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A fall vacation out of state was in order for our anniversary, and Leah preferred New Mexico given its proximity. In our early days of hiking, we attempted Santa Fe Baldy in May 2000, stopping short of the mark at 12,200' because of impending lightning. We slogged back up the seemingly unending trail to the pass in disappointment, though knowing Santa Fe Baldy would one day succumb. Time was high for it today, but I would be going it alone, while Leah watches over our baby girl. The sun did not acquiesce to my desire for timely duration in rising - I spent some time at the trailhead over-organizing and finally got started at 6:45 a.m. The initial switchbacks were a lot easier than I remembered, probably owing to the conditioning from 100+ hikes since my last visit. Elk darted across the trail in front of me, startled at the presence of humans in the dark dusk. The first mile went quickly, and the familiar signs demarking the Windsor trail appeared.
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I made my way quickly along the gently descending trail, now coated with a consistent 1" of snow. Aspen stands along this stretch had by now lost their leaves, covering the ground with decaying brown and black hues. After an hour, the first 3 miles of the hike had passed, and I had the first clear view of the peak at a small clearing. The hike had gained 600' in the first mile, 300' of which was now lost, and most of this is not regained for some time. Heat was surprisingly the difficult factor thus far, with sweat proliferating in one layer of clothing. In familiar surroundings, I longed for the switchbacks that attain the ridge, but for now slogging on near-level trail with 3" of snow will pervade my senses.
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The hike momentarily seems unfamiliar with all of the snow on the trail. The switchbacks do eventually present themsleves and they don't last as long as I remembered. It starts to cool off, and the sweating stops as I near 11,500'. I can hear the wind whipping through the trees which are now relatively more sparse. On the ridge above, I can see the area near the first attempt's retreat, a motivator for quick movement. I was requited at the saddle, as the turn for the ridge proper ensued. Like the previous visit here, wind prevailed above the tree cover. Shell, hood, and gloves came in handy as the temperature was probably around 20. Brief moments of sunshine led me to believe it would warm up a little, but how much can temperature change between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m.? Turns out, not very much.
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The wind increased as I made my way further up the slope, freezing snot much like later season hikes in Colorado. I paced moderately up the ridge and passed the highest ground I had hitherto attained. The novelty of the remaining 400' was slightly exciting. Views of Elk Mountain and the Truchas Peaks went unnoticed on the first go-round of this peak, so coming back armed with a little more knowledge and appreciation wasn't a bad thing. I didn't waste much time getting to the summit as the weather was quite unpleasant with gusts of at least 35 mph. I was looking forward to eating my roast beef, cheddar, provolone, and avacado sandwich, but it would have to wait for a return to the trees.
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The stay was short, and I fastidiously descended with thoughts of Redondo Peak or Caballo Mtn. for Monday morning, but I knew that because I was in boots vs. running shoes for the first time since July that it was probably not in the cards (sore feet). It was nice to connect Arizona and leave one county to connect Wyoming to the Mexico border. Canada here I come!
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