New Mexico

I got into Santa Fe late in the afternoon and decided I would get a hotel room to prep for a backpacking trip leaving the following morning. I made a quick Walmart stop and put all my gear together. I was short on a few items I wanted, didn’t need, so I hit up the local REI in Santa Fe the next morning picked up a map, and cruised out to the Pecos Wilderness, a local’s recommendation. I really didn’t know where I was going, but thought it sounded cool.

The trailhead started at around 9,000 ft, which for me was quite high coming from flat old Dallas hovering at a whopping 650 ft. The first mile and a half or two was killer, and since I didn’t start the trail until after 3 PM, I made it to the first creek I found with water. After breakfast the next morning I continued up the trail to Pecos Baldy Lake, a lake nestled at the base of a 12,500 ft peak. I set my pack down and went to the top with Dixie (my dog) close behind. It was unbelievably gorgeous on top. I had been to New Mexico before down in the Gila Wilderness and thought that was pretty cool, but this place blew it out of the water. Beautiful mountain ridgelines with forested valleys, just exactly what I had wished to see. When I came down from up top, I sat down to eat some lunch only to find I was spent. I set up camp and passed out for a few hours, then made a fire, watched some stairs, and out again.
The next morning I hiked out to Truchas lakes, which were a set of two alpine lakes situated at the base of the second highest peak in New Mexico. The lakes were actually at around 12,000 ft making them the highest lakes I had been to. On the way there, I lost the trail several times and ended up diverting course to another trail along a ridge line only to find a herd of mountain goats that decided it was their turf and chased Dixie and I off their mountain. It was pretty funny seeing them keep coming after me totally unphased by my loud voice and Dixie’s barking. I made good time and got there fairly early in the day and decided right away I wanted to stay to camp. I found a perfect spot and set up camp.
Within an hour or so, I started to hear someone else walking around the area. For the most part thus far I had been pretty much by myself with occasional horse back rider here and there. The weather began to look a little grim and the guy, Steve, came by to ask whether I mind if he set up around me with his two dogs. Obviously, I could care less and told him no problem. Eventually the weather cleared up with no rain and I made it down to the water to sit and enjoy the view. Twenty minutes later another guy started to make his way around the lake. This guy was carrying just a plastic grocery bag which seemed a little odd considering we were nearly ten miles down the trail. He walked all along the edge of the water until he got right next to me, then just sat down. His first response (I think even before hello) was, “so how’s the fishing?” I had no clue and hated to fish, so obviously I was no help. He fished a bit without success, then Steve meandered down from the camp.
Immediately the two started talking gear. Turns out they are total minimalist in every sense of the word. Together they probably had less gear and pack weight than I did alone. It was crazy hearing them converse about this pack vs. that pack and the ounce weight between both. Champion, the guy with the plastic grocery bag, didn’t even sleep in a tent. He used a small tarp which doubled as his raingear for cover at night. His stove was a cat food container with holes punched into it. I mean I looked like the general store compared to these guys. That’s ok by me, I practice what I like to call comfort camping.
The three of us talked a bit, then retired to our respective camps. That night we got a little bit of rain and I was damn glad I had a tent.
The next morning Steve and I talked over some pancakes I made. I told him my general story of leaving my life behind to see the country/world and he mentioned I should make it up to Alaska via ferry and do the Chilkoot trail. Sounds like fun, but we’ll see. Later Champion joined us just before we headed off. Since Champion and I were going in similar directions we hiked together for the next couple hours along another ridgeline, this one just as beautiful as the last. We eventually parted ways, Champion going deeper into the woods and myself headed backed to the car. That day I hiked maybe 10 or 12 miles down to Beatty’s flats, then out the next day. Total mileage, maybe pushing 30, I wasn’t going for the distance on this trip. All and all, I would certainly come back to the Pecos Wilderness and would definitely recommend it to anyone who is in the area.
When I made it out that Friday, I called my friend John who lives in Tucson. He mentioned that he may on a four day weekend and that if I was going to come and visit now would be the most opportune time. Tucson here I come.