Tag Archives: Jay

Cave Creek Nature Trail Walk – 03/21/2021

March 31, 2021

This is the first post for a 5-day camping and hiking trip to the Chiricahua Mountains with our friends Jay and Nancy. The Chiricahuas are in the southeastern corner of Arizona, just across the state line from Rodeo, NM. I have been interested in visiting there since a fly-in to Amigos Del Cielo Airport with our friend Lanny. We heard great things about hiking (and bird watching) on the eastern slopes of this small mountain range.

The Drive In

‘Tis 331 miles from Albuquerque, almost a six hour drive with our R-Pod camper/trailer. Campsites at our destination, Cave Creek (Sunny Flat and Stewart) are first-come-first-serve, and we had been advised to be there soon after noon when people would be leaving. So we took 2 days, spending the first night at the Rockhound State Park south of Deming. This is a dandy campground with large site pads (with full hookups), each separated from nicely for the others, and offering great views of the Little Florida Mountain range to the east and across the plains to the west. Sites are by reservation and we were fortunate to get a nice site for Saturday night.

View of Dragon Ridge near Sunset from Rockhound State Park.

Sunrise of Dragon Ridge the next morning from Rockhound State Park.

On Sunday it was up and get going the 125 miles to the town of Portal at the entrance to Cave Canyon and into the Canyon to check out the campgrounds. For truly great video tours of the campgrounds (see Resources below for YouTube videos), we favored the more informal Stewart Campground. The road through the campground is gravel as are the sites; there is one vault toilet centrally located; and the trees create what I describe as a ‘cozy’ environment. Driving through Stewart we found 3 sites that were available and one being vacated – we preferred the latter (#5) and weren’t disappointed. We set up our R-Pod and soon Jay and Nancy arrived and set up their tent on a nice tent pad, a feature of nearly all of these campsites.

We had been advised that there were no services nearby – no gas, food, lodging, or internet service; fill up your gas tank in Lordsburg. We found otherwise: yes, no gas, but a small general store in Portal with the basic necessities (and a small menu plus beer) and lodging (Portal Peak Lodge, Store, & Cafe), and the Sky Island Grill and Grocery with a larger inventory of groceries and cafe menu. Internet service is available at both places courtesy their WiFi; cellular service is not available in the canyon and spotty even out in the open on the road between Portal and Rodeo.

The Hike

Cave Creek Nature Trail Walk.PatJayNancy.2021-03-21

Having set up our camp by mid-afternoon, and having spent the last 2 days (1 day for Jay and Nancy who drove from Placitas), we needed to stretch our legs. We suspected there was a trail across Cave Creek (15 yards across strewn rocks, no water), so we ventured out. And .. across the creek and Cave Creek Road (FR 42) we found a nice, easy trail. We headed up-canyon towards the other campground, Sunny Flat. This campground is more formal with paved road and large RV sites, and more open without the forest close at hand.

Statistics

Total Distance: 2.08 miles
Elevation: start 5,024 ft, maximum 5,161 ft, minimum 5,017 ft
Gross gain: 144 ft. Aggregate ascending 190 ft, descending 312 ft (return half of out-and-back)
Maximum slope: 33% ascending, 60% descending, 7.5% average
Duration: 1:18

Cave Creek Nature Trail Walk.PatJayNancy.2021-03-21 (KML)	67 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Cave Creek Nature Trail Walk.PatJayNancy.2021-03-21 (GPX)	68 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

NM State Parks: Rockhound State Park
NM Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources: Rock Hound State Park and Spring Canyon Recreation Area
USFS: Stewart Campground
         Sunny Flat Campground
AZ Camp Guide: Stewart Campground
                               Sunny Flat Campground
Camp Arizona: Stewart Campground
                            Sunny Flat Campground
The Dyrt: Stewart Campground
                   Sunny Flat Campground
High Desert Camper (YouTube): Stewart Campground, Arizona
                                                            Sunny Flat Campground, Portal AZ
Chiricahua Mountains Hiking Trails: Cave Creek Nature Trail #603
Friends of Cave Creek Canyon: Hiking

George's Photos (with captions): Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

Karr Canyon Road Hike – 11/01/2020

November 18, 2020

This is our 2nd hike on a 3-night camping trip to the area near White Sands with friends Jay and Nancy. We camped at the Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, with campsites affording superb views of the Tularosa Basin to the west (with a glimpse of White Sands 17 miles distant) and the Sacramento Mountains rising from the campground to the east. We chose this weekend to be on hand at White Sands to see the rise of the Blue Moon.

