2.23.21 Bear Canyon Trail to Hunter Peak

I could have titled this blog: Ass Kicking in Bear Canyon, or How I got my butt kicked in Bear Canyon, but Google may have thought it was about a UFC fight.

                                                  Hunter Peak from the trailhead

Tuesday was a beautiful day here at Guadalupe Mountain National Park. I arrived on Sunday as sort of a last minute thought because the weather was predicted to be pretty nice. Anyway, Tuesday morning, I headed out on the lower Tejas trail to Bear Canyon Trail to do the 8.8 mile, 2561 elevation gain, loop to Hunter Peak (8368 ft) and then back to the campground (5807 ft). I got a late start because I met my neighbors from Syracuse, NY, in a Lance truck camper and we had coffee and chatted for a while. Finally, at 9:15 am, I took off. I’ve done the lower Tejas trail before and it’s pretty gentle, that changes dramatically once you reach the Bear Canyon Trail. The Bear Canyon Trail rises approximately 2000 feet in 1.8 miles, with very few switchbacks. It is quite the ass kicker. The only thing that kept me hiking up was that fact that I didn’t want to hike down this thing. Sometimes trails are so steep, with high steps, that ascending is much easier than descending, at least in my opinion. I think I should bill Medicare for a Stress Test, all I need is a provider number. At least I know my four coronary stents are open. LOL

I finally topped out of the canyon around 1pm, but I still had another mile and 0.6 mile and 368 feet in elevation to go before getting to the summit. One of the interesting things about hiking in GUMO, is the fact that the lower areas are desert and as you climb and approach 7,000 feet elevation, you leave the desert behind and enter a conifer forest. 

Hunter Peak is the sixth highest peak in Texas, sitting at 8,368 feet, just across the drainage from the highest peak, Guadalupe Peak (8749 ft). Both trails are ranked strenuous, but I have done Guadalupe Peak twice, and it is accessible on horse back. The only hint that Bear Canyon might be an ass kicker is that it is not open to stock animals and the description says it is very steep. What an understatement, that’s like saying getting into the ring with Muhammad Ali is a slight risk.

                                                           Summit of Hunter Peak

Bear Canyon Trail has been added to my very short list of DO NOT REPEAT hikes. No way, for love or money will I hike it again. I know a number of you have hiked Guadalupe Peak, and I’d do that hike again, anytime, in a heart beat, but don’t ask me to do Bear Canyon again. 

I was amazed by this 4-6 inch metal pipe that also climbed the entire length of the canyon. It was broken or cut in a number of places, so I assume it is pre National Park and was probably installed by ranch hands in the 1800s. I don’t know how they did it, but even considering that mules may have carried the 12 foot pipe sections up the trail, the men still had to jockey them into position, some places were quite a distance away from the trail, in a very steep canyon.

This pipe went pretty much straight up the canyon the whole length of the trail

I summited about 1:30 pm, the view from the summit was incredible. There is barely enough room for two people to social distance on it. The wind was blowing at least 30 mph, with much stronger gusts. I literally crawled onto the tiny summit and then stood up, but didn’t stay standing for very long and sat back down. It was quite a bit cooler, especially with the wind chill, so I put on all my layers, as you can see in the photos.

From the summit, I headed down the western, upper Tejas Trail, passing the spot where I took a nap on my first summit attempt in November. I thought about another nap, but it was 2 pm and I was afraid a nap might turn into an overnight, unplanned bivy, so I continued on.  The Tejas Trail is open to stock animals, so it has lots of switch backs and a much gentler slope, albeit longer. I finally reach the campground at 4:15pm. 

I didn’t see anyone the entire day. For those of you that have done Guadalupe Peak, you know there is a steady stream of hikers up and down all day long. I was pretty tired and my quads were really talking to me, so tomorrow will be a rest day. I will admit, I felt better after a double scotch on the rocks. I prepared a very simple dinner and then sat down to write this blog. All in all I am very grateful that I’m able to do these hikes and still push myself further than I expect.

Not sure when I’m heading back to the Ranch, but I maybe Thursday or Friday.

Tight lines and safe travels 

 

Hi Everyone,

2020 has been a real bummer of a year, and we are all hoping that 2021 brings more joy not only to our individual worlds but also the entire world in general. I don't need to list all the negative things that happened in 2020, plus the impact of each negative event impacts each of us differently and each of us would rank the events in a different order.

I try to be a positive person, I'm not always successful but I try. We are 45 days into 2021, and I just returned from a great 3 week vacation in one of my favorite winter places. Being on the road and in the backcountry as a solo, helped me turn a very important personal corner. I really enjoyed camping and traveling in Enzo. I enjoy "living" in my 40ft diesel motorhome, but I enjoy traveling in Enzo. I became very comfortable in Enzo and the flexibility it gives me. I look forward to a positive 2021 and wish the best to each of you.

