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Ortega Canyon South - 2 members in 29 triplogs have rated this an average 4.5 ( 1 to 5 best )
1, 2  Next
29 triplogs
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Sep 09 2017
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega Canyon SouthSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon South
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Sep 09 2017
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering7.80 Miles 2,300 AEG
Canyoneering7.80 Miles
2,300 ft AEG
Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use
 no routes
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Great Canyon Loop... hiked the lower section and the Middle Canyon. Enjoyed some inner canyon looping, then exited MJ's Traverse over past the "A" Bluffs and on to the "A" Trail. Enjoyed a brief stopover at the old drilled Gold Mine (top of Quarry Canyon). Everyone declined to venture into the Bluffs Cave... snakes? Better enjoyed on a cooler day... as would be to tag on Leah's Lair. 5.5 Hours of easier paced hiking with frequent rest breaks. Ross, Mary, Darrel, Lewis and Stacey!
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Nov 29 2016
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega Canyon SouthSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon South
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Nov 29 2016
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering7.00 Miles 2,100 AEG
Canyoneering7.00 Miles
2,100 ft AEG
Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use
A - Dry or little water; shallow or avoidable water; no wet/dry suit
 no routes
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Jane, Luster up into upper sections for first time... Luster traversed and exited down Jim's Cut... Jane and John over to cave...then down the A... Stopped at mine. Cold wind...good day!
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Nov 28 2016
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega Canyon SouthSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon South
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Nov 28 2016
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering3.30 Miles 1,500 AEG
Canyoneering3.30 Miles
1,500 ft AEG
Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use
 no routes
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Luster checking his foot...me, my knee and new camera!
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Dec 05 2015
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega CanyonSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Dec 05 2015
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering9.00 Miles 1,600 AEG
Canyoneering9.00 Miles
1,600 ft AEG
Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Ortega South - Jim's Cut
Ortega Ridge
Ortega Canyon South
Staircase Canyon - Yubao's Cut
Partners none no partners
22 hikers showed for the third month of the Canyon Light Series... nice day out, but concluded with an encounter with property owner on the exit...
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Oct 27 2015
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega Canyon SouthSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon South
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Oct 27 2015
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering7.00 Miles 1,900 AEG
Canyoneering7.00 Miles
1,900 ft AEG
Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use
 no routes
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
mary, Jim and Unjip on this faster looping of this exceptional canyon.
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
May 11 2015
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega Canyon SouthSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon South
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar May 11 2015
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering4.40 Miles 1,100 AEG
Canyoneering4.40 Miles
1,100 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Beginners+... declined the slightly more difficult middle traverse, but a nice group out for a Sunday afternoon.
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Feb 15 2015
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega Canyon SouthSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon South
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Feb 15 2015
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering3.30 Miles 500 AEG
Canyoneering3.30 Miles
500 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Beginner's hike stretched to the upper levels of their comfort zone yesterday... but they all seemed to really enjoy getting to see some of the great canyon areas available right here in town. 9 hikers... no injuries... all good.
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Jan 17 2015
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega CanyonSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Jan 17 2015
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering6.30 Miles 1,500 AEG
Canyoneering6.30 Miles
1,500 ft AEG
Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Pipeline Road - Alamogordo
Lost Trail Drainage North
Ortega Ridge
Ortega Canyon South
Ortega South - Jim's Cut
Partners none no partners
Fourth month of the progressive canyon series was less progressive yet still very appreciated. last minute changes yielded seven hikers for this bit of up down/in out... and the shorter day seemed well enjoyed by everyone. Lisa will hopefully come again... and next time bring along more than a pint of water in a waist pack with no food! I gave her three qts of energy drink to carry her day; she did great! I was in the final stages (I hope!) of my first head cold since 1994... a bit dingy with the low grade fever... but it was a much easier day... on mileage and elevation... and no demanding climbs.

A good day.

Next month... back to harder!
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Oct 18 2014
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega Canyon SouthSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon South
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Oct 18 2014
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering7.00 Miles 1,900 AEG
Canyoneering7.00 Miles
1,900 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Pipeline Road - Alamogordo
Leah's Lair - the Fissure
A Trail #119
Partners none no partners
11 hikers on the first of the Meetup.com 3rd Saturday Progressive series... running for the next six months... good group... great hike.
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Sep 28 2014
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Quarry CanyonSoutheast, NM
Quarry Canyon
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Sep 28 2014
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering12.00 Miles 3,300 AEG
Canyoneering12.00 Miles
3,300 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Pipeline Road - Alamogordo
A Trail #119
Ortega Canyon South
Garden Wall
Partners none no partners
First loop with Alena... drove over from El paso. Big emphasis on fossils today.

Second loop with Rebecca and her one year old son... Will and his six year old... Lynda, John, Kathryn.

12 hours door to door for me... so odd... in the summer I was frustrated to not hit 12,000' with that many hours (...16 hours!) and now I log only 3,000'!!