The Drive In

For a description of the drive from Albuquerque, see the post from the 1st hike: Dog Canyon Trail Hike – 10-/31/2020. As for the drive to this day’s hike: From Oliver Lee return to Alamagordo, then continue north on US 54 – we took the bypass to avoid downtown Alamagordo. At the end of the bypass, continue straight ahead onto US 82 towards Cloudcroft. In Cloudcroft, turn right off of US 82 onto NM 130, then in 1.3 miles turn right onto NM 6563 (Sunspot Highway).

Our original plan was to hike the Upper Karr Canyon Trail, but arriving at the entrance to the Recreation Area we found it closed. So we retraced our drive towards Cloudcraft, parking at one of the 4 trailheads identified with the Rim Trail; this is about 3.1 miles from the NM130-NM6563 intersection. On the west side of the road, across the roadside ditch and behind a few trees there is parking for 4 or 5 vehicles.

The Hike

Karr Canyon Road Hike.PatJayNancy.2020-11-01

So, we started at the Rim Trail trailhead Parking 3, or so we thought. From the parking area a very nice two-track headed off into the woods. Soon we were surprised to come across snow in the shaded areas. About a mile on we came across a sign that confused us – it showed the Rim Trail going back/left and forward/right, and Karr-C Road FR 636 going left and right. Not sure, we decided to continue on the very nice two-track.

Note: Later, when I reviewed maps, etc., I concluded that we had missed the Rim Trail at the parking lot; the clue was the ‘dotted line’ on USGS Topo maps. -The- Rim Trail follows somewhat parallel to FR 636 and crosses it at this intersection, continuing north to Rim Trail trailhead #2.

The two-track, FR 636, continues for another mile through mixed conifer forest. At a couple of places we had a view across the valleys and foothills of the eastern slopes Sacramento Mountains. From the tracks it is used occasionally so is in good condition with gentle slopes, 200 feet elevation gain in the first half mile, then descending 280 feet in the next 1.5 miles. At the end of the road, where the ridge ends before descending quickly into Tucker Canyon, we discovered a large camping tent – thought it might be hunters. … On the way back to the truck we did come across a gaggle of half dozen or so deer.

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.0 miles
Elevation: start 8,925 ft, maximum 9,127 ft, minimum 8,837 ft
Gross gain: 290 ft. Aggregate ascending 851 ft, descending 851 ft
Maximum slope: 32% ascending, 29% descending, 7.2% average
Duration: 2:54

Karr Canyon Road Hike.PatJayNancy.2020-11-01 (KML)	82 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Karr Canyon Road Hike.PatJayNancy.2020-11-01 (GPX)	116 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

USDA Forest Service: Rim Trail (T105)
Rim Trail (PDF)
National Park Service: America’s National Trails System
AllTrails: National Recreation Rim Trail (Trail 105)
Rim Trail: Sections 1 and 2
TripAdvisor: Rim Trail (lots of comments)
American Trails: National Recreation Trails

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

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

Dog Canyon Trail Hike – 10/31/2020

November 13, 2020

This is our first hike on a 3-night camping trip to the area near White Sands with friends Jay and Nancy. We camped at the Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, with campsites affording superb views of the Tularosa Basin to the west (with a glimpse of White Sands 17 miles distant) and the Sacramento Mountains rising from the campground to the east. We chose this weekend to be on hand at White Sands to see the rise of the Blue Moon.

The Drive In

The drive from Albuquerque is some 224 miles, close to 4 hours enroute. We drove south on I-25 to San Antonio, the east on US 380 to Alamagordo. Sixty miles from San Antonio, we stopped at the Valley of Fires Recreation Area for lunch and a view of this large area of malpais (lava flow).

Continuing another 5 miles, we turned south on US Hwy 54, through Alamagordo, and 11 miles further to Dog Canyon Road, turn east for 4 miles to the Oliver Lee State Park and Campground.

The Campground & Camping

Oliver Lee has a mixture of campsites, some with hookups, others with tent pads (many of which also have space enough for small campers like our 17′ R-Pod); reservations are required. The campsites are spaced nicely apart; there are water hydrants near each of them; there are a couple of pit toilets scattered about plus a building with running water (toilets and showers, ‘tho in these times of Covid the showers are closed). There is also a Visitors Center with a small museum (also closed on account of Covid) and adjoining Riparian Nature Trail and Frenchy’s Cabin.