A cliche comes to mind: "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger" 

Below is a link to one of Nancy's favorite youtube videos. After she found this she shared it with her cancer posse as well as cancer buddies.   I am sharing it with you in the hope that you find it uplifting as we did. It's a great fight song and anyone who has been through treatment either as a cancer patient or caregiver will relate. But, I think it can apply to all the negative events of 2020. TURN UP THE VOLUME!!!!!!!!!

https://youtu.be/BaQdwTsVtCY?list=RDBaQdwTsVtCY

Stronger | Cancer music video Music video that I made about cancer. Thank you to my fellow warriors and nurses for being a part of this. youtu.be



As soon as this winter storm passes and warm weather returns, I plan to head back to Guadalupe Mt National Park, knock off a few more hikes and enjoy more adventures as a solo traveler. Spring and hungry trout are also just around the corner.

Tight lines and safe travels

Final BBNP, BBRSP, GUMO and wrap-up

 The wind decided to really howl Saturday night at Guadalupe Mt. National Park. I really didn't sleep all that well with the camper rocking back and forth. By 8am and was driving out of the Pine Springs entrance at GUMO and heading to the entrance to McKittrick Canyon, which gets unlocked at 8am. I only hiked the 2.4 miles to the Pratt Cabin, because I wanted to be back to my motorhome in Lakewood, NM, 80 miles away, in time to watch the Super Bowl. The trail continues much further but that will be for another time. 

                                                 McKittrick Canyon Canyon Stream crossing

                                                            McKittrick Canyon Canyon Trail

It took me about an hour to get to Pratt Cabin. The trail is well maintained and mostly flat. I had the place to myself and enjoyed 15-20  minutes sitting in one of the rocking chairs on the back porch eating a couple of granola bars. The cabin is in pretty good shape, it has a flag stone roof, as well as a flagstone porch. I looked through the windows and it actually looks like the park services must utilize it for something.

                                                       View from the back porch of Pratt Cabin

                                                                           Pratt Cabin

This is definitely one of those places I could live, but glad it is part of the National Park system for anyone to enjoy.

I had a great time on this vacation. It sounds funny to say vacation, when I'm retired, but I don't know what else to call it. This is my second extended solo trip, but the first one was filled with medical appointments, voting, as well as a couple of short visits with friends. The trip into the Big Bend area was really my first extended backcountry trip totally alone. 

Although I missed having someone to share the experiences, and talk to, I did become very comfortable with this new lifestyle. I decided to focus on the positive aspects of solo travel, and minimize any negative thoughts.

Having Enzo setup as a solo unit, really gives me quite a lot of space. I was easily able to pack four weeks worth of food, some frozen, some refrigerated as well as canned and packaged food. The National Luna two zone 50 liter compressor refrigerator performed well. I was able to freeze a number of steaks, pork chops and chicken thighs, which allowed me to have meat on the grill anytime I wanted it. In addition to that I also packed a number of cans of white chicken, noodles, rice, mashed potatoes, canned corn, baked beans and salad material. The only thing I ran out of was salad material. I cooked most meals outside, except those few days that either the wind was howling or it was raining. All things considered, I was extremely comfortable in the backcountry in Enzo.

I think I am going to enjoy traveling solo. I was joking with a friend that the ideal situation might be to travel with a companion that had their own overland camper and that maybe I should run an personal ad.

"Mature, active, widowed male, who is into fly fishing, hiking and overland camping seeks like minded female companion with own overland camper. Send picture of your overland camper" 

The universe was very good to me on this trip, up to and including receiving a text message from the NM Dept of Health on Monday at 10am, stating I could receive my Covid Vaccine. So Tom Brady got his 7th Super Bowl Ring on Sunday, and I got my first Covid Vaccine dose at noon on Monday, 2/8/21. How cool is that?

I'm looking forward to another Enzo trip, soon. I'll probably head back to GUMO next week to do the few trails I haven't done, then a trip over to Deming, NM to change the deed on my land there and do some hiking in the Florida Mountains, pronounced Floor rita Mountains. Then once I receive my second Covid vaccine dose and passed the time lag for full response, I'll hit the road and visit some friends. Who knows, maybe even take a road trip in the Moho with Enzo in tow. 

I hope that all of you who wish to be vaccinated have the opportunity sooner than later. I had a sore arm for 36 hours and that was it, no other side effects. I will continue to take the recommended Covid precautions but should be protected by early April.

Tight lines and safe travels

BBRSP Part 4

 Change in plans. 