Terri back tomorrow... start in on real training? The knee seems to be good, but until I stress it with some serious mileage, I will not really know.
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Sep 10 2014
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega Canyon SouthSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon South
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Sep 10 2014
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering7.40 Miles 2,100 AEG
Canyoneering7.40 Miles
2,100 ft AEG
Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use
A - Dry or little water; shallow or avoidable water; no wet/dry suit
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Ortega Ridge
Ortega South - Jim's Cut
Pipeline Road - Alamogordo
Partners none no partners
Aleana drove over from El Paso... her first time to hike here. Emphasis on photos for her, and looking for more difficult hikes. So, did a sampler loop. She will be back for more.

Displaced my training day; I need to get back on schedule with that!

Heading back up to explore the Cave on Friday; see if there is more to it than initially appears...
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Sep 07 2014
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega Canyon SouthSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon South
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Sep 07 2014
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering8.40 Miles 2,750 AEG
Canyoneering8.40 Miles
2,750 ft AEG
Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use
A - Dry or little water; shallow or avoidable water; no wet/dry suit
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Ortega Ridge
Ortega South - Jim's Cut
A Canyon South - Terri's Cut
A Ridges North
A Trail #119
Partners none no partners
no one signed up for this first of series canyon traversing hikes, so I diverted a couple hours over to re-routing and improving the traversing sections... the really nice augment: connected the section from Ortega South, middle above the lower dryfall, to Jim's Cut.. and across "A" Ridge North and down into Terri's Cut right above the middle falls where Terri's Traverse connects over from the "A" trail. So... now we have a great route that allows easy access across three canyons and all the connecting ridges.

These "minor" canyons (rising into the 6,000' levels as opposed to 7,000'+ of the major cuts) make for great intermediate level hikes... as does just hiking the big cuts to about that level. Nice to not have to do in/out routes...

It will be interesting to see just how many different connecting lower loops we can develop from all these lower traverses. Terri is back next month; perhaps start a weekly series based on just that?

Light rain... but hopefully it will clear by 3pm for the Beginner's Hike over in the Alamo Canyon drainage.
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
May 30 2014
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
A Trail #119Southeast, NM
A Trail #119
Southeast, NM
Hiking avatar May 30 2014
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Hiking14.30 Miles 6,000 AEG
Hiking14.30 Miles
6,000 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   linked  
A Trail Bluffs
Ortega Canyon South
Ortega Ridge
Partners none no partners
Earlier start was nice.. need to remember to pre-pack to get out the door with momentum. Light rain midday... had to stop and slice off the pants legs (too hot!) "A" trail staying in reasonably good shape; makes me wonder why it was in such poor condition for the last 20 years! I can not see letting it get that bad again.

Hope to quit driving to trailheads and get back to walking from home like in 2011.
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
May 28 2014
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
A Trail #119Southeast, NM
A Trail #119
Southeast, NM
Hiking avatar May 28 2014
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Hiking13.90 Miles 5,700 AEG
Hiking13.90 Miles   8 Hrs   20 Mns   1.67 mph
5,700 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   6 linked trail guides
Ortega Ridge
Ortega Canyon South
Ortega South - Jim's Cut
Ortega/Dry Canyon Traverse
Dry Canyon Trail #5574
West Side Rd... Forest Road 90
Partners none no partners
Early start was lessened by too little sleep... I'd planned to log longer hours but I couldn't reach the cached water on Ortega Peak, so I headed back down early. Ran into Jim just above the trailhead; he was just headed out at noon, up into the heat I was happy to be getting out of.

More sleep... more fluids... longer hours: all goals for JUne?
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
May 26 2014
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
A Trail #119Southeast, NM
A Trail #119
Southeast, NM
Hiking avatar May 26 2014
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Hiking15.40 Miles 6,000 AEG
Hiking15.40 Miles
6,000 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   linked  
A Trail Bluffs
Ortega South - Jim's Cut
Ortega Canyon South
Partners none no partners
The day was planned as a sample hike day, ideally like what I hope to be my every day outing through June. I awoke early, but a bit before 4am it just looked socked in over the mountain... too oppressive to head out. I did odds and ends and hit the trailhead belatedly at 5am. The extra time allowed me to recall that this would be a Memorial Day hike.

So: Camo pants and shirt... field boots. MRE. 1/2 gallon chocolate milk. 1/2 gallon OJ. 20 oz Prune Juice. Monster Energy drink. Gallon of HOH. Crutch.

Finding a nice rock slab around 10:30am I reflected on the day. I thought of the uncle I never met... the uncle I was named after. My mom's brother who forever will reside in the bottom of the bay in Hawaii among the ruins of the Arizona. I've lived thrice his short years. I'm not sure what thoughts would serve as a worthy memorial to his sacrifice.

The Monster drink powered the initial hours of the day...

The MRE: cheesy egg with veggies, crackers, salsa verde... apple drink. I skipped the scone and apple butter... saved the milk shake. I downed the prune juice waiting for the entree to heat up. I slipped into a pancho when the light drizzle started. I wrote some journal notes.

I cached the water. I carried the oj back down the hill.