The campground is on the gentle slope between the flat and level Tularosa Basin and the quickly-rising Sacramento Mountains. Thus the views from nearly all the campsites are really great. The area is open desert – no trees, only small shrubs (many with very nasty thorns) and cactus – no place to go bushwhacking. We enjoyed all 3 nights of camping there, starting with a nice fire on the first night (we brought our own firewood).

The Hike

Dog Canyon Trail Hike.PatJayNancy.2020-10-31

We began the hike at our campsites, proceeded to the trailhead located behind the Visitors Center. The trail starts with a quick elevation gain, steep and very rocky. When not loose rock, the trail traverses a solid rock surface with a steep slope; happily this type of rock affords a good grip for the boots – no sliding. In many places rocks form a staircase (yes, it is that steep) and in a few spots a handhold was required.

That describes the trail for the first 3/5ths of a mile and 500 feet elevation gain. This brought us to what the map at the trailhead labeled the “First Bench”. From here trail is quite level and, tho’ rocky, is much easier to ambulate, easy enough to look around and enjoy the scenery. Behind us (to the west) we had a view down Dog Canyon and across the Tularosa Basin to White Sands and the San Andres and Organ Mountains beyond. At times the trail approached the edge of the Bench providing a good look down into the canyon proper, 400′ to the bottom. And across the canyon and up towards the crest of these Sacramento Mountains, steep slopes and sheer cliff faces from the canyon floor at 5,000 feet elevation to 7,000 feet.

Having done what seemed like a lot of difficult elevation gain getting up to the Bench, at 1.7 miles into the hike we stopped for lunch, then headed back to the campground. On the ascent, because of the steep slope and rocky surface, I was concerned about the difficulties of descending on such a trail. It was no problem, easier than I thought it might be.

Jay here: I had high hopes that we could make it all the way to Frenchy’s line camp, but this was a more strenuous hike than I anticipated. Still, it was most enjoyable and far different than our hiking in the Jemez, Sandias, Sangre de Cristos, or even Ojito. The area is considered part of the Chihuahuan Desert, so the vegetation is quite different from the Northern half of New Mexico and the landscape more stark. Loads of ocotillo and more types of cactus than what we normally see. The 400′ drop of the Bench tested my vertigo and the steep portions with rocky descent has me on my butt for a while, but all in all it was a great hike.

Highlight

After the hike, we packed up fixings for supper and headed to White Sands National Park, to be there when the Blue Moon rose over the Sacramento Mountains. The ‘sand’scape is quite amazing, driving through the pure white sand dunes, 10’ to 15 feet high all around. We settled on a parking area at the west end of the loop road, then explored the nearby dunes. Not to be outdone by other groups having a good time, we picked up a couple of frisbees and tried to regain some skill in tossing them back and forth.

As sunset approached, the light began to change as the sun descended through thin clouds over the San Andres Mountains to the west. The white sand dunes created an eerie scene in the subdued light , then the red color of the sunset took over the sky all around (yes, in these open spaces sunsets are spectacular for 360 degrees around). We then waited for the Blue Moon to rise over the Sacramento Mountains (we could not stay long since the park closed at 8:00).

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.39 miles
Elevation: start 4,316 ft, maximum 5,013 ft, minimum 4,316 ft
Gross gain: 697 ft. Aggregate ascending 952 ft, descending 951 ft
Maximum slope: 40% ascending, 38% descending, 09.1 % average
Duration: 3:42

GPS Tracks

Dog Canyon Trail Hike.PatJayNancy.2020-10-31 (KML)	72 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Dog Canyon Trail Hike.PatJayNancy.2020-10-31 (GPX)	73 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

New Mexico State Parks: Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
USDA Forest Service: Dog Canyon Trail (T106)
White Sands National Park
AllTrails: Dog Canyon Trail 106
Hiking Project: Dog Canyon Trail (T106)
TinyShinyHome: Hiking The Dog Canyon Trail etc. – Great Photos and Description
Wikipedia: Oliver Lee (New Mexico)
White Sands National Park
A Dangerous Business: … Visiting White Sands National Park – an excellent article
Roswell Daily Record: Quiet and reclusive, Frenchy was one of the bravest men in the Southwest
NM Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources: Oliver Lee Memorial (PDF)

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

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

Valle de San Antonio Hike – 09/22/2020

September 30, 2020

Our 2nd hike on a 5-day camping trip to the Jemez Mountains with Jay and Nancy. We set up camp in the Jemez Falls Campground, a very nice Forest Service campground in the middle of the Jemez Mountains and close to Valles Caldera. Nearby are great hiking opportunities – for all skill levels, any distances.

