Last Tuesday, I left work at 9pm. Earlier that day, I posted to Facebook to see if anyone wanted to venture south and climb Guadalupe Peak in the Guadalupe Mountains.. eight hours away.
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| The top of Guadalupe Peak |
My friend Ashley wanted to. So, now I had to.
"I've never hiked, how long is the trail?" texted Ashley.
"It's 8.4 miles, in and out. Should not be too difficult," I replied.
"It's rated "difficult.""
"Oh, really? It can't be that bad."
WRONG! This was the hardest hike I have EVER completed. 8.4 miles is not a big deal. Neither is the 8,749 ft peak; I've climbed a 13er in Colorado. The kicker was the 3,000 feet vertical climb. That is what made this hike incredibly difficult and taxing.
Luckily, I had trekking poles, great hiking boots and plenty of water and food. The poles saved my knees; I woke up today with no aches or pains.
The entire hike, up and down, took us about 8 hours because we stopped for breaks...a lot. Neither of us thought this little Texas mountain would be a problem. It was. 3000 feet in 4 miles is STEEP.
Would I hike it again? Yes! It was still fun, despite the difficulty.
Gear that saved me:
I went to Target to get these for $20 because I needed them ASAP. I really want some Black Diamond or Leki poles, but these NB poles were great for the hike. They have great grips, are adjustable, have rubber tips for good grip, and they are super light-weight. I was completely satisfied with these guys, especially since they were so cheap. I know for longer hikes, I will want some gloves to wear (I got blisters) and maybe different poles; probably ones with shock absorption. Overall, I give these 4/5 stars.
These are the best hiking shoes I have ever owned. They have never given me blisters, my feet never hurt in them, they have great grip, and they're not heavy or bulky. I found them at Ross for $30 a year or so ago and love them to death! They're waterproof, which I was able to finally test out this week at Guadalupe, because it started raining on us coming down the mountain. My feet stayed dry because of these shoes and my Darn Tough wool socks. Happy hiking feet = a happy hike.
Now for the photos:
(Cameras: I used my iPhone 4 w an Olloclip and a Canon 60d with a 28-105mm lens. Did not have my GoPro because I gave the Hero2 back to my sister and was waiting on my new Hero3 to come in the mail!)
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| El Capitan. Shot from the top of Guadalupe Peak |
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| Best view I have experienced! |
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| We met Fred J. Luthe on the trail (the name above mine). I hope I can still climb mountains when I'm 78. |
Where am I going next? Wheeler Peak in NM. Bring it, Taos.
Hey lady! Depending on how tall you are, Steepandcheap always has the Black Diamond Ultra Distance Z poles on sale for $60-70. Highly recommend them. They weigh 9 oz and are super packable.
ReplyDeleteGuadalupe Peak is definitely the "coolest" hike the park has, but if you want the more rewarding one, do the McKittrick Trail. I did The Peak in May, and did McKittrick last weekend. McKittrick is much harder, but more rewarding.
ReplyDeleteBest trip report ever, including the equipment recommendations. Thanks
ReplyDeleteWheeler in August and GUMO in March. Good job....
ReplyDeleteI feel so dumb. I was at the top a couple of weeks ago, and didn't realize that ammo can had a Visitor Register inside until seeing your photos just now. D'uh! Hey, and Wheeler is my next stop, too. Have a great climb.
ReplyDeleteWanted to say: You're awesome and I admire all that you're doing. I love following your blog and frequently look to it for inspiration to get myself motivated, especially on those days when I'm lacking gumption. This particular blog post reminded me a lot of a hike I did out here in Oregon about a month back. The problem with coming from the midwest, a land of flat cornfields, is that I had never seen anyone with a pair of hiking poles until moving out here about four months ago. So, as I hiked Mount Defiance, which is located in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge, ready to keel over and feeling like a log (I was completely unprepared for the hellaciously steep incline) a man went breezing by me with a hop in his step, swinging his poles with a happiness that would make you think they were lolly pops. Lesson learned. Get some damn poles, Heather. I think I threw about three hissy fits going DOWN the mountain, as I felt like my knees were going to wobble right off in front of my very eyes. Don't get me wrong, I live for this stuff...but I'm learning that THERE IS quite a lot to learn when it comes to the rugged west. Last example: yesterday while on a bike ride I came across a newt which was absolutely slow moving and adorable. Couldn't help but pick it up and admire its preciousness. Come to find out...SUPER deadly if ingested or if their toxins enter a cut. Another lesson learned...just let nature do its thing, not everything needs to be picked up.
ReplyDeleteKeep up what you're doing, Tiffiny! And if you ever find yourself in the pacific northwest, let's adventure it up!