Hillsboro Peak

Sunday's hike took us to Hillsboro Peak. Starting elevation was 8200+ feet, and the top of the hill was 10,011 feet (tower was 61 steps higher).


Susie and Phillip joined us. The weather, scenery, and terrain was beautiful.


The Forest Service Lookout (MJ) gave us a tour of the tower (imagine how long that took...). Many times I have been to towers, but this is the first time I have ever met the lookout. What I learned: beer is never unwelcome!

A few wildflowers were out. There were fields of iris plants, but only a couple remaining blooms. Must have been gorgeous a couple weeks ago. And a last little guy saw us home.

Hike was longer that we thought, but there is nothing like a New Mexico Blue sky.

Bataan prep hike #1

Julia, Phillip, Mel and Stu started training for Bataan Saturday with an afternoon hike in the Organs up Modoc Mine Road (historic photo from NMSU's Rio Grande Collection).

It was a beautiful day for a hike. Our 7 or so mile hike had a pretty big elevation gain -- of maybe 1000 feet. The road we hiked on was really bad -- littered with lots of dead car parts, some much bigger than others!

Hike planned for next week into Soledad Canyon will begin and end at home (where the beer is). 1:00.