Wheeler Peak, Taos NM

Wheeler Peak, the far high point, New Years 2012

The wife and I spent our New Years in the backcountry near Taos. Specifically, we hiked into the Bull-of-the-Woods yurt two miles northeast of Taos Ski Valley. From our toasty wood-stove fired base camp our party spent the holiday-weekend roaming around the nearby hills by ski and snowshoe. There's plenty of terrain to tour around on nordic skis as well as some decent backcountry skiing on the slopes of Gold Hill. I was drawn like moth-to-flame to the Wheeler Ridge which stretches south from basecamp toward the highest point in the state, Wheeler Peak, 13,161ft.

Grabbing the first ascent of the new year seemed pretty keen to me so while the others were out ski-touring I taped up my heels, stepped into my boots, and set off up the trail on a New Year's adventure run with three hours of daylight and a mostly full moon to light the way.

Base Camp

Through tree-cover to the ridgeline. Light-footing the drifts to avoid death by post-hole

Fast and light. Snowshoes for impassable sections

Taos Ski Valley in the distance

Just 5mi to Wheeler, up a few hills

Gaining the ridge. Some evidence of trail though better footing to be found off trail

Big-horn sheep, a ram and ewe. Taos Ski Valley and Kachina Peak in the distance (12,481ft)

I steered well around these two. They didn't have interest in me either fortunately

I thought Wheeler might be behind that big guy top left. My route crossed through the bowl to the left

Gunning for the high ridge in fading light. It was beautiful

To the west, the first sunset of the new year

To the north, the ridgeline approach, the Latir Peak Wilderness and Culebra range further north, the Spanish Peaks far right, Blanca Peak range distant center-left

From my high point I see I'm short by a (very scenic) mile. Wheeler at far right

Fine effort, good run. A little brandy to power the return trip

The moon helps guide the run home

The trail was at least 6mi from camp to summit (a two mile head start from the trailhead). I felt like I was really moving and would steal the summit for certain. In the end there were four false summits on the approach and I made it up only three. Gazed across the fourth and destination-fifth (Wheeler) as the sun set behind the Jemez. The summit push was another 1mi+ of snowy and technical ridgeline, across and back in the dark, which didn't look like fun so I tipped some brandy in a New Years toast and turned it around. Well played Wheeler, well played sir.

Summit gear included gaiters, ski poles, snowshoes (precautionary), a headlamp and a thermos of hot chocolate and brandy. With the snow, the primary challenge was route-finding - and retracing the route on the return (super-important).

I was really excited to be out in a mostly-full moon. The lights of Taos Ski Valley shined invitingly from below the ridge as I ran along hoping from rock-to-rock and vaulting snow cornices with the aid of my poles. What would the new year bring? Anything I will it to I suppose. Nearly anything is possible if you just get out and make it happen.

Related Links

 - Santa Fe Area Trails Listing

 - New Years 2010-11: Cumbres Pass Yurt, Neff Mountain CO





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