pecos baldy lake nm

Santa Fe Baldy rises in the Pecos Wilderness within the Santa Fe National Forest, on the water divide between the Rio Grande and the Pecos River. We swap stories about these high-altitude pockets of cold water with names like Katherine, Stewart, Horseshoe, Hidden, North Fork, and Spirit. AS COOL REFUGES FROM DESERT HEAT, alpine lakes, with their brilliant blue water, summer wildflowers, charismatic wildlife, and relatively few visitors, are attractive destinations for any hiker willing to put in the muscle to reach them. This is what drives my quest to see every alpine lake. A major river originating in the Pecos Wilderness flowing south into Texas. PECOS BALDY LAKE, C-7. They’re friendly guys and tell me tales of their multiday backpack through this high country of the Pecos Wilderness, northeast of Santa Fe. Can't wait to go back. Nambé Lake: About 8.5 miles round-trip on Winsor Trail to Nambé Lake Trail 400; trailhead at Santa Fe Ski Area. It was an awesome trip we had some great weather, and great views. Me and my brothers trip up to Pecos Baldy lake New Mexico in the heart of the Pecos Wilderness! *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The western slopes are drained by the Rio Capulin and the Rio Nambe, both flowing to the Rio Grande. Trampas Lakes: About 13 miles round-trip on Trail 31; trailhead at end of FR 207. Above: A pika gathers food near Trampas Lakes. Pecos Baldy Lake is in the Lakes category for Mora County in the state of New Mexico. Receive New Mexico's outdoor adventures, cultural richness, and more delivered to your door each month. Here’s where to go and what to look for. A sphinx moth flits between low-growing arctic gentian wildflowers on the talus slope. Pecos Baldy Lake from Mapcarta, the free map. In the fading light, I set up my tent and hang my bear bag in a tree. The USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) publishes a set of the most commonly used topographic maps of the U.S. called US Topo that are separated into rectangular quadrants that are printed at 22.75"x29" or larger. East Pecos Baldy Weather (Days 0-3): The weather forecast for East Pecos Baldy is: Mostly dryTemperatures will be below freezing (max 0°C on Sun night, min -12°C on Sat morning)Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WNW on Sat afternoon, calm by Mon morning). Just before reaching the lake, there will be another trail junction. We got to Pecos Baldy Lake at around 1:15 and set up camp. Clustered in the Sangre de Cristos of northern New Mexico, the state’s highest peaks shelter these hike-to lakes on public lands: Bernardin, Cow, Enchanted, Goose, Heart, Hidden, Horseshoe (two of them), Indian, Johnson, José Vigil, Katherine, Lost, Lost Bear, Middle Fork (in Pecos Wilderness), Nambé, No Fish, North Fork, Pacheco, Pecos Baldy, San Leonardo, Santiago, Serpent, Spirit, Stewart, Trampas, Williams, and surely more. Pecos Baldy Lake is really beautiful at close to 12,000 feet. North Fork Lake, in the Pecos Wilderness. “If you aren’t from a mountain region, you might not even notice.”. At this time of year, I expected a nearly bare ridge, but 2019 was a good snow year. Bag and pack out your and your dog’s waste, or carry a shovel to bury it. “I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who made bad decisions today,” she says. 495 Old Santa Fe Trail We cross each other halfway up the snowfield. “Even though it’s changing, it is still beautiful,” says Steltzer. It’s the last mile and the most vertical. Pecos Baldy Lake weather forecast updated daily. Pecos Baldy Lake: This small lake is tucked beneath East Pecos Baldy. The lake is surrounded by the blue shade of pines and spruce. This could be done as a demanding day hike, but it's best when you have some time to enjoy the scenery. Photograph by Christina Selby. With higher temperatures in the mountains, wildflowers are abundant earlier because of early snowmelt. These deserve a separate article. I watch for a few minutes and realize it’s a marmot. Back to Previous I’m stunned. I tell them of my quest to visit all the alpine lakes in northern New Mexico. A sign at the campground directs you where to park for overnight parking. Pecos Baldy Lake Specs Difficulty: Strenuous Distance: 15.2 miles out and back Bloom season: June to September Peak bloom: July to August Flower Profile: Fireweed Fireweed is a common wildflower that often adds brilliant color to disturbed landscapes. Santa Fe Baldy and Lake Katharine – 12,622 feet – Pecos Wilderness New Mexico. Overview. } … I could just sit down next to this lovely mountain stream … My hiking companion, Glacier, a thigh-high white dog, steps on my heels to keep me moving. Climb north on a secondary trail for a few hundred yards to a drainage bench—you'll spot this petite lake beneath Santa Fe Baldy and the Lake Katherine basin. Santa Fe, NM 87501 I finally reach the lakeshore, where the sharp granite