Osha Loop Overnight

“Sandia Mountain Wilderness

I was supposed to go on a two nighter Labor Day weekend, but I found out that we would be delaying a family camp till then, and I would be going for a one nighter a week earlier. I still wanted to prove that I could make it from Capulin Spring to Media and Osha Springs in one day. The last time I had gotten sidetracked on a mountain bike trail and ended up way down the mountain making it impossible to complete in one day. Sandia Two Nighter

I have my pack down to 31 lbs vs. 45 lbs last trip, mostly by cutting excess food, clothing and using a much lighter weight sleeping bag. I would find out if my Mountain Hardware Down Upgrade liner would really work as a summer bag down to 45 F. I still had to carry water-5 quarts in two Nalgene bottles and a 96 oz Nalgene canteen.

I found out I would be going on Thursday night, Friday night was the company picnic, so I spent Saturday morning doing a couple of chores, packing and picking up a couple of things for the trip. What a great excuse to check out the new REI! Number one on my list of to do?s was a bear plan. The foothills around Albuquerque have had quite a few bears. Bears around here were not new, but they were not maintaining their usual shyness and were encountering people very frequently, even killing an elderly woman and invading another cabin in northern New Mexico. I found a great mini air horn at REI. Careful camping and the air horn would be my first defense. If necessary I had a small canister of bear spray, and lastly, my Leki pole with a carbide tip! I figured a 250-300 lb bear meeting this 210 lb. prepared man would be sorrier for the meeting.

As I wanted to cover some ground up in the mountains, I took the Sandia Peak Tram up the mountain, to 10,370 ft. This is the world?s longest tram, manufactured in Switzerland. There were dozens of tourists, a few local hikers, and NO backpackers, but me. From the upper Tram terminal, the Crest Trail follows the crest north with the dramatic drop to the west, down to Albuquerque and with the forested east slope of the Sandias to the east.

Sandia Crest Trail-Topozone Map

The entire trip was within the Douglas Fir/Aspen zone, with intermittent oak groves. Few tourists leave the tram terminal area. The brave and hearty hike to the Sandia Crest at 10,000 ft., three miles away. It is an easy hike with little vertical change, but beautiful. In the parking lot at the Crest, a few more tourists join the mix in their cars and RV?s, none go any farther north. I see two or three small parties before I reach Del Agua Overlook, another two or three mile along the North Crest Trail. I see the last group of people there, in mid afternoon. The rest of the afternoon, until late the next morning, the Sandia Mountains are mine!

Maybe. From Del Agua Overlook I leave the spectacular views of Albuquerque and drop down into the forest with it?s frequent and sunny bright wildflower meadows, following the 10K trail past Survey trail and Ellis Trail to the intersection of Osha Loop.

Osha Loop Topozone Map

This is where Media Spring is supposed to be. It is still too early to stop, and I have plenty of water, but I need to know where the water is for future reference-like tomorrow! With a little scouting I find the spring, and it?s a good one. One pipe feeding two tubs full of water (and critters! larvae, wormy things, little water bugs). Up the streambed is another trickle and following it leads to the spring with a small collection basin. This water looks dependable year round. With a short hike I am back on Osha Loop Trail. My plan is to find Osha Spring and then find a place to camp somewhere along Osha Loop, close enough to water to replenish the next morning.

