04-30-2012 - Cerro Grande Trail, Jemez Mountains

Out for an afternoon hike, it was up hill all the way. I'm so out of shape after being cooped up all winter that I took quite a few breaks. It was a great hike I enjoyed every minute of it. This is the area where the National Park Service started a controlled burn in 2000 and then the Los Conchas fire happened in the area last year in July. As can be seen there is still a lot of dead fall, likely from both fires. The trail is in good shape its just all up hill until I ran out of time and turned around. It was getting green up there though. Will go back and get to the top this summer its up at 10,000 feet. I understand the views are spectacular.

Harry

This is spot marking my path on the trail. the summit is right at the top and just to the left of the center "Cerro Grande" looks like I was about Half way there so next time. Follow the road from my start point back to the right it goes straight and then turns towards the top and then you get to a hair pin curve just past the highway marker "4". There are some pictures of the road from up around the number @ trail marker so watch for them.

Dead Fall

This is an area that is fenced off and topped with barbed wire to keep the elk out. This is to see how the Elk are affecting the environment.

Another shot of the fenced off area.

Deadfall shot

Another deadfall shot

A nice little meadow, see the trail in the bottom right

Looking up hill does not look like it but its steep here.

The trail is in the lower right corner.

This is looking towards Santa Fe, the little pointy peak is near Bandelier.

The trail is straight ahead through the rocks

The trail is straight ahead looking back down hill here

Here is Highway 4 after the hair pin curve, Los alamos is about 10 miles down the road.

The trail

The trail and back down and a shot of Highway 4

It just keeps going up

The fire was here last July

Tree trunks still black from last years fire.

The Sandia Mountains toward Albuquerque off in the far distant

Aalmost back to Highway 4 not far a couple of blocks.

Deadfall not far from the trail head