Lookout Mountain 11,580' (Lincoln County Highpoint)
This outing had been on my list for a while, but it wasn't easy finding time to make the trip. I set out in the morning at 4:30 from El Paso on Hwy 54 to Ruidoso. I arrived at the ski area later than I expected, at 7:45, parking on the shoulder before the locked gate. As compensation, the hike required less navigating than I planned for, as I soon found and followed the westbound road up the slopes. On the right, the first ski lift is seen from a southwestern traverse to the road, which I could/should have started out on. Elk bugling was frequent and at one point very loud, as I within about 20 yards of a buck before he noticed me. The road continues upward and onward, and with persistence, the final slopes of Lookout Mountain and the highest lift came into view.
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I arrived at the summit at 8:40, a little surprised to require a jacket. The saddle from here doesn't look as far down as the topography indicates, being over 400' below. There were nice views of the desert floor, Sierra Blanca, and the Capitan Mountain Range. It was a little windy until I could get on the east side of the ridge below the crest. Elk were still very much audbile from the ridge above treeline.
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Sierra Blanca 11,973' (Otero County Highpoint)
From the saddle, a steep hike up the north ridge slope eventually arrives at a level section of rock on the ridge, easily skirted on the right or easily managed just walking on the crest. If there is any scrambling to be found on the route, I definitely missed it, not using my hands on any occasion during the entire hike. A shorter steep section of rockier slope leads to the summit, the most prominent peak in the state. Views were a little hazy, but enjoyable. Departing the summit at 9:20, the descent to the saddle was swift and easy. I opted to traverse below Lookout Mountain and followed game trails back to the main road. The Black Diamond Route 'Terrible' saved some time on the descent vs. taking the switchbacking road. At 10:30 am, I headed to town to grab a bite and take on One Tree Peak, the Chaves County highpoint.
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