12-03 (KML)	134 Downloads
Trail Canyon Hike.Jay.2017-12-03 (GPX)	72 Downloads
Trail Canyon DriveIn.Jay.2017-12-03 (KML)	97 Downloads
Trail Canyon DriveOut.Jay.2017-12-03 (GPX)	208 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

WikipediA: New Mexico State Road 485
Only in Your State:
Most People Have No Idea These Unique Tunnels in New Mexico Exist
dangerousroads: Gilman Tunnels

Jay's Photos: Click on a photo for gallery show.

George's Photos: Click on a photo for gallery show.

Road Canyon Hike – 11/19/2017

December 8, 2017

After such a great hike in Valles Caldera at the upper end of San Antonio Canyon (FR144, San Antonio Canyon, North), I sketched out another track to explore further north on this western edge of the Caldera.

The Drive In

We proceeded further on FR 144, past where it makes a hard left turn to the west, then taking a two-track to the northeast up Road Canyon (4WD and high clearance, but otherwise straightforward) until encountering a fence. Parked here, crossed the fence into the Valles Caldera National Preserve.

The Hike

The first few hundred feet were challenging, with a great deal of downfall. We then found ourselves on a good two-track heading south. We were on the lookout for a descent into a small canyon that would take us into the Caldera; we chose a path down which wasn’t difficult, but next time we would enter this small canyon at it’s head. Once out in the open, as on the other hike the going was easy and the views across the Caldera stupendous.

We followed a fence line heading northeast, on the lookout for the canyon that would take us back up on the ridge above the Caldera. Passing two inviting canyons, one of which had a serviceable two-track, we stuck to the planning sketch and went to the third canyon, the one with a spring (according to USGS Topo). This canyon also had a two-track, tho’ not “serviceable” in its present condition; ’twas a quite steep climb of some 450′; although the speed curve on the GoogleEarth profile shows that we weren’t going very fast, it was a really good workout.

Once atop the ridge, we found the expected two-track, followed it until the sketch indicated we should go cross-country to return to our outbound track and the truck. The two-track was in excellent condition, showing a fair amount of recent traffic. With the aspen groves in this area, it may be a prime place to visit for fall colors next year, but some exploring will be required to find an entry point to this two-track.

Jay here: I believe on top of the ridge is where we just caught the ass-end of a group of elk. They leave droppings but have so far proven to be illusive. And another steep climb once out of the Caldera.

Statistics

Total Distance: 5.00 miles
Elevation: start 8,922 ft, maximum 9,076 ft, minimum 8,436 ft
Gross gain: 640 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,089 ft, descending 1,097 ft
Maximum slope: 33% ascending, 43% descending, 9% average
Duration: 3:12

Road Canyon-Valles Caldera Hike.Jay.2017-11-19 (KML)	219 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Road Canyon-Valles Caldera Hike.Jay.2017-11-19 (GPX)	98 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

NPS: The Nation’s Newest National Preserve

Jay's Photos: Click on a photo for gallery show.

George's Photos w/ Captions: Click on a photo for gallery show.

San Antonio Canyon North Hike – 11/12/2017

December 7, 2017

On this day, we set out to explore FR 144 beyond our previous furthest hike, Pony Canyon. Specifically, we chose a route down into San Antonio Canyon, following a two-track depicted on the Topo maps. We didn’t know what to expect – GoogleEarth didn’t show much of a track down the 700 feet from FR 144 to the Canyon floor. But, it is a two-track that has been used in recent times, making for an easy descent.

The Hike

San Antonio Canyon North Hike.Jay.2017-11-12

As we hiked down the two-track, we enjoyed the views of the open valley and the Rio San Antonio. We proceeded southeast along this bend in the Rio, then rounded up northeast to follow the Rio upstream. The view across the Caldera were stunning – rolling hills covered with grass and the rim mountains on the horizon.

Following a sketched track that I had made with Google Earth, a times on a two-track and sometimes following a fence, we hiked along the Rio for a while, enjoying the sound of a steady stream of water over rocks. Where the Rio turned northeast towards the middle of the Caldera, we headed north towards a two-track that appeared on Google Earth to provide a reasonable ascent back atop the ridge. Along the way we passed three active springs, the first one feeding directly into the Rio.