While speaking with the woman at the ranger station that I had chatted up over my last few visits, she told me about some petroglyphs at the apex of the Cerro De Las Burras Loop. The loop is an unmaintained 4WD two track off the river road, on the way to my next campground. So obviously I had to check it out. She advised me that there was not a trail to the cave and I would have to scramble through the wash and then up into the cave. Now that really got me excited!!!!  So off I went. It was quite the adventure, and when I was down climbing out of the cave, I was wondering, if I fell I hurt myself would my PLB have a clear view of the satellites? No worries, it was all okay and I made it safely back to Enzo. 

                                                 The cave from the "parking area"

                                                              The "parking area"

That night I was sitting in my campsite at Upper Madera Campground, shown below

and  thinking about driving 300 miles before the big game, and wondering if it was a wise move. As a couple of friends can attest, I did fall asleep at the Boston Garden during a Celitic’s playoff game once. So, change in plans, I woke up Saturday morning, ate a big breakfast, hiked the Closed Canyon Trail.

                                                         Entrance to Closed Canyon

 

The Trail

The trail is now closed at this point, but many years ago, Nancy & I went well past here because someone had previously placed fixed ropes to descent and then re-ascend these short pour offs. I guess the "end of trail sign" is a result of more people not being self responsible, or too many lawyers, sorry Kevan, but I do recognize that the park's closure is really only a message and that with proper gear and willingness, one can still continue, albeit with only personal liability and the potential for a verbal tongue lashing if caught.

After hiking Closed Canyon, I drove to Guadalupe Mountain National Park and arrived at 2:30 pm MST and got the last campsite. The hosts told me to take the handicap site, which was perfectly level and it received the last sunlight of the day, before the sun dipped over Guadelupe Peak. It was perfect. 

I met a couple from Wolfboro, NH, which isn’t all that far from Tilton, NH. I also met this really cool young mom with two small kids from LA, CA, her husband was home working and she was taking the kids on a cross country trip. How cool is that? They were in a very well appointed Mecedes Benz van camper conversion. I heard all the challenges they experienced along the way. It sounded like the Robin William’s movie RV. The kids were pretty cool about the events and I could tell they really thought their mom was cool. They hoped to get to Maine, but need to be back in LA sometime in March. OMG, and they are only in Texas. Good Luck!

They were parked right next to me and so finally about 7:30pm, I said my good nights and went home. Sunday, tomorrow, I plan to hike McKittrick Canyon, then head home to watch the Super Bowl.

Tight lines and safe travels 

BBRSP - Part 3

 Sorry that there were not more photos in my last post, it takes some time to transfer photos from my phone to the computer, then upload them to the blog with slow connectivity. I can only do that with WiFi at the Ranger station, and I had a bunch of stuff to do online when I was there. One of those items was a proof of a feature article I wrote for the Escapees Magazine. I am now 3 for 3 submitting articles and having them published. I even get paid for it. Anyway, by the time I did that, dumped trash and recyclables, got cleaned up, got my permit, chatted up the park staff, I had been in the parking lot over a 1 & 1/2 hours, so no time to upload more than one photo.

Here are more pics of my time at Pila Montoya 3 campsite.

                                                             Pila Montoya 3 campsite

                                                 My Happy Hour View from Pila Montoya 3

Answers to some questions.

1- Scott did a great job defining a two track road here is a photo of a very good section of 2 track.

2- I have 200 watts of solar on the roof.

3- I don’t carry a gun. I have a number of friends who believe I should, I am giving it serious thought but not for a place like BBNP or BBRSP, more for those occasions when I might be near a city. The backcountry is still a very safe place. First of all, there is no one out here. Except for the dozen people I have seen at the Ranger station, I have only seen 3 people in 6 days at my various camps, the mountain bikers I previously mentioned, and only 5 people hiking. As much as the media would have people believe the entire US Mexico border is the wild west, it's not really. The Border is dangerous near the major smuggling routes, but this wilderness area is not that. The country side is too mountainous and the desert is too vast. 

4- I Don’t know why Scott or Mary couldn’t read the last post it was there, sometimes the link doesn’t land on the actual post and you have to go to it. 

I finally remembered the Airdrop feature, and so now I can transfer the photos from my phone before I have WiFi. 

I did learn some stuff that might be of interest to some of you. The park has a Bunk House which rents for $37 per person plus the park’s entrance fee. It is closed now due to Covid. The Bunk House has a huge kitchen and dining area for guests. The Ranch House is no longer for rent, and is closed indefinitely due to many needed repairs. The park has an airstrip, called Sprague Field. The airstrip is paved and is open to private planes. The staff told me that before Covid, folks would fly in with a reservation at the Bunkhouse and somebody would shuttle them back and forth to the airstrip. So, Sue and Jim, keep that in mind if you are ever flying around West Texas. Of course, without a car or mountain bikes, you’d be limited to wherever you could walk. There was a plane parked and tied down on the apron, but it was missing it’s prop. That must be West Texas security, can’t steal a plane without its prop. No Scott, it’s not a jet. :)

I wasn’t planning to take another day off, but by Noon on Wednesday it was 80 degrees and full sun, so I wimped out and didn’t do any hiking. It was very pleasant sitting in the shade, with a nice breeze and reading a book. 

