27-28 May Ruidoso NM

“Unlike last year, the White Mtn wilderness is not under fire danger and is very green. Photos of this and some of my other trips at: http://s157.photobucket.com/albums/t70/SWBackpacker/ruidoso%20NM%20white%20mtns%20wilderness/

NW of Ruidoso NM, the mountains drainages and trails tend mostly center on Bonito Lake, giving this area a lot of loop possibilities.

Uphill is always constant around Ruidoso trails. Camp was just off the crest trail under a full moon with a 360 degree view. Some sprinkles died out towards dinnertime. The morning showed the Tularosa Valley below and I proceeded to pack up after some neighboring Boy Scouts got loud at 5:30 AM.”

“I'm glad somebody else hikes in NM around here. That's a cool place. I gotta get back soon. Did you get water out of the spring on top?
”

“Yeah, all the streams I saw were flowing. I highly recommend the area while it's still green.”

“heading out there in mid june for 3 days for the first time. gonna hike a loop trail (about 18 miles). Any tips? How was the weather? Lots of people?”

“Which loop would that be?”

“http://texas.sierraclub.org/dallas/outings/whitemountains/white-mountains-2007.pdf

i found out this club was taking a trip to white mtn wilderness and had already planned out their trip and several routes. since i have never planned a trip and this is my first multi-day trip, i thought it would be easiest just to do one that they did. we are going to do trip #3 (pg. 6 on the pdf). me and about 6 buddies are going (none of us are experienced) and i am sort of leading it (scary haha). i think it will be a good first trip though and something a little harder than my 2mi. overnighters at palo duro canyon...”

“Mid-June will be hotter but hopefully the springs will still be running. You are probably going to need at least a liter of water to go up more trails and some Gatorade mix. It'll be warmer but still nice.”

“Personally, I could never stomach driving all the way from Texas to hike in the horse #&%!$ of Argentina Canyon (trailhead one). Just the look and smell of the place, with all the corrals and people trying to sell you stuff, sends me running, but that's where SWUSAB's pictures are from.

I always hike out of South Fork Campground (trailhead two) and usually camp along the South Fork Rio Bonito and do day hikes to Sierra Blanca, the Bluefront loop, etc. There is a lot less horse traffic there. Hike 5 is my familiar territory, but they are skipping the best places to camp, which are along Tr 19. The ridge is really beautiful but can be so windy that you don't want to camp up there.

There are only 3 sources of water on the Crest Trail - Argentina Spring, the one in my picture at the intersection of Tr. 33, 19 & 25, and Ice Spring in the middle of the ski area. I know people who have ended the day on the southeast section of the Crest trail looking for water, but there is none.

The Crest Trail extends past where your map shows to the Monjeau Lookout - your map shows taking the Peacock Canyon trail back to Tr 19. You can stay on the Crest Trail to the lookout and come down Rodamacher Canyon to extend that loop.

This is a great place for Texans with little experience. Try no to get too anal about putting together loops and hiking so many miles. Just find a nice spot to camp not too far from running water and enjoy it. I'm a big fan of a base camp and day hikes.”

“No $&*# (or very little of it) on the trails themselves, that's why this area is only good in wet seasons. There was a similar situation after our serious flooding rains last monsoon season; if dry, unless you are fairly local, it's not worth it.

The thunderstorms and rain (mostly sprinkles) could be keeping the horsepackers down low - that's is the only thing I can think of.

When it's dry, horse riders are all over the place but now that it is wet and green, they are nowhere to be found.

BTW, Texans, you don't need a zero degree bag to do this hike ;)
last edited: 5/30/07 8:12:51 AM”

“Thanks guys I think it will be a good time. I am coming from Lubbock, so its not too bad of a drive. The only thing I don't have really much of an idea about is water amounts to take/filtering. I am planning on just telling everyone to bring 3-4 liters in case we can't find water or our only filter breaks. I guess 3-4 would be enough for this hike, any suggestions on that one?”

“I never carry more than a half gallon, but I always camp near a creek or spring.

I'm starting to think I need to zip out there for a 3-day weekend. I'd need to find someone to buy my gas....”

“Right now the water is flowing but I'd take a few when you go to be on the same side. I took 2.5 and had a bit left at the end of 2 days without using cooking water.

You can bring your hiking water and use the streams for cooking water.”

“A friend that is coming along has a pregnant wife. She wants to know if she will be able to talk to him via cell phone while we are out there (as if there was anything he could do being 300miles away in the mountains). Any idea if cell reception is possible in the white mountain wilderness? I'm thinking slim to none, but I said I would ask...”

“There's a big electronic site on the top of a mountain on the southeast section of the crest trail, so cell phones prolly work in some places.

I'd tell her yes and turn off the phone at the trailhead.”

“haha, will do. thanks again toejam/SW Backpacker”