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Hiking | 9.78 Miles |
3,249 AEG |
| Hiking | 9.78 Miles | 3 Hrs 50 Mns | | 3.17 mph |
3,249 ft AEG | 45 Mns Break | 10 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | A work trip took me to Albuquerque for a few days, so what better way to spend the time than a hike in a new place! The Sandia mountains loom to the east of town, and I just could not resist. I started this one about 4 p.m. after my work day, and despite starting at 6400' it was still pretty hot. Great travel through the mixed Juniper-Oak forest to start, eventually giving way to more Pinions and eventually Ponderosa pine. The wildflower show from about 7500'-9200' was pretty incredible, I was not expecting to see so much color this late in the year. The only real downside to this one is the extensive pine tree dieback. The Japanese Bark Beetle has leveled thousands of trees in the adjacent canyon making it a bit of a graveyard, but there are still lots of Gambel Oak and Aspens to provide shade and interest. The trail is easy to follow, but the last 2 miles or so are pretty relentless. I made it to the intersection with the Crest trail and followed it up a bit to the north to find a nice vantage point for a snack and a breather. This was a great warm up for our Humphries plan next weekend! |
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