The Drive In

From the campground, drive east to the entrance to the Valles Caldera National Preserve. There is only one road into the Preserve which takes one to the Visitor Center. To proceed beyond this point one must register (and may be required to pay an access fee, ‘tho in recent months the fees have been waived). After receiving your Pass, you will be allowed to lower the entrance cable and proceed into the Preserve.

The trailhead for this hike is in the northwestern corner of Valles Caldera. Within the Preserve, vehicles must remain on the two roads. From the Visitors Center, VC01 goes northwest between Valle Grande the lava domes Cerro La Jara and South Mountain to the Cabin District. (Among the buildings there is the ranch house featured in the series “Longmire”.) From there, VC02 proceeds northeast, about 10 miles to a T intersection with VC09. To continue for hiking downstream on San Antonio Creek, turn left on VC09 – 4 miles to park at the end of allowed access.

The Hike

Valle De San Antonio Hike.PatJayNancy.2020-09-22

This is may be the most beautiful area of Valles Caldera. We parked at the end of access on VC-09, then continued on foot in the wide valley of San Antonio Creek. We enjouyed magnificent views of the surrounding lava domes: to the south Cerro Seco and San Antonio Mountain, and to the north and west the rim of the Caldera. About a mile along the old roadbed of VC-09 we crossed the bridge over San Antonio Creek, and then .. the rain showers that had sprung up around the area caught up with us. We repaired up the slope and found a ponderosa pine that gave us some protection from the rain and popcorn hail shower.

After about 45 minutes pinned down by the shower, we returned to VC-09 to continue our hike. A quarter of a mile on we passed out of the Preserve and onto FR 376 which followed the contour of the caldera rim 60 feet or so above the floor of the valley. The view of the Creek from this vantage point is beautiful. In another half mile we found ourselves at the base of the road Jay and I had taken down from FR 144 for the San Antonio Canyon North Hike back in 2017. We chose to turn back here, but take a route along the Creek itself.

Of interest to us in the creek were the artificial “beaver dams” that were being constructed when Pat & I hiked here back in 2019 (Valle de San Antonio Hike – 09/11/2019). Work had been completed and the posts with willow woven between them were intact .. but no sign of beaver (yet).

The track along the river is most pleasant, with the green grasses, recently planted willows (within exclosures for protection), and the gently flowing stream. The trail is easy walking, ‘tho with one place where the artificial dam had backed up water over the trail necessitating a detour up the slope a bit. About midway back towards the parking area, the trail returns to the road and across the bridge. Proceeding north on VC-09, the view across the wide valley of San Antonio Creek is splendid. All in all, this hike easily makes it worth the extra drive from the Valles Caldera entrance.

Jay here: Wouldn’t you know it. Hail storm again. Nancy and I had been partway on the road into the caldera but never to the end where this hike began. It’s a long ride. Seems longer on the way out after a long hike. A lot of downed trees throughout which is a bit sad but the regeneration is already underway so that’s a positive sign. Nancy found some rusty gems to take back, so it was worth the trek.

Highlight

A slide show of the beautiful vista views of the Valle de San Antonio.

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.35 miles
Elevation: start 8,390 ft, maximum 8,474 ft, minimum 8,326 ft
Gross gain: 148 ft. Aggregate ascending 618 ft, descending 618 ft
Maximum slope: 40% ascending, 42% descending, 04.8% average
Duration: 3:35

GPS Tracks

Valle De San Antonio Hike.PatJayNancy.2020-09-22 (KML)	139 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Valle De San Antonio Hike.PatJayNancy.2020-09-22 (GPX)	79 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.