On Osha Loop is much coyote scat, not a big surprise here considering we see them near our house. I also see much deer sign. The trail is a relatively flat trail; with rolling ups and downs, but nothing gut wrenching. I quickly come to Osha Spring Trail, but can?t find the spring. I do find some low, damp ground with plenty of flowers, plants, lilies and other bulbs, mole tunnels and berry stands. Gee, this looks like a great place for bear! Sure enough I come across fresh (day or so) bear scat. I am relived to see this bear has been eating berries not human garbage. Still, I had to take care around camp-I'm sleeping in somebody elses bedroom. Down Osha Spring Trail. No spring. I come to Penasco Blanco Trail, which is off the edge of my Topozone printouts. Still no spring. It becomes clear that Media Spring is going to be my water source the next morning. Unfortunately, Osha Spring and Penasco Blanco Trail took me quite a way down the mountain. As I climbed, I found I was growing to appreciate the Leki pole that I rarely use. I find that I always climb with my eyes focused on the trail below, not usually looking up. Sometimes I miss views, so I like to remind myself to look around. This time, however, looking down paid off. I see this patch of bright white in the trail, and stop, thinking it trash. Ha! It is a beautiful mineral crystal deposit. I pick it up and carry it for a while, wanting to wash it off in camp and get a closer look. I reach Osha Loop and stop for a breather and water. Stupidly, I set the rock on the trail post. After a few minutes I continue along the Osha Loop, planning to complete the loop back to Media Spring or nearby for the night. After 15 minutes or so of steady hiking I am moving along, and grin, congratulating myself on my find. Uh. Right. I left it back on the post, and I didn?t even take a picture of it. I couldn?t bear to leave it there for somebody else to find, and to never have even a photo. I am about half way around the loop, so it is just as fast to backtrack as it is to continue. I go back for the rock. This time I take a picture before I space it out again.

By now, I am about ready to call it a day. I find a great spot to sleep and spread out my bag and tent. I might not even need the tent. I hike up the trail, make some soup that makes dinner with a bagel and Luna ?Nutz over Chocolate? bar. I hang my food, but have troubles getting it as high as I would like, and far enough out on a small branch to keep it from climbing bears. I do as well as I can, but wouldn?t be surprised if an athletic bear can reach it. At least it?s not next to my sleeping area.

Back to the tent. I had considered sleeping under the stars, but I begin to hear distant rumbles of thunder, that gradually grow closer. A few mosquitoes are out, so up goes the tent. It still seems it might pass, so I leave off the fly and lie in the tent watching the storm move overhead. The ceiling must be a mere 1000 ft above me and the lightening is flickering across the base of the thunderstorm. A few drops of rain fall, on goes the fly. Pretty soon it is raining with gusto and the fly vestibule gets closed tight. For the next hour the storm seems to camp above me, with waxing and waning rain, but constant lightening overhead. My camp spot is in a relative low spot, a small clearing and I don?t feel any threat from the lightening, but it is CLOSE! Lightening and thunder are nearly simultaneous. The lightening is so bright and close that I can see the bolts through the dark blue rain fly. After a while the thunder and lightening fade and so do I.

The night is pleasantly cool, and I don?t hear anything, but with all of the thunder, I couldn?t have heard a bear anyway. I sleep till 700, much later than usual. The morning dawns clear and bright, cool enough that I put on my long johns under shorts and long sleeve shirt. The sun is warm, the sky crystal blue and the air autumn cool. My food is intact. Breakfast of Pine Nut Couscous, coffee and a Harvest, Iced, Oatmeal and Raisin Power Bar, and I am packed ready to go by 0900.

I still have this rock. I take another picture in the better light of morning and a plan occurs to me. If I leave it by the trail for others to see, somebody else will take it home. I don?t really feel right about taking it home. So I place it on a limestone block in my breakfast area. I can find it again, and the great camping spot. Somebody else may come upon it by accident, but will see that it was purposefully placed there, and hopefully leave it there. Or maybe nobody will ever find it.

I?m just about out of water by now (5 quarts at start). I easily make it to Media Spring and refill. 10K trail is a beautiful trail cut by the New Mexico Cross Country Ski Club, with some ups and downs, but largely following the contours. I see more and more dayhikers, but still not a single overnighter. When I cross the ski runs, I see how I got sidetracked on the bike trail, but going this direction, I stay on course. I?ve proven, in a roundabout way, that I can reach Media Spring from Capulin Spring, my water supply secure. A nice sunny climb to the crest on the South Crest Trail and I have completed the loop. Time for my reward-a pint of Southwest Amber Ale and Chicken Green Chile Quesadillas at the High Finance Restaurant on top of the mountain. I consider this trip a resounding success!

Webshots album”

“We got indian paintbrush here too. My favorite wildflower.”