Moments in Dirt and Ink

Santa Fe National Forest Click for map. I thought I would take Timmy up Aspen Peak, which isn't much more than a mile, then I chickened out on taking him up a trail with so many dogs running on it and the trip just ballooned outward. Another visit to Lake Peak, this time via the trail along the fence and catching some bumps marked on Peakbagger, then drop down the ridge and such to Nambe Lake to take the trail back out from there, stopping by Aspen on the way. Aspen is still in the mix. One fellow said that I should come directly down Aspen to catch the lovely meadows, so that too. It's a plan, and so what if I'm sort of repeating there for a moment. The kiosk at the trailhead includes a wilderness map and a ban on goats. Across a bridge, Winsor trail heads left down the mountain and right into the wilderness. Both are hard to miss. My way is right and I start climbing. It is not quite so steep as I recall from coming down rather tired, but is still a solid cl...

Santa Fe National Forest Click for map. I've been given a short list of unsolicited you-must-go-tos, and one of them is the Pecos Wilderness. Besides, it's about time for another grand peak and New Mexico's 4th highest county high point should qualify. The shortest way there is a 7 mile hike on Winsor Trail, an old supply route, but I have decided to go along the far less practical route via the Skyline Trail for 10 miles. The thing is, I'm not entirely sure how I'm supposed to get to the start of it. It seems to start at the top of the ski runs and the sanctioned approaches seem to be from Aspen Vista or Big Tesuque Campground down the road a bit. It's not an attractive option, but I bet there's ways on the ski runs themselves, so I'm going that way. Right past a sign warning of man made and natural dangers ahead. It's not like there's any skiers coming down and they don't seem to be catering to mountain bikers and Frisbee golfers ...