Valle de San Antonio Hike – 09/11/2019
VC-09 Valle San Antonio Hike – 07/25/2019
San Antonio Canyon North Hike – 11/12/2017

References and Resources

National Park Service: Valles Caldera
New Mexico Nomad: The Valles Caldera
         An Excellent overview of the geology and history
NM Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources: The Valles Caldera: New Mexico’s Supervolcano (PDF)
Natural Atlas: Valles Caldera National Preserve (Topo & Trails)
National Geographic, Four Corners Region: Valles Caldera National Preserve – Fly Fishing
Any Place America: Valles Caldera National Preserve
      Features: creeks, springs, valleys & canyons, peaks, even “mines”
Las Cruces Sun News: Experience the beauty of Valles Caldera National Preserve
In Light of Nature: Epic Winter Crossing of the Valles Caldera
Bikepacking.com: Valles Caldera Supervolcano Explorer, New Mexico
        Really great photos

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

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

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

Cerro Grande Trail Hike – 09/21/2020

September 26, 2020

This is our first hike on a 5-day camping trip to the Jemez Mountains with friends Jay and Nancy. We set up camp in the Jemez Falls Campground, a very nice Forest Service campground in the middle of the Jemez Mountains and close to Valles Caldera. Nearby are great hiking opportunities, for all skill levels, any distanc

The Drive In

The trailhead is 13 miles east of the Jemez Falls Campground on NM 4. There is a large parking area on the north side of the road at the trailhead. (Across the road are trailheads for other trails going south into the upper reaches of Bandelier, also good hiking.)

The Hike

Cerro Grande Trail Hike.PatJayNancy.2020-09-21

This is a favorite trail for Pat & me, and we were pleased to bring Jay and Nancy here. On the way to the trailhead, we stopped to enjoy the tremendous view across Valle Grande, the main valley yet comprising less than 10% of the Caldera as a whole. — We did not see any elk in the Valle this morning, although often one can see one or many herds in the distance (a couple of miles – the Valle is so huge they are only dots on the valley floor.)

The first half mile of the trail is a gentle slope through open forest; like all of the trail, it is well used, makes for easy walking. From there on the slope is a bit greater but I would never classify it as steep, although at times it is on a hillside with a 50° slope. Topping the saddle (about 2/3rd to the summit) we paused to enjoy a great view west across the Valle to the far rim of the volcano and mountains south and west.

From here the trail is in open grassland except for 300 or 400 yards of open forest on the east slope of Cerro Grande. We had been watching the formation of rain cells coming from the northwest. Some went around us, but our luck ran out and precipitation began with small, soft hailstones (or were they large popcorn snow). We sought shelter in what appeared to be the last ponderosa pine on the way to the summit; it was just large enough to keep us almost dry.

The shower cells were moving slowly – some 50 minutes later that cell passed on and we headed down, foregoing those last yards to the summit (it is, after all, not a peak but a gentle mountain top). Though it remained cloudy, the hike back down was dry.

Highlight

The best I can do here is — the snow/rain quit after about 50 minutes while we huddled under a tree. We were able to return to the trailhead in dry conditions and enjoy our mid-hike break a couple of hundred yards from the parking area.

Jay here: Well, highlight is one word for it. Hail, hail, the gang’s all here, under a tree. What the heck do we care? It’s small comfort that hail storms are typical this time of year at 9k feet. You still wait for the lightning to hit the tree you are standing under. Now that’s a highlight. The sunshine at the start and the super saturated light at the end of the hike are all you have to see to experience the contrast. Great hike, great company. It’s like the analogy of who you would want to share a foxhole with…and not get killed.

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.24 miles
Elevation: start 8,959 ft, maximum 10,110 ft, minimum 8,956 ft
Gross gain: 1,154 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,325 ft, descending 1,327 ft
Maximum slope: 26% ascending, 26% descending, 10.7% average
Duration: 4:47

Cerro Grande Trail Hike.PatJayNancy.2020-09-21 (KML)	220 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Cerro Grande Trail Hike.PatJayNancy.2020-09-21 (GPX)	90 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.

Cerro Grande Trail Hike – 06/25/2019 (to the summit)
Cerro Grande Trail Hike – 05/29/2019 (halfway to the summit)

References and Resources (consolidated from previous posts)

National Park Service, Bandelier: Cerro Grande Trail
Valles Caldera Map
AllTrails: Cerro Grande Trail
Natural Atlas: Cerro Grande Trail, a very nice interactive map – pan, zoom etc.
American Southwest: Cerro Grande Trail, Bandelier National Monument
Wikipedia: Cerro Grande Fire
Valles Caldera
ondafringe: Day Hike: Cerro Grande/Valles Caldera
Stav Is Lost: Hike Cerro Grande
Discover the West: The Cerro Grande Route (great review, recommended)
Valles Caldera Rim: Valles Caldera East Rim: Cerro Grande Snowshoe
Keeping in Tune: I Hike the Cerro Grande Trail in the Jemez Mountains (great photos)
Los Alamos Daily Post: Amateur Naturalist: Cerro Grande Peak: Scene – Human and Natural Impacts

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

Jay's Photos (with captions): Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

George's Photos (with captions): Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

Agua Sarca Trail Hike – 12/15/2019

December 15, 2019

Returning again to trails in the Placitas area, this time the Agua Sarca trail which we last hiked in 2016. The trailhead is next to a parking area on Tunnel Springs road just short of the Picnic Area. (Caution: the upper portions Tunnel Springs Road are a mess; high terrain vehicle strongly advised.)

