Raven's Ridge - Lake Peak - Nambe Lake

12,409-foot Lake Peak is a classic hike for Los Alamos folks, and has been since Enrico Fermi and Hans Bethe made it a break from their Manhattan Project efforts. We will do it once again via a classic route: starting at the Santa Fe Ski Basin, we will climb the Windsor Trail to the saddle with Raven Ridge, follow the ridge to Deception Peak and then across the knife edge to Lake Peak, then drop down into the cirque of Nambe Lake, following its drainage to the intersection of the Windsor Trail and the way home. We will be careful for the possibility of lightning, watching for signs of thunderheads and turning back if conditions dictate. Otherwise, we expect to complete a strenuous loop of about 7 or 8 miles and a climb of about 3000 feet. Bring clothes suitable for cool weather and rain, water, lunch, hat, and sunscreen. Hiking poles are recommended for the descent from the summit ridge to Nambe Lake.
We will meet in Los Alamos at 7:30 AM and carpool to the Ski Basin. We'll arrange a meeting place/time for anyone joining the trip who lives in the valley or Santa Fe. To celebrate a successful trip (and they are generally all successful), those who can take the time will go out to dinner in Santa Fe on the way back home, perhaps at the Santa Fe Bar & Grill in DeVargas Center. To join the adventure and learn the meeting place, please write Bill at bill@priedhorsky.net.