On our first day of the Pacific Crest Trail, Maggie and I briefly met another couple, Bennett and Gina. We ended up leap-frogging each other all the way to Crater Lake, hanging out together in a handful of trail towns, and building a budding friendship. They even hosted us in Chicago when Maggie and I went on a cross country road trip a few months after the PCT. The four of us consistently share great conversation and hearty laughs together.
When we got the text from Gina that they were planning to visit us in New Mexico this summer, I was ecstatic! Naturally, we planned a backpacking trip for a good portion of their stay.
The peaks that dot the southern Sangre de Cristo mountains form a mostly unbroken ridgeline for about 45 miles. Maggie and I have done most of these peaks, and we’ve long dreamed about linking them all together. This seemed like the perfect route for a few days of backpacking.
Well, almost perfect. First off, Maggie’s knee was injured. She could handle some easy hiking, but it felt unwise to risk injuring it further in the backcountry. Maggie graciously agreed to go out for just one night and be our shuttle driver.
Second, the route I originally proposed climbed up above 12,000 feet of elevation within the first 5 miles. Bennett and Gina were basically coming from sea level, and that seemed like a sure fire way to induce altitude sickness. We pivoted a little bit and decided to take an easy trail up to 11,500′ over 9 miles the first day.
Back in May I had gotten a text from a random number. It was a former thru hiker (PCT ’21, TA [of New Zealand] ’22, CDT ’23) who had just moved to Santa Fe and he was looking to make connections. This hiker, Collin a.k.a. “Gatsby,” got my info from a trail angel group and figured a fellow thru hiker was a safe bet for meeting a like minded person, and he was right! It was great talking about the PCT with him. Collin had even put together the same route through the Pecos independently, so he was totally in when I told him we were going for it with a crew of thru hikers. And so we had a party of five, setting off for a long weekend in the wilderness.
4 July 2024
The lot of us piled into my car and we made our way to the Santa Barbara trail head. The weather was impeccable, the summer sun shining bright through a crisp blue sky. Feeling like we were back in our natural state with backpacks saddled, we made sure to get some pictures as we began our adventure together.
There were only a handful of folks on the first mile of trail, then true to New Mexico form, we were on our own in the wilderness. Well, except for the cows. Dodging cow patties was necessary at times. These mountain cows have it pretty good, but they always give us a little attitude when we needed to herd them off the trail.
We had it pretty good too, meandering though sub-alpine meadows along the Santa Barbara river. The views slowly got better as we ascended into the valley. The north ridge of Chimayosos Peak rises above the forest with it’s dark, foreboding cliffs. Having been over the top of Chimayosos, I was happy to look at it from a distance since the mountain is a veritable pile of choss.
Our first day of hiking was a cool 10 miles with 2,900 feet of vert. We found our campsite as afternoon waned into evening. We had the whole backcountry camp to ourselves. Tents up, we gathered for dinner at 6 pm. Collin was trying a novel resupply method – “The Real Food No Cooking Challenge”. For example, he had a prepared sandwich for lunch, and a baguette with cheese and salami for dinner – “real” food that requires no cooking. I was intrigued to say the least while I waited for my freeze dried meal to re-hydrate.
We were keen on an early bedtime since we were planning to wake up early for a big day traversing the Truchas peaks. Maggie and I shared a 1 person tent for the night, which was kind of silly, but it worked.
A few minutes after we all lied down, we heard Gina mutter, “Oh no… OH NO!” A flurry of zippers whizzed and Gina was swiftly walking away from the tent… She returned and said she had thrown up, and that she had a bad headache. After consulting some first aid resources on Maggie’s phone, we decided Gina was definitely feeling altitude sickness. The best medicine for altitude sickness is to get to a lower elevation as soon as possible, but darkness was descending upon us. With alarms set for 4 am, we decided to try to sleep and re-evaluate first thing in the morning. Gina confided in us later that in her dreary state that night, she wrote up a will on her phone, unsure if she would survive the night…
5 July 2024
Between worrying about Gina and being crammed in a tiny tent, I didn’t sleep much. I don’t think anyone in our group slept well that night. When the alarm sounded in the pre-dawn darkness, we called over to Gina. She wasn’t feeling any better, so she and Bennett immediately packed up and started heading back down the trail. They gave us their blessing to continue the hike without them. It was a tough moment. I wanted Bennett and Gina to experience New Mexico’s high peaks, but it was obvious Gina needed turn back. We wished them well as they set off in the dim twilight.
We were so close to the Truchas Peaks, and Collin was still up for hiking onward. We compromised and decided to stay out for just one more night instead of two, requesting Maggie to pick us up at the Jack’s Creek trailhead the following morning.
Collin and I parted ways with Maggie at 6 am, she heading down to catch up with Bennett and Gina, while we were heading up. Barely a mile later, we were standing on the saddle between Chimayosos and North Truchas Peak and I was elated to be back in the alpine.
One foot in front of the other, we began the steep 1,000 foot climb up the east face of North Truchas. The slope briefly maxes out at 35°, equivalent to 3,000 feet per mile. It’s hikable, but if you fell backwards, you would probably roll a few times before stopping. A cloud starting rolling over the saddle we just came from, which made for some epic views as we trudged upwards.
I had climbed North Truchas once before, so I knew what to expect of the summit. Even so, I was beyond excited to crest the ridge. North Truchas is very steep on the east and west faces, almost like a broad fin. On the climb up, grass and rocks are in your face until the final moment when the view to the west is revealed – a sweeping expanse with rugged peaks and a clear view to the Rio Grande Valley 6,000 feet below. It makes the effort worth it.
