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| | | Three Rivers to Lookout Mountain 11580', NM | | | |
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Three Rivers to Lookout Mountain 11580', NM
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| Hiking | 17.20 Miles |
5,920 AEG |
| | Hiking | 17.20 Miles | 8 Hrs 40 Mns | | 2.11 mph |
| 5,920 ft AEG | 30 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | I thought this was going to be longer in mileage, but I am happy with the elevation gain. I trust the GPS, and the map elevation readings, but it didn't feel like close to 6,000'. I trust it.
I started at 10 of 11 this morning. Even with the shutdown, I was able to park at the trailhead, as had numerous other vehicles. Wind was up slightly, but not too bad. I enjoyed the smell of the pines and the running water. It took longer than I thought it would to make the crest trail, close to 3 hours, but a lot of the elevation gain is made on this section.
Rounding on to the Crest Trail and exposed to the wind, the hiking was harder, but not due to the trail. I encountered a flowing spring on the ridge, which is incredible given how high up it is. Flowing to a gallon+ per minute, I say.
Much of the views from the Crest were destroyed by the Little Bear Fire in 2012, but it is still very scenic. The grass is lush, and some erosion has roughed things up a bit, but overall it is in good shape. Had it not been for the wind, and the grass and herbaceous vegetation bothering my legs and getting in to my shoes, this was my favorite stretch of trail. Well, except for the end.
When you reach trail # 78, most of the hike is done, and in reality the real hike is up to this point. This may be the nicest of the hike. It has a Kendrick Mountain (Flagstaff) feel to it. The spruce is very nice, and the grass short and shady, for the most part. Very nice to walk on. Reaching the ski lift marks just about the end, and then it is a short hike up to the 11,580' summit, with a round wind break and views. I summited at 15:35.
On this day, I started too late to do Sierra Blanca, and the wind was nasty enough that I wouldn't have wanted to summit. Views were pretty good, and dust wasn't up much at all. Up from Monday's flawless sky, but not bad considering.
Hiking down went a lot faster than I thought. Then again, the hike was 3 miles shorter than I originally expected. I was down in 3 hours 38 minutes, total. Nothing impressive, but I thought I would be out later. |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Light
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Route Editor
Route Scout
The trip was in conjunction with the longer adventure that Cindy and Bobby were on, with the focal point for our get together being the fireworks show at the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo on the 4th (We got onto the grounds for the show/tailgate with my VIP pass from being a museum member).
) They were indeed going to try for the peak, but a sign about a trail closure along the Crest Trail near Lookout Peak turned them back. Bobby's fallback plan was to do Nogal Peak (9957), which is very inviting with its conical shape. With it being late morning and not knowing what the weather would deal us, this was a good choice as we could make it a short hike from the northern terminus of Crest Trail #25 from the high point on FR 108. I loved this one: short and direct along a ridge with excellent views! 
The weather cooperated (not so later in the day).
i was in serious tibber mode with all those flowers. the flowers were not only in the canyons, but on the ridge as well. so pretty!