The Hike

Agua Sarca Trail Hike.Jay.2019-12-15
(Straight line is our start on the trail – operator error, didn’t start track recording with USTopo.)

Initially the trail surface is firm with few rocks – quite pleasant. About 1/3 mile on, it becomes very rocky, then again maybe 2/3 miles on it is again quite pleasant. And that’s mostly the way it goes as one hikes up the canyon. About .8 miles into the hike, the real Agua Sarca trail bears to the left (I say this in hindsight after comparing today’s track with previous hikes and other resources). We missed this turn and instead continued into the canyon to the right. (I didn’t think to check the GPS at this point, it so looked like a ‘good’ trail.) Another .15 miles on the canyon bottom became thick with brush – nearly impassable. By then I had checked the GPS and saw that the real trail was off to the east.

Jay asked “Shall we bushwhack over there?” “Sure” I said, and we headed up what became a very steep slope. Climbing and climbing, at times pulling ourselves up and hanging on to juniper trees and other plants, I began checking the GPS/Topo to monitor our progress. I noted that there was a dotted line on the Topo indicating a trail in our vicinity (these dotted lines usually show a trail from some time in the past). We may have crossed it a couple of times, until I came across a cairn just beyond which we discovered a narrow trail going left and right. Still thinking we could make it to the real Agua Sarca Trail, we went left hoping it would follow a topo elevation line and ultimately bring us to the real trail back in Agua Sarca Canyon.

I do think we were on the ‘dotted line’ trail. It was a very narrow path, at times indiscernible and along a very steep slope. We reached a point where we were unable to see it ahead of us and the terrain appeared to become even steeper. Very tired from the strenuous climb behind us, we opted to retrace our track and head back the way we came. Then we faced the very steep descent, using a completely different set of muscles and at times sitting and sliding down on loose dirt and sand. It was a relief to make it to the bottom of the canyon — where we stopped for our mid-hike break (and some welcome rest). The return trip from there was easy (quite easy, by comparison). We identified the turn we had missed (and discovered a small cairn marking this spot).

The day had started under heavy clouds over the Sandias (and blue, sunny skies elsewhere), but the lack of sun, the gusty winds, and temperature in the mid 40’s, added to the strenuous nature of this hike. The warmer conditions when were back down in Agua Sarca Canyon were welcome. I look forward to returning to Agua Sarca; I think there is much more to see (locate the ‘dotted line trail’, or make it a loop returning via North Crest and Oho del Orno trails).

Jay here: Yep, this was a strenuous hike alright. To make matters worse for me, I left my good Vasque boots in Santa Fe, so I was forced to hike with some old Merrell boots that were low-cut and designed for sandy level terrain. Therefore, I had little traction and bite going up the steep hillside and not enough support to keep the ankles from getting weary. Still not sure how we missed that left turn but those things are a lot easier to see on the way back when you’re figuring out how we went wrong.

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.66 miles
Elevation: start 6,350 ft, maximum 7,241 ft, minimum 6,350 ft
Gross gain: 891 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,063 ft, descending 1,059 ft
Maximum slope: 50% ascending, 56% descending, 15.9% average
Duration: 3:13

Agua Sarca Trail Hike.Jay.2019-12-15 (KML)	95 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Agua Sarca Trail Hike.Jay.2019-12-15 (GPX)	189 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

USDA Forest Service: Agua Sarca Trailhead & Agua Sarca Trail 231
AllTrails: Agua Sarca Trail
Backpacker: Albuquerque, NM: Agua Sarca Canyon Loop
ASCHG: Del Orno – N Crest – Agua Sarca Loop Hike

Click on a Photo for Gallery Show, or Click Here for Slide Show

Del Agua-Piedra Lisa Trails Hike- 11/17/2019

November 21, 2019

In Placitas for this weekend giving us an opportunity to revisit trails in the area that we’ve enjoyed in the past. And a favorite: Del Agua, with a loop finishing on the Piedra Lisa trial. We’ve hiked each of these trails and the loop many times in the past, most of them before I started this BLOG. So I will offer details more typical of recent posts.