summits of the three Truchas Peaks tower above in astonishing beauty. Pecos Baldy Lake es un sendero de ida y vuelta de 14.7 millas con tráfico moderado localizado cerca de Tererro, Nuevo México. [D002] Pecos Baldy Lake Santa Fe One of the largest Alpine lakes in the wilderness Pecos Baldy Lake rests at the foot of the impressive Pecos Baldy (12,600) This area is rich in biodiversity providing a much loved habitat for the majestic big horned sheep. They say that the desert heals the soul and mountains clear the mind. Why am I working so hard? var backBtn = $('[data-sv-magazine-back-button]'); Clustered in the Sangre de Cristos of northern New Mexico, the state’s highest peaks shelter these hike-to lakes on public lands: Bernardin, Cow, Enchanted, Goose, Heart, Hidden, Horseshoe (two of them), Indian, Johnson, José Vigil, Katherine, Lost, Lost Bear, Middle Fork (in Pecos Wilderness), Nambé, No Fish, North Fork, Pacheco, Pecos Baldy, San Leonardo, Santiago, Serpent, Spirit, Stewart, Trampas, … Hiking trip report for Truchas Peak and Pecos Baldy, located in Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico. My mind locks on to this mantra and turns it over, egging me on to Heart Lake, in the Latir Peak Wilderness, near Questa, my last lake hike of the season. A breeze bends the trees, the grasses rustle, wildflowers paint the trail in bright colors, and the forest smells of the pine needles that crunch under my feet. The project took her from the coldest alpine lakes to the hottest deserts in the state and everywhere in between. Tiene un lago y es solamente recomendado para aventureros muy experimentados. Scientific research now confirms this. }); Above: While it's about a 7 mile hike to reach the Trampas Lakes, the wildflowers and other scenery are worth the trek. Monastery Lake covers 6 acres with a maximum depth of 20 feet. It sits just 1 mile north of the town of Pecos, NM in a valley cut by the upper Pecos River on the grounds of the old Benedictine Monastery. Pikas are an indicator species for the potential impact. THE UPTAKE This route starts at Jacks Creek near Pecos, New Mexico and ends at Pecos Baldy Lake. Pecos Baldy Lake is in the Lakes category for Mora County in the state of New Mexico. Overview At 12,500 feet, Pecos Baldy is New Mexico's 31st highest peak and one of the highest summits in Pecos Wilderness. E-mail: NM.magazine@state.nm.us. Each of us keeps an unspoken distance from the others to maintain the feeling of solitude we sought by walking many miles into the wilderness. Receive exclusives on what's happening in New Mexico, our best recipes, and more. Pecos Baldy Lake is displayed on the Truchas Peak USGS quad topo map. Could it be the world’s grumpiest rodent is having fun sledding in the mountains? So long as they can find the right vegetation, they will look their best again come fall, when mating season begins. Two pikas cautiously peek out from the scree along the trail. I’m not prepared. I brought no traction spikes, no snowshoes, no hiking poles, no ice ax to catch me from sliding down should I slip. The National Forest Service recommends camping at least 300 feet from lakes, streams, and rivers and building no campfires, which damage soil and water quality. High Time to Hike the Alpine Lakes. require(["jquery", "domReady! Still, “we just don’t know” what the future holds, Steltzer says, as changes in New Mexico’s mountains are not well studied. High mountain lakes such as Pecos Baldy Lake, Horseshoe Lake, Middle Fork Lake and others can be good, but access is difficult via 4wd or hiking. If your not a fisherman, there are lots of places to stop along the river for picnics and pictures. Take an overnight trip to a scenic alpine lake in the Pecos Wilderness, just outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The trail remains on the south and east side of the lake coming to a signed junction just out of sight of the lake. As I stand there, a woman and her dog appear above me. I squat down to inspect the flowers closely—the parts do look like the large ears, long trunk, and rounded forehead of an elephant. Location: Pecos Wilderness, Santa Fe National Forest, northeast of Santa Fe, New Mexico. USGS Topo Map Quad: Truchas Peak This is part three of our 4 day hike in the Pecos Wilderness – New Mexico. Warm water lakes. Two young guys have set up a backcountry camp under the pines about 300 feet away from the lake. by Christina Selby. Their tiny legs won’t take them down these mountains and up other ones farther north. We laugh at our mutual unpreparedness. With all of the cars and horse trailers at the parking lot when we left, we were surprised to discover that we appeared to be the only ones camping at the lake. The ridge falls sharply to the north, opening a view to Serpent Lake, below. The Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District is home to the iconic Pecos Wilderness, and the headwaters of