Wednesday night was spent at La Posta campsite. It was nice, but nothing like my prior two campsites. This only gets 2 stars. No Privy, no awesome view and not very level, hence the ramp up to five leveling blocks. The universe supplied the ramp; I built it with left behind firewood. My buddy Dave donated the yellow blocks a couple of years ago. Thanks Dave.

It has been extremely restful here at BBRSP. I haven’t read any news since Sunday and its been nice not knowing what’s going on out in the world. I neglected to mention that BBRSP is an international dark place, or whatever they call it. When I turn out the lights in Enzo, there is zero artificial light, so now that the moon isn’t rising as early and also heading towards a new moon, the stars have been incredible. 

I decided that next winter, I’m bringing my mountain bike to BBRSP, it’s currently at CORA. I doubt that I will ride the single track trails with it, but the 4WD roads would be nice. BBRSP, was really setup as a mountain bike area. There are very few trails that go to peaks, most trails ramble though the desert, through washes and across ridge lines, so ideal for mountain bikes. 

Friday, today, I leave the interior of the park and will camp at Upper Madera Campground on a small mesa next to the river. I’ll spend 2 nights there, without any form of connectivity, I passed the campground on the way here and checked. Then Sunday I’ll head home to hopefully watch Tom Brady get his 7th Super Bowl ring. So this will most likely be my last post. I’m not sure if I will stay home, or possible head back out to Guadalupe Mt National Park. 

I did receive a text and email from the NM Dept of health saying they are distributing vaccines as quickly as possible, but demand outstrips supply, and I’ll be notified when they have a dose fo me. Oh well, I’ll get it when I can. In the mean time, I'll be anti-social, or is the correct term socially distant. LOL

Tight Lines and safe travels

BBRSP part 2

 Sunday I left Los Ojitos campsite and hiked the Cinco Tinajas Trail which is just a 4 mile or so desert hike which drops into a major drainage, crosses it, then follows another wash before climbing steeply to a plateau. Trails in BBRSP are not very well marked. There were a few cairns, usually just when you needed one, the only fiberglass trail markers were at junctions but didn’t have any verbiage or even an arrow. I have a very good vinyl map and was grateful for it. With so many washes, canyons and ridge lines, it would be easy to get lost. The park is known as a mountain bike mecca, and as such I saw more tire tracks then foot prints. The loose sand and gravel in the washes really wear on hiking legs, I can’t imagine, even with the new fat tires, biking in the washes.

I finished my hike and got to the Sauceda Ranger Station at 1pm, showers were empty and I even found one that was completely dry, so I assumed it hadn’t been used since the 7:30-9:30 am cleaning. Showers are FREE, temperature adjustable and private. After changing into clean clothes, I picked up my pass for my next campsite and drove 11 miles to Pila Montoya #3 campsite. 

In my opinion, Pila Montoya is a Five Star Backcountry campsite. It is located 1 & 1/2 miles off the main park road, at the end of a high clearance, two wheel drive, road. That being said, I did shift into 4WD in a steep section with some loose rock. Along the way I passed Pila Montoya #1 and Pila Montoya #2 campsites. Pila Montoya #3 is one of the few campsites in the park with a composting privy. Most campsites have no privy. The site is relatively level, has a bear box, fire ring and covered picnic table. It sits atop a narrow, deep canyon, but sheltered somewhat as it sits below peaks to the east, north and west, thereby providing great southern exposure. It is also the trail head for Pila Montoya Trail. 

Monday, I hiked Pila Montoya Trail, a 1.9 mile descent along the side of the canyon, into the wash and then finally meeting Fresno Canyon Creek and Fresno Canyon Road. The creek of course is nothing more than a dry wash. It was still early so I continued another half mile or so down the wash. Again, there were many more bike tracks than foot prints. It was a warm sunny day and  was back at camp after logging 4.8 miles, with plenty of time for a solar shower, happy hour and an early dinner.

I was sitting outside reading around 6 pm and heard voices, three guys rode up the trail on loaded mountain bikes, they had begun the trip at the Barton Warnock Visitor Center and were spending 3 days bike packing in the park. They still had another five miles to go before they would reach their campsite at Paplote Nuevo. Two guys had cruised the last steep uphill section of the trail before reaching my campsite, the third guy was sucking wind and took another ten minutes before he arrived. They gave him a couples of minutes to catch his breath and then the three of them headed out, the third guy immediately lagging behind his buddies.

Tuesday, I took a rest day and hung in camp. It was a partly cloudy, mid 60s day, with almost no wind and completely quiet. 

Today, Wednesday, I made a quick stop at the ranger station to get my next permit and post this.

Tight lines and safe travels