The Drive In

Access to the trailhead for both trails is via the Forest Loop Rd. There are two entrances, not far from each other: from the Placitas Cafe the first one – .5 miles, the second one – .8 miles; the second one is preferred. This Loop Road is quite rough with rocks exposed throughout; a high-clearance vehicle isn’t required but the suspension of any vehicle will get a workout.

The Hike

Del Agua-Piedra Lisa Trail Hike.Jay.2019-11-17

Initially we were a bit befuddled looking for parking for the trailhead. What we determined: since our last visit, there had been a land swap between the Forest Service and the Sandia Pueblo, and the approach to the Del Agua canyon is now on Pueblo land and off limits. Backtracking on the road to a small parking area, we discovered a sign identifying the Piedra Lisa Trail. From a past hike, we guessed that we would find a new trail that would take us from Piedra Lisa to Del Agua (we had, in fact, traversed that area on a previous Del Agua – Piedra Lisa hike). Our guess was right: some 800 yards up Piedra Lisa we encountered an intersection with the (new to us) Tightrope Trail.

Tightrope crosses the northern slopes of these foothills. It is a great trail, an improvement over the earlier approach to Del Agua; the latter was a boring half mile trek across flat, open juniper, the new trail rises up the slopes providing great views to the west and north. It is also a well made trail, along some sections following terraces on the slope making it an easy portion of the trail. Rounding the corner we found ourselves in familiar surroundings: a firm sand bottom of the canyon, juniper, oak, and cottonwood trees and underbrush through which the trail meanders. Some sections are up on the side slope of the canyon but easy treading. In the upper half of Del Agua one encounters a half dozen 8-12 foot tall rock faces to climb, but in each case there are natural steps and/or footholds that make the ascent easy. At about 2.19 miles into the hike (1.3 miles after entering the canyon) and climbing up and over those rock faces, we reached the intersection with the Piedra Lisa Trail. Piedra Lisa’s termini are on the Loop Road (north) and in Juan Tabo Canyon (south).

After our mid-hike break, we turned left (north) and headed back to the north trailhead. On the way down, a bright white outcrop caught our attention – the Quartz Outcrop to which we had hiked a couple of times in the past (which were challenging hikes – someday we might attempt a bushwhack from Piedra Lisa across an intervening arroyo to Quartz Outcrop).

Jay here: It’s been quite a while since we’ve tackled Del Agua. Which is why the new access via Tightrope had us flummoxed for a bit. But the new access is a great improvement. Not many good coffee shops (i.e. flat spots with a rock to hold the stove and a great view) but we did the best we could with what we had. Down Piedra Lisa with its usual hairy footing on loose rock is always a thrill. Two women on horseback with 2 dogs on leashes passed us going up. Still trying to figure that one out because the trail can be very narrow with steep hillside drops. I guess the horse can slip on one hoof but still have three more to work with.

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.13 miles
Elevation: start 6,003 ft, maximum 7,042 ft, minimum 6,003 ft
Gross gain: 1,039 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,452 ft, descending 1,456 ft
Maximum slope: 37% ascending, 47% descending, 11.6% average
Duration: 3:15

GPS Tracks

Del Agua-Piedra Lisa Trail Hike.Jay.2019-11-17 (KML)	139 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Del Agua-Piedra Lisa Trail Hike.Jay.2019-11-17 (GPX)	119 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: Sandia Mountain Trails (pdf)
Del Agua Trail 248
Sandia Hiking Guide: Del Agua Trail, Piedra Lisa Trail
ASCHG: Piedra Lisa North – Del Agua Loop Hike
ondafringe: North Piedra Lisa/Del Agua Loop
AllTrails: Del Agua Trail
Piedra Lisa Trail and Del Agua Trail Loop
Dog of the Desert: A note on Del Agua Trail in the northern Sandias

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

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

Picacho Peak Trail Hike – 11/10/2019

November 21, 2019

With just a short day for hiking, we remained close to Santa Fe, and continued our exploration of the Dale Ball Trails; it is quite nice having many nice trails so close. Embarked on one new to us – the Picachco Peak trail.

The Drive In

The trail begins at the Cerro Gordo Trailhead: proceed up Upper Canyon Rd, turn left on Cerro Gordo Rd for the parking lot. Cross Upper Canyon Rd for the start of the trail.

