SF2T- Post Script-2
It has been a while since I posted anything about the medical condition that took me off trail from the Santa Fe to Taos trail. I have gotten a number of heart tests, seen...
Category: SF2T Trail
SF2T- Post Script-1
As you may now know, I got off trail due to some heart palpitations and an episode of irregular pulse. I thought it unwise to continue solo as Cappuccino was leaving the hike to...
SF2T- Day 7
Last night. Yes, well last night was not the best for me. The weather was perfect, I was warm enough, and the stars were out in full array. But I woke up with a...
SF2T- Day 6
10 miles and 5,412 ft of elevation gain today. Camped beside the Santa Barbara River last night. Up at 5:05 a.m. with a breeze and the temperature at 39° (windchill equals ~34°). We were...
SF2T- Day 5
12.4 mi. 900 ft up, 3,000 down. After a windy night near 12,000 feet at Truchas Lake, we were on the trail by 6:40. The first 3 miles were a pleasant climb through remarkably...
SF2T- Day 4
On the trail by 6:05 to tackle the 1,500 feet of elevation gain in the first 2 miles of trail today. Moving up through dead and dying bark beetle-infested trees is sad. When Cappuccino...
2 responses to “SF2T- Day 4”
“Perched in a cirque near 12,000 feet,” I don’t know what a cirque is. A bowl-shape along the trail? Of course, the big horn sheep are the pick of the litter of your images. Did they just check you and Cap out? Were there young-uns that would make moms leery of interlopers? Tell me more about what hiking at 10K does to your pace and focus. 13 miles at this altitude is some decent mileage, especially for you two – young at heart.
A cirque is the bowl shaped “valley” left at the upper end of a glacier after it has melted. Usually found high in the mountains where glaciers first form. Like a natural amphitheater. The bowl shape often has a lake associated with it. See Google for pictures and more explanation.
The bighorn sheep were just hanging out as we walked by. There is one big ram with the massive fully curled horns and several ewes with the slightly curved small horns. Did not see any kids. They paid almost no attention to us.
Hiking at 10K to 12K feet is above treeline there and gives awesome views as you might note from the pics. It was blowing hard up there, but the weather was good otherwise. We were watching the clouds and did not linger up too for too long. The Trail Rider Ridge is a couple mile stretch and is really exposed. Usually crossed in the morning due to frequent afternoons thunderstorms. We took a bit of a chance crossing in the early afternoon, but the good weather held. Yes, 13 miles at that altitude was a good day for us!