Articles & Long Notices
General News · 25th January 2009
Carol Trueman
My friend Ron and I had another big hike, 7 1/2 hours. At first we thought it was going to be with a guide, but he did not show up so we headed out on our own and accidently found a good trail heading up to Mt. Alamos.
Starting at 6.30 in an attempt to beat the heat it was just getting light. We had to cross the big arroyo to find a good trail and came across the shrine to Guadeloupe. Not really old but it could have been painted over an older one. It Just missed getting taken away by the flash flood in October.
On our journey that wound up and around, I looked back and saw a cow perched on top of the peak we now call Mattress peak (there was a sleeping mat up there) -those cows are really mountain goats! We felt much more confident as the trail was well defined apart from some odd places where it leveled out and the cows congregated. They do a good job of obscuring trails and making new ones.
We got up into a much higher elevation and noticed new flora. Firstly I spotted some Indian paintbrush, then we noticed the ferns all over the slopes, dried up now but in the rainy season it must have been so pretty. There were two different kinds of Oaks and a scrub willow of some kind.
We found ourselves much higher than the last hike and got close to some of the scars left by the torrential rains of Hurricane Norbert. When after about 3 hours we found ourselves looking at a huge toothy peak that probably is Mt. Alamos, we decided to rest, eat, and head down. That peak is not visible from where we are in Alamos. Ron found a cow skeleton and carried the very bleached out skull home as a trophy.
From our high perch we could look south to El Fuerte and make out the river and smoke. West we could see the dammed up lakes. East we could see the Sierra Madres. Coming down we lost the trail for a while but after difficulties got onto it again. We also saw a deer on our way down. The area generally is rather depleted of wildlife. No javelinas or snakes or lizards. But we probably scared everything away.
Once again I arrived home footsore, hot, and thirsty. But would not have missed that hike for the world. A dip in the pool and a shower soon put me right.
Starting at 6.30 in an attempt to beat the heat it was just getting light. We had to cross the big arroyo to find a good trail and came across the shrine to Guadeloupe. Not really old but it could have been painted over an older one. It Just missed getting taken away by the flash flood in October.
On our journey that wound up and around, I looked back and saw a cow perched on top of the peak we now call Mattress peak (there was a sleeping mat up there) -those cows are really mountain goats! We felt much more confident as the trail was well defined apart from some odd places where it leveled out and the cows congregated. They do a good job of obscuring trails and making new ones.
We got up into a much higher elevation and noticed new flora. Firstly I spotted some Indian paintbrush, then we noticed the ferns all over the slopes, dried up now but in the rainy season it must have been so pretty. There were two different kinds of Oaks and a scrub willow of some kind.
We found ourselves much higher than the last hike and got close to some of the scars left by the torrential rains of Hurricane Norbert. When after about 3 hours we found ourselves looking at a huge toothy peak that probably is Mt. Alamos, we decided to rest, eat, and head down. That peak is not visible from where we are in Alamos. Ron found a cow skeleton and carried the very bleached out skull home as a trophy.
From our high perch we could look south to El Fuerte and make out the river and smoke. West we could see the dammed up lakes. East we could see the Sierra Madres. Coming down we lost the trail for a while but after difficulties got onto it again. We also saw a deer on our way down. The area generally is rather depleted of wildlife. No javelinas or snakes or lizards. But we probably scared everything away.
Once again I arrived home footsore, hot, and thirsty. But would not have missed that hike for the world. A dip in the pool and a shower soon put me right.
view across to the "devils ear"
