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| Hiking | 6.85 Miles |
2,025 AEG |
| | Hiking | 6.85 Miles | 9 Hrs 15 Mns | | 0.88 mph |
| 2,025 ft AEG | 1 Hour 30 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | Atascosa 12-29-23
When we started the temperature was 39 degrees and it was windy. Found an old towel in the truck and ripped it in half so we could have a scarf. The first 20 minutes of the trail had been improved a lot. It’s wider and cleaned up with some erosion control and steps. Whoever is improving the trail… THANK YOU!
We left the trail at the window and took the migrant path to the East and stayed at the base of the cliffs all the way around. We did this so we wouldn’t have to go all the way to the Lookout and make the climb up and down and up and down to the Saddle. The trail to the East is just about gone now. Just stay at the same elevation as you head East and then North until Atascosa Peak is in full view. There is a very sharp ridge here. To the East there is a small saddle with a good place to take a nap. I couldn’t find signs of an old Coyote camp from the last time I went this way.
The goal from this point was to then hike up the sharp ridge then head diagonal to the West until we were on top of the cliffs that are the same elevation as the saddle. The number of downed trees made this way difficult to get on top. Once on top though it’s a straight shot to the S end of the saddle.
The saddle has a lot of cairns that people have left over the years. There are a lot of downed trees in areas that make following the cairns closely difficult.
We opted to not take the final cliff and go the safe way to the W.
Rested at the top for a while and headed back sooner that we wanted but I didn’t want to come down this one in the dark again.
At the S end of the Saddle we headed toward a shallow Saddle to the E. This shaved at least an hour off the trip back and took us past some small caves and balanced rocks. This way is steep with lots of ledges, cliffs and rocks. There is an abundance of catclaw. Angry catclaw, filled with resentment and regret. It comes and goes and there is no way to avoid it.
We rested below the window and picked up some stashed water and went on our way.
The sun was setting right as we made the gate making for colorful views to the West
I’ll probably head back in March.
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8:25 – Started on Trailhead
8:37 Gate - 12
9:13 – Overlook 48
9:27 First Saddle 62
9:36 – washout 71
10:03 – Window 108 – rested in shade 20 min
10:23 Left Trail 100 and took migrant trail to E and headed N skirting along cliffs
10:57 reached ridge and headed up to same elevation as Saddle. 142
11:55 reached S end of saddle 200 headed N across saddle
1:00 square hole – We avoided the final cliff and headed up the safe way through the trees 245
1:13 – Peak! 258 ttl minutes 4 hours and 18 minutes hiking time - -ttl time to peak 4 hours 38 min.
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1:55 headed down. Short nap. Read the register. Enjoyed the view. Light, high clouds. Clear 360 degree view. Was at Butte 4833 a few weeks ago. It looks small from the peak.
2:27 - back down on the N end of the Saddle. Left two bottles of water here to lighten packs. Glad they were still here. 32
2: 50--S end of the Saddle. Headed up diagonally to the small Saddle to the East. 45
2:58 Reached saddle and rested a bit before heading down the STEEP catclaw farmland down to the Window. 53
3:41 – window 96
3:45 Trail 100—100 minutes – rested here
4:02 headed back on trail
4:22 at the washed out part of trail below Red strata 120
4:29 back at first saddle 127
4:36 – at overlook 142
5:18 back at gate 184
5:38 back at trailhead 204 minutes 3 hours 24 minutes |
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