Joe and I were able to cross off one of our bucket list hikes. Hiking the White Mesa. On the map below our hike started at the furthest Parking area on the left bottom. (Blue square with a P) We hiked up to the ridge (blue line) that joins the Black line on the far left called the Dragon's Back. It takes us along the top ridge of the incline. (The green line furthest to the left is the horseback trail.) Near the end of the Dragon's back at the top of the map you will see a Blue line that joins the Black line of the Dragon's Back with the Green horseback trail on the far left side. That is the trail we took down from the top of the Dragon's Back to the bottom of the incline. We followed the Green line to the other side of the incline to the Blue line, then the Red line to the Black line at the far right. We took the longer Black line trail back to the car because the Red line trail has a mean nasty climb that Joe was not ready to attempt. (The Red line is the way my hiking group usually goes as they have a lot more experience climbing.) Joe thinks that next time he may want to attempt that climb because it saves a whole lot of hiking! To get back to the car we have to cross over the top of the ridge on the blue line trail turning off to the left just before we get to the red line trail taking the darker blue line back to the parking lot. By doing that we did less climbing back up to the Dragon's Back and then down to the car -- but we had a longer route to go. Our whole hike was 8.5 miles.
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| Here is the map made from our GPS Not as detailed -- the gap in the yellow trail was when we lost the satellite feed |
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| Here is the chart of our climbing and descents -- again the missing yellow dots indicate we lost the satellite feed |
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| Posing as we begin the hike |
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| Climbing up to the Dragon's Back from the parking lot |
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| Our first view at the top--A beautiful hike lies ahead! |
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| Joe posing for his maiden hike |
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| The beginning of the Dragon's Back |
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| Enjoy the scenery |
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| In the near distance is THE White Mesa, it is a gypsum mine that provides the Albuquerque area with the gypsum needed for its drywall needs |
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| Looking East across to the opposite side of the canyon you can see the trail we will be taking on the return hike |
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| Heading out down the Dragon's Back Trail |
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| It didn't take long to find a hole, if you tap your hiking pole you can hear the hollowness of the area we are walking on |
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| Looking West |
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| In the far distance there is a "cupcake" mountain... that is called Cabezon |
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| Here the trail skirts the side of the Dragon's back... just for excitement |
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| Back up at the Crest, we get a great view of the valley and the other side of the canyon |
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| Looking ahead at where we are going. Beautiful colors in the soil |
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| Wanting a picture of where we started, Joe poses thinking I am taking a photo of him |
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| This time I try to capture him on the trail, but the glare of the sun makes it hard to see what the point and shoot camera is pointing at! |
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| A much larger and deeper hole in the trail... you do have to be careful on this trail |
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| As you can see... much larger holes dot the trail |
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| Another shot of the canyon |
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| In the distance that white line along the bottom of that furthest mountain is a small river that has water year-round. We will have a better view when we finish hiking the Dragon's Back |
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| Just before the trail starts climbing again you can just make out a pole on the left side of the trail. That is where we take a trail down the anticline. Going further is some more climbing and a trail that leads to the bottom but trust me, you don't want to go there...you'll see why! |
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| This is where we are going to climb down the Dragon's Back |
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| The trail skirts the side of the anticline |
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| Looking back at the trail we hiked down |
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| Here we are at the bottom now we have to hike to the other side of the anticline |
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| This yellow rock caught my eye |
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| No wonder, it was a very unique looking formation |
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| This is a road that some jeeps or trucks drove up while installing some towers on the top of the ridge |
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| In the distance I see the old homestead |
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| I was eager to show this to Joe |
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| It looks like they used old railroad ties for the base support This small adobe home was part of a ranch |
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| I can't explain the bars on this window |
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| Of course we had to go inside and explore |
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| In the corner was a small fireplace |
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| The second room (it was a 2 room cabin) |
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| We were surprised to find the PINK carpet |
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| Flat Roof typical of the Southwest |
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| Going back out the back door |
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| Continuing the hike along a sandy road, this was once all under water at a different time and climate |
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| This was a nice beach back in the time of the dinosaurs. (BTW, further down the road from White Mesa 3 hikers discovered the Seismosaurus in 1979) Check out this link! https://www.thoughtco.com/seismosaurus-1092968 |
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| We are at the 6th signpost which is at the top of the map just to the left of the "T" in "Trail" (the # 6 is in red; #7 is to the right of #6 just below the letter "T") |
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| A view of the river I mentioned earlier |
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| I told you it had water... not much, but then we are in a drought |
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| This is not the trail down that I was speaking about....but |
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| This is it and yes, some hike down, and others bike down and some actually try to drive up to see how far then can get...but only males of our species are foolish enough to try. This picture is zoomed in |
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| This is NOT zoomed in |
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| Making our way to the other side of the anticline |