I'm hiking with a crutch, but as was noted on the last few group outings: my slow is faster than most folks fast. It's still slow and I avoid the steeper section up to Ortega Peak. I log hours. I score AEG. June might be an odd AEG record month for me. You'd think that would come with full and healthy function. I think it may come through the plodding of hours? A month of slow and steady... and long? Maybe.
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Apr 11 2014
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega Canyon SouthSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon South
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Apr 11 2014
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering5.00 Miles 1,100 AEG
Canyoneering5.00 Miles
1,100 ft AEG
Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use
A - Dry or little water; shallow or avoidable water; no wet/dry suit
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Ortega Ridge
Ortega South - Jim's Cut
Pipeline Road - Alamogordo
Partners none no partners
Terri's Friday group (with no more Terri!) has dwindled down to Cathy! Ross joined in for this group outing with speculation about whether or not to do the second phase of the hike. Cathy had time restraints, so I adjusted the route to include the exceptional lower section and the best of the middle section. Then, I began looking for a possible connecting traverse route to allow for a more varied descent. Low and Behold: it was right there! We were able to catch not only the very best of the middle section dry falls in Ortega South, but all of the best of Jim's Cut! That made for an exceptional loop and the shortened route allows for an easy paced return to the cars in time for their noon bridge games.

I am moving the Friday outings to 7am starts. Nicely hazy this morning so the heat was not too great of an issue, but folks were seeking out the shady rocks for the rest breaks.

The new traversing route credits to Cathy... as might this loop in general. Done in reverse it could make an exceptional in/out hike to score the huge dryfall section in Ortega South without having to do the killer Ortega Ridge section.

lots of hours not to score much AEG... but, exceptional settings!
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Apr 08 2014
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega Canyon SouthSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon South
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Apr 08 2014
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering3.30 Miles 750 AEG
Canyoneering3.30 Miles
750 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Pipeline Road - Alamogordo
Partners none no partners
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Feb 12 2014
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega CanyonSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Feb 12 2014
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering11.60 Miles 4,100 AEG
Canyoneering11.60 Miles
4,100 ft AEG
Basic Canyoneering - Scrambling; easy climbing/downclimbing; frequent hand use; rope recommended; easy exit
A - Dry or little water; shallow or avoidable water; no wet/dry suit
 no routes
Linked   7 linked trail guides
Pipeline Road - Alamogordo
Ortega Canyon South
Ortega South - Jim's Cut
A Trail Bluffs
A Trail #119
A Canyon South - Terri's Cut
Leah's Lair - the Fissure
Partners partners
tarryon
Not paying attention hiking before sunrise... walked over into the wrong canyon! Provided a good reason to explore options for traversing up and over, finally getting into the right canyon... and heading up Jim's Cut... it was nice!

Explored more cave options at the Bluffs... then back down to meet Bill... for a trip up Terri's Cut. Today included Terri clearing all the upper Class II climbs! Nice!!!

Back up exploring the west side caves in the Bluffs... then over to Leah's Lair... full descent with Terri confirming the hot airflow coming out of the lower cave entry. Today there was no wind; something is generating hot air?!!

Skipped the trail work... home early. Exceptional weather!
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Jan 04 2014
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Ortega Canyon SouthSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon South
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Jan 04 2014
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Canyoneering7.50 Miles 3,050 AEG
Canyoneering7.50 Miles   7 Hrs   30 Mns   1.00 mph
3,050 ft AEG
Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use
A - Dry or little water; shallow or avoidable water; no wet/dry suit
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Ortega South - Jim's Cut
Pipeline Road - Alamogordo
A Trail #119
Partners partners
Jim
meetup group hike...15 hikers. Great, warmer day... folks from El Paso and Las Cruces drove over to check out one of our local canyons. Hard for everyone to imagine that any of our cuts could really amount to much... as I originally thought.

Good group of folks... nice outing. 225 pictures! Hard to document with so many people spread out... sized the day down to around 180 shots (album over on Google+).

Link: https://plus.google.com/photos/11748554 ... 4738775681

Jim split off and took Marty up to Ortega peak... I walked the group down, then headed back up to round out my AEG... sort of hoping I catch them at the Gold Mine; we could then show Marty Quarry Canyon... but, I missed it by 100'...

Good day out...
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Jan 04 2014
avatar

 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Ortega Canyon SouthSoutheast, NM
Ortega Canyon South
Southeast, NM
Canyoneering avatar Jan 04 2014
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
Canyoneering8.00 Miles 3,200 AEG
Canyoneering8.00 Miles   7 Hrs   30 Mns   1.23 mph
3,200 ft AEG   1 Hour    Break8 LBS Pack
Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use
A - Dry or little water; shallow or avoidable water; no wet/dry suit
I - Short 1-2 hours
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Ortega Peak
Partners none no partners
Group hike up Ortega South, up and down at the waterfall, and then split off to summit Ortega. Added in an extra 100 feet for the gain and loss going around the falls. It was overcast, the so the mild ay was not as warm as forecast and no where near as sunny. Still, a good start. I can deal with chillier air, so long as it is sunny. I hate overcast hazy days. Huge dust storm picked up off the dunes and was blowing north, obscuring Salinas Peak.
_____________________
🍭
 
average hiking speed 1.3 mph
1, 2  Next

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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