The Hike

The start of the trail passes through private property so stay on it. It is a well used trail and is easy .. to follow and to tread upon.Some 700 feet into the hike the trail takes to the top of a high berm, what appears to be the downhill edge of an acequia. Along the way we encountered a sign that explained some history of this “Hydropower Ditch”. The trail then turns into an arroyo and begins the climb towards Picacho Peak. It is a reasonably steady climb, rising the 1,210 feet in 2 miles; up the arroyo, over a ridge and across another arroyo, then up a ridgeline to the peak.

The trail is in good condition throughout; only a few sections that are steeper over large rocks. A couple of places where the trail topped a ridge, the views across Santa Fe to the Jemez Mountains were great (‘tho haze restricted the scenic-ness of the views on this day). This should be a great trail for winter hiking (avoiding recent snowfall), but is quite exposed and I expect it would be hot in the summertime.

Jay here: This was my second time on this trail, but the first time all the way to the peak. It’s pronounced pea-ka-cho, by the way, and it’s really a gem for it to be so close to Santa Fe. There are many more variations to the trail within the Dale Ball system, so you can make it a more lengthy and challenging hike if you so desire. I was fine with the length just the way it was.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.88 miles
Elevation: start 7,318 ft, maximum 8,528 ft, minimum 7,318 ft
Gross gain: 1,210 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,865 ft, descending 1,876 ft
Maximum slope: 62% ascending, 59% descending, 15.7% average
Duration: 3:14

Pichaco Peak Trail Hike.Jay.2019-11-10 (KML)	116 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Pichaco Peak Trail Hike.Jay.2019-11-10 (GPX)	113 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

Santa Fe County: Foothill Trails (pdf)
AllTrails: Pichaco Peak Trail
SkyAboveUs: Great Hikes: Picacho Peak, Sante Fe, New Mexico
Inn on the Alameda: The Dale Ball Trails: Picacho Peak

Jay's Photos (with captions): Click on a Photo for Gallery Show

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

Osha Spring Trail Hike – 09/08/2019

September 15, 2019

We returned today to the Osha Spring Trail; we’ve hiked here thrice before. It’s close to Placitas and the Cafe for our traditional breakfast. It is nice to return to familiar trails, to see things familiar .. and things we didn’t notice before.

The Hike

This -is- a nice trail, and easy 1000+ elevation gain: no sections that are very steep with a rocky trail in places (normal throughout the Sandias) Generally we hike through juniper, some scrub oak, and in some places what we think are mountain mahogany “shrubs”. It is interesting to see the changing vistas to the east (as we climb above the elevations of the Crest of Montezuma and the ridge north of Palomas) and to the north (Las Huertas valley and in the distance the Ortiz Mountains, Cerrillos Hill, and the Sangre de Christo Mountains).

You may note in the posts for prior hikes, we spoke of extending our hike to the Landsend Barite Mine. Well .. one day we’ll set out to do that. We’re in better shape now (and with more confidence in our hiking ability), that is back on our “someday” list.

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.32 miles
Elevation: start 6,502 ft, maximum 7,628 ft, minimum 6,502 ft
Gross gain: 1,126 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,276 ft, descending 1,282 ft
Maximum slope: 30% ascending, 30% descending, 10.7% average
Duration: 3:47

Osha Spring Trail Hike.Jay.2019-09-08 (KML)	199 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Osha Spring Trail Hike.Jay.2019-09-08 (GPX)	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.

References and Resources

USDA Forest Service: Osha Spring Trail 247
All Trails: Osha Spring Trail
ondafringe: Day Hike: Osha Spring Trail
Sandia Mountain Hiking Guide:
Osha Spring Trail
Landsend Barite Mine (book extract)

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

Piedra Lisa South Hike – 05/11/2013

August 5, 2019

A catch-up post from ‘way back’ in 2013. Piedra Lisa is a favorite trail, whether from the south, Juan Tabo Cañon or the north from Loop Road in Placitas.

Statistics

Total Distance: 4.61 miles
Elevation: start 6,982 ft, maximum 8,217 ft, minimum 6,930 ft
Gross gain: 1,287 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,787 ft, descending 1,839 ft
Maximum slope: 35% ascending, 47% descending, 12.6% average
Duration: 3:23

Piedra Lisa South Hike.Jay.2013-05-11 (KML)	199 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Piedra Lisa South Hike.Jay.2013-05-11 (GPX)	92 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

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The Drive In

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