Finally

Sunday, September 17, 2006

I've lived here now for thirteen months, but we moved Mrs. here just under 2 years ago.

I've been looking at the Sandias now for almost two years, and thinking that I needed to climb up to the top.

It's bugged me for a long time. First the mountain was closed to snow and ice. Then there was just too much schoolwork. Then winter came again and it's just plain cold up there.

This summer they closed the mountain because of the lack of rain.

Saturday dawned clear and relatively cool. I slept in, took too much time to get my shit together, but I went anyway.

Saturday 1:15pm View at bottom

View from bottom to top

View from middle

Can't pass up flowers in the sunset. This one is smaller than a dime.

Almost to top

Top pan.

Question at top.

You did what?

"I walked up from the parking lot."

"You're not serious? I could barely walk up the stairs at the parking lot without stopping for a rest"

"Tell me you're joking."

Details:

11.1 miles

4,050ft elevation gain

Highest point reached 10,560ft

7 hours total hiking time

5 hours 10 minutes walking

1 hour 50 minutes stopped (lots of photos)

Last mile and a half in the dark.

Tram ride down - free - better than priceless. 7 hours up - 15 minutes down.

Note: Woods at night are dark

Reminder to self, buy headlamp already.

Google Earth image of hike here. Some of the path looks a bit erratic because of poor tracking inside the deep canyons of the trail.