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| Joe is intrigued by the rock with the white dots... that is pure gypsum, and he even found a piece of pure solid gypsum for his collection |
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| A little further on we find the trail that will take us to the valley on the other side of the Dragon's Back |
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| I took several pictures of the top of the anticline we hiked |
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| Hiking the valley |
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| At the top are the 3 towers I mentioned earlier |
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| This sign has been lying in the same spot for years... ever since I first started hiking. It is nice it is still around to show us where to turn |
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| Heading to the Springs |
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| All the white is the gypsum that has washed out from the ground |
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| This is where the spring breaks through the rocks You can tell because the ground is wet |
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| Not a whole lot of water but enough to form a small waterfall -- later we will see a pool |
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| This may be a hard long hike, but the beauty is worth it! As you can imagine Joe was in 7th heaven |
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| We are entering an area that is hollow underneath our feet and is sprinkled with holes |
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| Looking back from where we came--the ridge on the far left is the Dragon's Back at the very end of the ridge is where we rounded the "Back" and headed into the valley |
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| We have started our climb and will be climbing the rest of the hike until we head back down to the car |
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| Finally we find some shade to stop for lunch... once again we have some pizza bread, figs and carrots |
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| As you can see, there is very little shade so we were happy to find this spot big enough for both of us! |
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| Now that we are climbing, we see some great vistas again! |
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| The climb is not really steep, just a gradual up for the next 4 miles or so |
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| But the views are well worth it! |
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| In the far distance, that ridge is the Sandia mountains and home |
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| Like I said--a lot of climbing-- but nice and gradual |
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| Finally we made it to the springs--good thing we brought plenty of water; this is NOT potable |
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| Joe is standing there for size comparison. In the distance you can see the Dragon's Back on the far left... an indication at how much we have climbed |
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| Even if we could reach the water... you can see it is not worth drinking! |
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| Now we start some serious climbing--this is looking back on what we climbed |
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| And looking forward |
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| And we are taking the route that goes around the way my hiking group usually goes... which is almost vertical... |
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| That colorful highpoint in the distance is our goal. Our car is parked at the bottom of the other side of that ridge. My hiking group usually hikes on the middle ridge where you can see the small bushes on the far right. We go down that ridge back into the valley and straight to that colorful highpoint and climb that steep end of that mountain up to the very top and down to the cars. Joe and I are climbing up the ridge on the left side and hiking along that white ridge on the left to that same spot. Longer, but a bit more gradual. |
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| Trust me-- this is the more gradual climb! |
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| Finally at the top of our ridge...this is the trail most hikers take... and the guys on their mountain bikes (someone has a clever point of view in naming this trail!) |
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| In this view from the top of our ridge you can see the Dragon's Back, the farthest ridge. The mountain in the middle is the area my hiking group usually climbs for a shorter hike. Trust me that climb has an area that is like climbing a chimney. It is very doable, but with Joe's feet after his surgery -- it is too risky |
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| Our trail is a walk in the park with only hilly climbs |
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| This was cool, these are roots from a tree crossing the trail. You can also see all the bike tracks on this trail |
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| As you can see, the roots lead to the tree that had a better life years ago |
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| Yep, glad we took the path with less climbing |
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Well, our blue skies have disappeared, most people would be scared to be hiking on this high ridge... but in New Mexico, during this drought, we are not expecting rain...and we were right, no rain, no thunder, no lightning
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| Nice view Yes the Sandia Mountains look further away from this angle |
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| I thought this white formation looked like a lion |
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| We are nice and high again to get some great vistas |
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| We still have climbing to do... so we really were not taking the easiest trail back |
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| Looking over at the Dragon's back (furthest ridge) |
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| In the very far distance, left of center is Cabezon Peak |
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| We are almost to the final ridge that we have to climb |
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| We climb along the gradual left side |
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| It almost looks like these rocks were placed here as a wall |
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| But it is just years of weathering |
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| We are getting closer to our ridge |
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| And we are still climbing... this way might have seen like a cop out, but we got our share of climbing, just not as steep |
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| Looks like we are on the home stretch |
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| Just a few more hills |
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| Finally at the top of the ridge.... |
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| We cross a fence line that went up one side of the ridge and straight down the other-- WHY? |
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| Another view of White Mesa as we make our way back to the car |
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| As we leave the area... we saw some cattle (reason for that fence?) |
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| The cattle have slim pickings for dinner |
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| One last colorful shot from a perfect day of hiking! |
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