As we proceeded along the edge of the open Caldera, to the left were steep slopes, sometimes cliffs, up to the top of the ridge. After crossing two or three ridges, we came to the “canyon” that seemed to offer the best chance for an “easier” ascent. After some bushwacking, we discovered an old two-track, consistent with our suspicions – those two-track makers would certainly find the best routes. It was still a challenging climb – some 500 feet in less than a mile. Once on top we stopped for our mid-hike break among a beautiful of now leaf-less aspen, their white trunks reaching up for New Mexico’s blue skies.

We continued on the two-track that brought us up on the ridge. From here we made good time on two-tracks, some with signs of recent traffic.l After a couple of intersections with other two-tracks and a brief bush-whack along a fence, we were back at the truck. This was another amazing hike.

Jay here: It was a sight stopper. The bubbling creek running through the Caldera was a bonus attraction. I never catch a break on the bushwhacking…not sure why that is. Wait, I know why. George has the maps!

Statistics

Total Distance: 6.19 miles
Elevation: start 8,761 ft, maximum 8,963 ft, minimum 8,334 ft
Gross gain: 629 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,212 ft, descending 1,214 ft
Maximum slope: 34% ascending, 45% descending, 7% average
Duration: 4:13

FR144-San Antonio Canyon North Driveout.Jay.2017-11-12 (KML)	125 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
FR144-San Antonio Canyon North Driveout.Jay.2017-11-12 (GPX)	85 Downloads
FR144-San Antonio Canyon North Hike.Jay.2017-11-12 (KML)	158 Downloads
FR144-San Antonio Canyon North Hike.Jay.2017-11-12 (GPX)	77 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.

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

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

Barleycito-Barley Canyons Hike – 10/15/2017

October 20, 2017

We headed to these favorite canyons in the Jemez, hoping to catch the aspen in their full fall color. And we did. But on the way, the cottonwood trees in San Antonio canyon, all the way from Jemez Pueblo to La Cueva, were the brightest golden color you can imagine.

The Drive In

We hiked Barley Canyon back in May 2017, that time driving in from the bottom of the canyon: past Fenton Lake on NM 126 a short distance past the Fish Hatchery, then up FR 378 (Barley Canyon) a bit over a mile. Then the hike goes from lower to higher in Barley, then back down what I’ve dubbed Barleycito, a side canyon that joins Barley at Barley’s mddle. For this trip we turned onto FR 144, a much shorter drive and hiked down Barleycito then back up Barley.

The Hike

On the drive in on NM 126 and FR 144, we saw sprinklings of golden aspen along with aspen still green and leafless. That was the case in the Canyons as well. This hike was much like the May hike – a very pleasant canyon, easy surfaces and slopes. Although we could stay on the two-tracks (some sections more heavily used) we opted this trip to follow closer to the center/bottom of the canyon where we found we could almost always follow cattle or game trails. Jay here: Finally. The aspen color we’ve been waiting for. And no bushwacking…what a surprise. This was a most pleasant hike primarily for its lack of ascent. So there were no overlooks but plenty of close-up scenery to make up for it.

Statistics

Total Distance: 5.10 miles
Elevation: start 8,715 ft, maximum 8,813 ft, minimum 8,108 ft
Gross gain: 705 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,369 ft, descending 1,370 ft
Maximum slope: 34% ascending, 37% descending, 8% average
Duration: 3:19

Barleycito-Barley.Jay.2017-10-15 (KML)	118 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Barleycito-Barley.Jay.2017-10-15 (GPX)	54 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.

