Hike Leader: Randi Oriani
Hike Date: September 18-20
Distance: 19 miles
Elevation Gain: 4560 ft.
Photo: Olivia L.
The ultimate destination was the ridgeline to Pecos Baldy at 12,380ft elevation and the trailed East Pecos Baldy (12,529ft) summit also. But first, this Friday entailed a 2800 ft gain, backpack to the Pecos Baldy Lake.
Photo: Olivia L.
Photo: Olivia L.
Photo: Olivia L.
Five members began at Jack Creek trailhead, busting at the seams with the number of vehicles parked. It is a good trail, the slope steady but not too steep. Cooler air in September made it pleasant, despite the fact that we noticed how low the creeks were running. We arrived at Baldy lake, just as the towering peak of East Pecos Baldy started to cast its shadow over the lake. Olivia and I attempted to find a prior campsite we had been at several years before. A site, which had a running stream by it and an area more sheltered from wind possibility. But alas, that stream had dried up completely, only False Hellebore lay around the formally moist site. We did manage to build a fire but had to travel deeply into the wood for fuel. It cooled off considerably, but wind never materialized.
Photo: Olivia L.
Photo: Randi O.
The next day was crisp and cool but not for long, as the five of us headed uphill at 7:30am gaining heat quickly. We also encountered the morning sun on the skyline trail which accesses East Pecos Baldy summit. What a refreshing bed of dried pine needles, soft soil and omission of fallen trees under our feet, made the early morning excursion pleasurable. But as we approached 11,100 ft we left the soft trail for the rocky switchbacks up East Pecos Baldy.
Photo: Randi O.
Large and small metamorphic rocks fill the trail. It is a steep but short hike up to the summit of East Pecos Baldy. Marked with a large Cairn, the summit was sunny, still and mainly clear despite the smoke from the California fires. We met 2 young men who are attending University in Socorro, exploring NM for the first time. They weren't too keen on continuing to Baldy Peak or as I call it, West Baldy. Two in our party decided to stay behind and enjoy the summit vistas. They watched as Olivia and I continued along the ridge to our final destination.
On the ridge to West Baldy
Photo: Olivia L.
The ridge to Pecos Baldy starts off easy, walking downwards over grassy slopes. The Truchas peaks are grand to behold as we encounter another uphill well before the uphill of our destination. Only one mile to the peak from the East Summit, but it involves route finding, two uphill climbs, down and over craggy rocks and then finally the ascent to West Baldy. There is a fin that juts out perpendicular to the ridge we are climbing. We make the decision to go left or west of it on a steep slope and discover a herd of 12 female Bighorn Sheep with young at about 12,100 ft. Time for photos, as we forget, for the time being, the slope we are clinging to. Ascending once again, we make the summit by 10am. The route was trickier than I suspected but a whole lot of fun.
West Pecos Baldy summit
Photo: Randi O.
Reluctant to leave the summit, but our plan is to break camp at the lake and head out with those backpacks to home once more. The return to East Baldy seems much easier than coming as now all the track is known to us.
East Pecos Baldy Summit
Photo: Olivia L.
We were also entertained by the change of colors especially of the reddish and yellowing grasses and willows. Fireweed had blossomed and now its seed shaped like swirls, blew from the plant through the air. One of my favorite flowers, the purple Parry's Gentian also made its presence known to us.
Photo: Olivia L.