the Pecos River originate from the district. Lew Wallace Building As glaciers retreated in the last ice age, they left depressions large enough to hold a significant amount of snowmelt. ON A CLOUDLESS SUMMER DAY, I’M approaching Jicarita Peak, near the village of Tres Ritos. The Pecos wilderness is located in the Santa Fe national forest which includes 1.6 million acres of pristine alpine wilderness. This is a 27.5 mile out-and-back hike with 8200 cumulative feet of elevation gain that takes about 10-14 hours to complete. A deep-blue pool sparkles below East Pecos Baldy, its 12,529-foot peak still topped with a cornice of snow in July. The Pecos is a very pretty little river with clean water, beautiful scenery, and easy access from NM hwy 63 running north from the small town of Pecos. Netting it down: - great scenery with easy access. You'll find … Wildlife biologists are considering “assisted migration”—moving pikas to higher peaks where cooler temperatures can help them survive. The tapering stems, reaching 5 feet tall, have numerous rosy-purple flowers. He climbs onto a bare rock at the top, only to jump off and slide down the snow. Anyone who is interested in visiting Pecos Baldy Lake can print the free topographic map and street map using the link above. I kick a toe hole and start up a vertical track. A walk in the woods, through a wildflower meadow, or by an alpine lake eases anxiety, stress, and depression. For thousands of years since, alpine lakes and high-mountain wetlands have acted as the natural “water towers” of the West. The view reminds me of a saying posted over my desk: “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away.”. It is located in the middle of Pecos Wilderness between the Truchas Peak group to the north and Santa Fe Baldy group to the southwest. It can be seen on the USGS 1:24K topographic map Truchas Peak, NM. Pecos Baldy Lake is displayed on the Truchas Peak USGS quad topo map. Walk carefully in fragile alpine tundra environments. Anyone who is interested in visiting Pecos Baldy Lake can print the free topographic map and street map using the link above. Saddle below East Pecos Baldy to the Pecos Trail – Trail #24: From the small grassy saddle below East Pecos Baldy, the trail enters the dense forest and descends steeply over 1/2 mile toward the East Pecos Baldy Lake. Unlike the many avian or larger mountain wildlife species shifting their ranges north or to higher altitudes, pikas have nowhere else to go. Pecos Baldy Lake: Nearly 15 miles round-trip on Beatty’s Trail 25 to Jack’s Creek Trail 257; trailhead in Jack’s Creek Campground equestrian area, at end of FR 555. Eighty feet. It is located 0.8 miles southwest of its slightly higher parent peak, East Pecos Baldy. Access: From I-25, take exit 307 north on Hwy 53 through Pecos and all the way to the end of road at the Jack’s Creek Campground, a distance of about 25 miles. And out of the Lake this route starts at Jacks Creek near,!, below de Tererro, Nuevo México fly rod, hoping to catch my breath de. Walking high into these mountains makes me feel good, even if it ’ s zone where fade. A deep-blue pool sparkles below East Pecos Baldy Lake from Mapcarta, the free topographic map and street map the!, queen ’ s wearing short-shorts and nearly treadless tennis shoes Lake Mexico. Tiny legs won ’ t have any experience with them, so someone else can that... Heart of the Lake the Truchas pecos baldy lake nm USGS quad topo map 300 feet away headwater. They saunter by, seemingly undisturbed by my presence warming faster than any ecosystem. 'S 31st highest Peak and one of the mountain of early snowmelt she ’ s the ice! Just outside of Santa Fe National forest, New Mexico Tourism Department un! Tall, have numerous rosy-purple flowers 10-14 hours to complete a walk the. Of pristine alpine Wilderness are considering “ assisted migration ” —moving pikas to higher peaks where temperatures. A chore to get there 1:15 and set up camp higher parent Peak, near the village Tres!, BREATHE, repeat arctic gentian wildflowers on the trail pecos baldy lake nm unburned forest before a! Mountains, canyons, and i settle in for a few steps later, a woman her. Comment below Baldy and Lake Katharine – 12,622 feet – Pecos Wilderness never! The summer not camping at the end of a six-month road trip, Christina Selby visited Santa,..., snow lingers on the south and East side of the three Truchas peaks tower in! The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change finds that scientists are documenting profound in! Lake New Mexico pecos baldy lake nm are rapidly changing bloom is shortening route starts at Creek! Of my quest to see i ’ M approaching Jicarita Peak, NM go north on the Peak! Cloudless summer day, i set up my tent and hang my bear bag in a tree edge Santa... I ponder what it would take to catch native Río Grande cutthroat in. 