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

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

Pony Canyon Hike – 09/24/2017

October 20, 2017

The Hike

We returned to Pony Canyon, having hiked it back in May 2017. We were hoping to catch the aspen in their full fall color – we were early for the ‘show’, but found other plants showing their colors. Although we parked at a different turnout, we followed close to the same track as before.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.99 miles
Elevation: start 8,778 ft, maximum 9,011 ft, minimum 8,570 ft
Gross gain: 441 ft. Aggregate ascending 964 ft, descending 962 ft
Maximum slope: 36% ascending, 42% descending, 8% average
Duration: 3:48

Pony Canyon Hike.Jay.2017-09-24 (KML)	126 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Pony Canyon Hike.Jay.2017-09-24 (GPX)	64 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

Hiking in New Mexico: Pony Canyon Hike (See that hike for more references.)

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

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

Lower Pine Hike – 10/01/2017

October 20, 2017

Today we needed a hike for a short day, closer to ‘home’ than the Jemez or San Pedro Parks. Opted to hit a trail on the northwest section of the Cedro Peak area of the Sandia Ranger District.

The Drive In

To get to the trailhead, drive east from Tijeras on NM 333 (old Route 66), turn right on FR 462/Bartoloa Baca Rd/Kennedy Rd ( a bit over 3 miles from the main intersection in Tijeras). About a mile up FR 462 you will find parking on the left (just before the road becomes -really- rough). Trails in this area are used heavily for mountain biking, tho’ we saw none on this Sunday.

The Hike

The trail proceed up a ravine for about a mile, on a surface that is quite rocky. The remainder of the trail was easier, with only short sections of rocky surface. At the intersection with Gear Grinder and Pinyon trails, we chose to go right onto Gear Grinder. The trail was easy to follow for a half mile or so, but we weren’t able to find it where it headed south. After casting about for a few minutes, we headed southeast ‘cross country’, intercepting the well used and easy to identify Pinyon trail. The trek north on Pinyon was the easiest of the hike. We then followed Lower Pine back to parking.

Statistics

Total Distance: 6.18 miles
Elevation: start 6,694 ft, maximum 7,116 ft, minimum 6,694 ft
Gross gain: 422 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,151 ft, descending 1,143 ft
Maximum slope: 21% ascending, 19% descending, 6% average
Duration: 3:55

Lower Pine Hike.Jay.2017-10-01 (KML)	215 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Lower Pine Hike.Jay.2017-10-01 (GPX)	50 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

Cibola National Forest:
Lower Pine Traihead
Manzanita Mountains Trail Map (download .pdf)
MTB Project: Lower Pine

Jay's Photos: Click on Photo to show Gallery.

George's Photos: Click on Photo to show Gallery.

Noname Hike – 09/17/2017

October 3, 2017

Returned to Noname Canyon (a name that we have given it, since we can’t find a name on any maps) for a short day. The trail goes up a narrow canyon with numerous stretches that are quite rocky. It does make for a good workout: a thousand feet elevation gain in 1.7 miles. ‘Tis mostly in shade (in morning hours) with some stretches through or around “shrubery”.

The Hike

Jay had recently joined a group to visit the “Great Quartz Outcrop” in the vicinity of Noname; approaching the limit of our hike for the day, we climbed out of the canyon to look about for the Outcrop. Looking across Noname from the ridge on the north, we could see the Outcrop. The group’s route went up onto a ridge and down into a canyon two or three times, with steep descents and ascents. Noname offers an alternative route to the Outcrop.

Jay here: George and I have been up No Name wash several times but never realized how close we were to the Great Quartz Outcrop. Our route to the outcrop requires many traverses over rock falls, but I would take that any day over the alternate route that not only has steep ascents but is also out in the open with no shade whatsoever. We will definitely come back this way again and make the final push up the knoll to climb on to the Quartz Outcrop.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.35 miles
Elevation: start 6,082 ft, maximum 7,135 ft, minimum 6,082 ft
Gross gain: 1,053 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,391 ft, descending 1,383 ft
Maximum slope: 56% ascending, 48% descending, 14% average
Duration: 3:21

No Name Hike.Jay.2017-09-17 (KML)	120 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
No Name Hike.Jay.2017-09-17 (GPX)	70 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.

The Drive In

The Hike

Statistics

References

The Hike

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Related Posts (in the vicinity)

References

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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The Hike

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The Drive In

The Hike

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The Hike

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The Drive In

The Hike

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References

The Hike

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