Collin and I feasted our eyes for a few minutes then made our way north along the ridge. The bighorn sheep were out in substantial flocks, scrambling around the steep slopes with us. Little lambs looked at us with curiosity, perhaps some of the first people they had ever seen, before scampering off to safety once we got too close.
The spiciest section of the hike was coming up. The north ridge terminates in a sloping 40 foot cliff. It would be a scary downclimb if not for an angled two foot wide step that allows safe-ish passage to the saddle below. I went first, and while it’s very doable, wearing a 20 lb pack made the butt scoot down a little awkward. I knocked off a good melon sized rock halfway down, and I felt vindicated in going one at a time. Collin followed, handling the exposure well.
Regrouped at the saddle, we had a decision to make. Continue on the ridge over the remaining Truchas peaks, or cruise down to the Skyline Trail for some easy miles to Pecos Baldy Lake. Collin was feeling beat from the steep climb and the altitude, so we made our way down to the trail. We saw a lot more bighorn sheep and a few backpackers camping out by Truchas Lake, the first groups we had seen in about 24 hours.
Ambling by the shore of Truchas Lake, I notice some sizable tadpoles. I had seen them before in a nearby lake last summer, and learned that they are juvenile tiger salamanders! I had no idea they lived up in alpine lakes. They swim with flowing manes for gills and stubby developing legs. I would love to come back later in the season to see some adult salamanders.
Collin and I put some miles behind us quickly on the Skyline Trail, stopping for a snack break under the imposing east face of South Truchas Peak. I was ogling the rock, looking for a line and dreaming of climbing up someday. Soon after, we were crossing Trailriders Wall, a long narrow mesa above treeline. The wide open views with magnificent peaks all around make for some of the best stretch of trail in New Mexico. The last of the irises were blooming as spring gave way to summer in the alpine.
Trailriders Wall
We made it to Pecos Baldy Lake for lunch, a whopping 7.8 miles from where we woke up. Honestly, the relaxed pace was pretty nice. After setting up camp, Collin and I decided we had it in us to tag East Pecos Baldy (EPB).
A thousand foot climb in just over a mile, EPB does not give up its summit without a fight. Thankfully, we weren’t schlepping any appreciable gear for this little side quest. This was my third time atop EPB, and it does not disappoint. Looking back on the other side of the Truchas Peaks and seeing where we had come from was pretty cool.
Collin and I hiked down into the early sunset cast by the shadow of EPB, feeling content with what we accomplished for the day. Early dinner and early to bed, my eyelids felt too heavy to stay awake for nightfall…
6 July 2024
Maggie had agreed to pick us up at the trail head at 10am. Collin and I were only 7 miles from the parking lot, but that distance meant we couldn’t really lollygag all morning. I’m notoriously slow in the morning, and Collin reminded me of that when he was all packed up before I finished stuffing my tent. He got moving down the trail while I hastily packed gear.
I had slept well and was enjoying the calm morning hours as I set off, even though the trail passed through unremarkable forest and a substantial burn scar. The gentle downhill allowed me to cruise at a brisk 18 min/mile as I tried to catch up to Collin. I found him lounging on a log, snacking on his Real FoodTM.
We finished out the final miles together, traversing meadows, aspen groves, and more coniferous forest. The easy hiking made it easy to appreciate the scenery.
Collin and I hiked straight to the trailhead without stopping. We sat at a picnic table and feasted on our surplus food meant for a longer adventure. Ten a.m. came and went, then 10:30… I started to assume the worst – maybe Maggie got in a car accident, or something. My fears were assuaged when Maggie pulled up with a smile on her face. She had been delayed by an Independence Day parade temporarily closing the one road into the mountains. I couldn’t help but laugh a little while rolling my eyes.
While I was super bummed the five of us didn’t get to enjoy the Pecos traverse together, I was definitely happy to get out hiking in the woods again. The weight of a fully loaded backpack is always a burden, but it’s small price to pay for absolute freedom.
7-13 July 2024
With a lazy Sunday to fill, we turned our sights towards the Jemez Mountains. My friend Ryan was looking to sport climb, and there is a nice series of crags along an idyllic creek. I joined Ryan to climb while Maggie, Bennett, and Gina hiked along the creek. We regrouped after lunch, and we convinced Bennett and Gina to try an easy climb. They both crushed it! But I didn’t get the feeling they would be seeking out climbing on their own…
Maggie and I had to work through the week, so Bennett and Gina went off on their own little road trip around Northern New Mexico. They went backpacking over the Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque, tagged Wheeler Peak near Taos (the state high point!), and rafted down the Rio Grande. A well rounded adventure! They returned to Santa Fe where we made plans with our friends, Becca and Tony, to hike to Stewart Lake.
Aspens, wildflowers, and superb scenery were only made better by good company. The miles passed quickly with lively conversation. A long easy hike was just what we needed to round out Bennett and Gina’s visit.
It was a joy to share a healthy handful of New Mexico’s hidden gems with our dear PCT friends. Even though I am starting to repeat some adventures in New Mexico, I am finding that the setting doesn’t matter so much as the people I am with. When you can spend time with good friends doing the things you love together, the whole journey becomes exponentially more memorable. I will not soon forget this epic week with Bennett and Gina!
Distance Over Time 