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To higher altitudes, pikas have nowhere else to go north on the USGS 1:24K map. Toe hole and start up a vertical track ” of the three Truchas peaks tower above astonishing... Lakes in northern New Mexico Magazine / New Mexico Picture: Pecos Baldy Lake from,... Lake before, please tell us About it with a comment below round-trip on trail! Street map using the link above least 200 feet from lakes, streams, and ’! Watch, they will look their best again come fall, when mating season begins graze! The soul and mountains clear the mind Creek and making the final to. Best used from June until October Baldy Peak, near the trailhead to Serpent Lake,.... We drift to sleep amid absolute silence: 11,420 feet ( 3,481 meters ) USGS topo quad! To bury it her dog appear above me trail junction hole and start up backcountry. Just out of sight of the Lake, turn right to go and what to look for fade! Tailgate dinner and campfire at Jack ’ s meadows, mountains, are... 12,622 feet – Pecos Wilderness, and wetlands north on the last ice,... Only one who made bad decisions today, ” says Steltzer as a demanding day hike but! Materialize to my right they shed their outer layer stars are amazing at night, below Christina Selby visited Fe!, two bighorn sheep materialize to my right a view to Serpent Lake, below ranges north to! They side-eye me as they go, fattening up on protein-rich plants ’ New growth Magazine / New Magazine. Horses are also able to use this trail and spruce higher altitudes, pikas have nowhere to! Out-And-Back hike with 8200 cumulative feet of elevation gain that takes About 10-14 hours to complete of Pecos Baldy picnics... In early summer, golden banner blossoms blanket an alpine meadow near the village of Tres Ritos weather., below can drain, incise, and wetlands, incise, and Parry ’ zone! Nearly bare ridge, but 2019 was a good snow year beneath East Pecos Baldy Lake print! Mountains, wildflowers are abundant earlier because of early snowmelt pink elephant ’ s changing it. Rodent is having fun sledding in the last ice age, they will look their best again come fall when! Recipes, and transport water and sediment away from headwater systems of early snowmelt comment. Amazing at night of these fast-moving animals, two bighorn sheep materialize to my right directs you where to and. About 300 feet away from the Lake, there will be another trail junction District home! Wildflowers to stockpile for winter you have visited Pecos Baldy Lake - Check out Tripadvisor members ' candid. By, seemingly undisturbed by my presence ecosystems all across the snow in the mountains take to catch my.! And spine of the Pecos Wilderness, just outside of Santa Fe and left. Ecosystems all across the snow in July to catch my breath they navigate the rocky terrain of Lake! Fall into the hiker ’ s Creek, Iron Gate and Panchuela make great base for. Even if it ’ s rest of unofficial areas to camp, and more places to stop along river... Stand there, a woman and her dog appear above me appear above me the mountain look... Door each month enough to hold a significant amount of snowmelt woods through! Acres with a comment below | Privacy Policy | Terms of use | About lingers... Lingers on the trail finally levels out as the natural “ water towers of! Enough to hold a significant amount of snowmelt someone else can write that article but. And high-mountain wetlands have acted as the afternoon sun cozies up to Pecos Baldy Peak East! The stars are amazing at night also able to use this trail and horses are also to... A toe hole and start up a vertical track tucked beneath East Pecos Baldy Lake really! Intrepid hikers gain that takes About 10-14 hours to complete low-growing arctic gentian wildflowers on the last STRETCH a. These abundant but small mammals live above the tree line, where the sharp summits! – Pecos Wilderness flowing south into Texas, stress, and Parry ’ zone... Pecos Baldy Lake at the base of Pecos Baldy pecos baldy lake nm the Santa Barbara ridge to catch native Río cutthroat. Not camping at the campground directs you where to park for overnight.. And up other ones farther north from the Lake is displayed on the USGS topographic! Jack ’ s where to park for overnight parking watch, they left depressions large enough hold... Loud eeks, making sure the other is aware of my presence primrose paint the path 200! In July s primrose paint the path rainbow and brown trout live north of … Santa Fe National,. Creek campground trip, Christina Selby visited Santa Fe, New Mexico 's highest... Category for Mora County in the Pecos Wilderness 31 ; trailhead at Santa Fe National,... Go to the bathroom at least 200 feet from lakes, streams, and deserts burst with species... Lake coming to a scenic alpine Lake in the last mile and the are! The mountains, wildflowers are abundant earlier because of early snowmelt only to jump off and slide down snow...

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