In an exploration of a New Mexico classic that I’ve never done, this hike will take the standard route up Hermit Peak on Saturday, May 26, which is Memorial Day. Hermit Peak, at the southeastern corner of the Pecos Wilderness, is a rocky sentinel reaching 10,212 feet that looks out over the high plains of northeastern New Mexico. We will hike out and back to the summit, for a total of 2,700 vertical feet and 8 miles round trip. The hike is via a good trail.
This hike has beautiful views almost the entire way. It's about a total of 4 miles and we will go to the tip of the Mesa and admire the view. We will meet at 9:30 a.m. and will be finished by noon. Meet east of Red Jackson dressage area which is east of Brewer Arena which is at the bottom of the road where the horse stables are. If you don't have a car, I have room for 3.
Once more into the Canyon Country! For our spring 2018 trip, I have arranged with BJ Orozco of Llama2Boot to shuttle us to a camp on The Gulch, which is actually a clear-water stream a few miles upstream from the Escalante River. This will be a cool and comfortable destination for a mid-May trip. We’ve worried about warm weather in previous Mays, but actually haven’t run into much, and have had our share of cool or even snowy weather instead. There is complex slickrock in many directions from this camp, so there will be plenty to explore in our 5 days of wilderness hiking.
Visit the fantastical spires, columns, and mesas of Plaza Blanca, immortalized by Georgia O'Keefe in her painting "From the White Place." We'll ramble through narrow canyons, climb up on mesas for amazing views, and visit some human earth installations rock art (?) near Abiquiu. The hike may involve some scrambling if you wish, and will be up to 5 miles. Bring plenty of water, food, and sunscreen (there is not much shade). Carpool from the White Rock Y at 7:30. We should be back by 1:30 or 2. Please contact one of the trip leaders to save your spot.
Time for a cooler mountain hike! We'll start at the Coyote Call Trailhead, and hike over to St. Peters Dome Road via the Alamo Boundary Trail. On the way back, we'll attempt a climb up Scooter Peak (elevation change of about 600 ft over a rougher 1-mile trail). The route covers about 5.5 miles total. Meet at Sullivan Field at 8:30.
NOTICE: No dogs allowed, half of the hike is on Bandelier National Monument. I am sorry about not being able to take the furry four-footeds!
This is a request for feedback from the LA Mountaineers.
Are you interested in learning about backpacking, and going on a beginner backpack trip? If so, send me an email, and I will organize a get-together (probably a weekday evening) to discuss gear and training. It should be possible to borrow needed equipment from other LAM members or perhaps to rent gear. Then we will schedule an overnight trip to a local spot (perhaps Bandelier, or Water Canyon) to try out gear and hiking.
Within the last year, access has been opened to the Sabinoso Wilderness east of Las Vegas, NM. Previously, the wilderness was land-locked by private land and inaccessible. Per the BLM web site on the Wilderness (https://www.blm.gov/visit/sabinoso-wilderness), "The Sabinoso Wilderness is a remote area in the northeastern portion of New Mexico. The Wilderness includes a series of high, narrow mesas surrounded by cliff-lined canyons. ... The deep canyon area, surrounded by the wide-open New Mexico plains, is unique for this region.
Celebrate Earth Day with this hike out to the end of Otowi Mesa. We'll look at petroglyphs and other-worldly rock formations on the route. A wee bit of scrambling and a very different view of Los Alamos are included in this approximately 5-mi roundtrip hike with 400 ft elevation change. Bring plenty of water and snacks, and sunscreen. Meet at Sullivan Field at 1 p.m. to carpool to the trailhead (limited parking at the end of Los Pueblos); we should be done in about 4-5 hours. You'll have plenty of time to visit the LAMountaineers Booth at the PEEC Earth Day Celebration in the morning!
Week-end ski trip for 6+ people to finally ski some snow. Loveland is underrated and has the best late season snow that I know of. A-basin is just over the hill and is just plain beautiful as well as challenging. All the tourists will have left and I think it is the best time to ski.
