| Peak: | Guadalupe Peak - 8,749 feet | |
| Posted By: | David Connolly | |
| Post Date: | 04/08/2008 | Modified: 04/11/2008 |
| Date Climbed: | 04/02/2008 | |
|
|
| Carlsbad, NM to Guadalupe Peak |
Carlsbad, New Mexico/Guadalupe Peak Trail Report - posted April 7, 2008 “I can’t tell if I’m even on the trail!” The voice floated up to me as I leaned back on the stainless steel pyramid. I’d been the first one on the summit April 2, 2008 and for 30 minutes I had had it all to myself. A few minutes after reaching the top I used the memorial marker as a wind block and signed the register, then propped up my hiking staff with rocks to use the camera mount for the summit photo. After activating the self-timer I scrambled across the rocks to stand next to the marker. Then I just relaxed and did nothing but sit and look. I knew that a group was coming up behind me so I wasn’t surprised when I heard the voices. I stood up and looked over the edge and saw a group of four young people below me. The leader looked up at me and grinned, asking, “Which way do I go?” I motioned to the easiest way to come around and a few moments later they joined me at the top. The leader (Michael) and I introduced ourselves to one another. When I told them I was starting my descent he asked me if I saw a fellow in a “Permian” hat would I tell him they made it to the top? The man in the “Permian” hat turned out to be the group’s professor. “No problem,” I told him and started down. My trip began on 8:00 am, Saturday March 29 th, 2008. I walked about a block from my house and got on the Cap Metro bus and an hour or so later was at the Greyhound station here in Austin, Texas. I had purchased my round-trip tickets taking me from Austin to Carlsbad, New Mexico a week or so in advance for a grand total of $121.00 dollars. The bus stayed very close to its schedule. -------------Trip to CARLSBAD, NM------------- 03/29/08 10:50am AAP-9347 * Depart AUSTIN, TX 03/29/08 12:20pm AAP-9347 * Arrive SAN ANTONIO, TX 03/29/08 12:40pm KBC-0703 * Depart SAN ANTONIO, TX 03/29/08 09:10pm KBC-0703 * Arrive LUBBOCK, TX 03/29/08 09:35pm TNP-0353 * Depart LUBBOCK, TX 03/30/08 01:05am TNP-0353 * Arrive CARLSBAD, NM I stepped off the bus into the cool and breezy night. Directly across from the bus station is an Allsups convience store but I can’t remember if they were open. I hoisted my pack and headed south on Canyon, which immediately joined Canal Street. There are a surprising number of motels within easy walking distance of the bus station in Carlsbad. They vary from really nice to really cheap. After some serious buzzing I woke up a nice man who registered me a room for $40.00 at the Royal Manor Motel at 2001 South Canal. It was #40 and came with a small fridge, microwave oven, cable TV, no Internet access I was aware of but the motel next door had wireless so I’m sure you could figure out a way to get online if it was an issue. I didn’t need it. I had checked online before I left Austin and knew a mile or so south was a 24 hr Super Wal-Mart. I was up early and leaving my pack and other gear at the room I walked to there and found a mountain bike with front suspension for $60.00 dollars. I bought the bike and a gel pad that fit the seat like a glove and rode back to the motel were I attached my tent and pack-top to the handlebars of the bike. I filled my 2-liter water bladder and the small water bottle that came with the bike. I hoisted my pack and took off. I found a little store that was open and grabbed a cup of coffee. It being Sunday morning traffic was very light and I made good time reaching White’s City around 5:00 pm. The terrain between Carlsbad and White’s City was gently rolling, taking me from 3100 ft altitude to 3608 ft. and there were plenty of nice places to take a break along the way. At White’s City, they are setup for the tourist with a strip mall which has among other things, a store, motel, water park etc. You turn off the main road to go the 7 miles to Carlsbad Caverns there. In Austin I live near 500 ft so I was pushing the acclimatizing process. I was feeling pretty shot checked into the motel there getting a room far nicer than I needed for $80.00. I had planned to camp using my bivy sack and I think I could have but I had received some unexpected sponsorship before leaving Austin so I could afford the room. The shower probably was the best thing. They give you a free hot breakfast at the restaurant with the price of the room. You can order an eggs/bacon/hashbrown combo or pancakes etc. And it was plenty tasty. They have a store there and I bought 2 one-gallon containers of water. I stowed one in my pack and tied the other to the seat post of the bike. Starting at White’s City the road, Highway 180/62, also known as National Parks Hwy, was under construction. The two-lane road is being widened to four lanes and extends all the way to the New Mexico-Texas state-line. The new lanes are being added to the east side so through the vast majority of the construction zone I had access to the right shoulder. I was looking over my shoulder often enough so that I gave plenty of room to the Wal-Mart trucks that seem to pass ever 30 minutes. Leaving White’s City the road heads downhill for what seemed a mile or more and I coasted to the bottom. I had a good view of the ridge of mountains on my right. The hills grew steeper and the winds stronger through the day. From there to the New Mexico/Texas state-line it was pretty grueling. Just pass the state-line around 6:00 pm I stopped. The shoulder was protected by some metal stakes with reflectors and I laid out down the bike and put down my bivy sack for a nap. There was still an hour or so of sunlight and I was planning on napping before finishing the remaining distance to GMNP after sundown. I slept way harder that I planned. A woman’s voice woke me up around 9 or 10 and the nice people ended up offering to load me and my gear into their truck and haul me to the park. A few minutes later I was there, chose my campsite (#4) and was back into my bivy and asleep. I spent that day April 1 recovering from the ride, setting up camp, visited the visitor center. The campsites cost $8.00 a day. There are nice clean bathrooms; a double sinks dishwashing area, plenty of water and the trailhead all right together. You have a great view of mountains from the campground rising up around you but Guadalupe Peak and El Capitan are blocked. Early April 2 I was up at 5:00 am. I signed in around 7:30 am at the trailhead. There is now a $5.00 charge for the backcountry permit. It is good for one week so keep your stub. I was the first one headed up. The first mile was pretty strenuous but a few deer joined me and that took my mind off the effort. It was great to see the campground dropping away. I set a very easy pace and allowed myself to drink as much as I wanted from the 2-liter bladder. It seemed no time at all I was around the shoulder of the mountain and up into the alpine region. The sun was hot on my skin and the light breeze was chilly. My single layer of the light nylon was just right. The wide brimmed hat was one of the most critical pieces of my gear. I used plenty of sun block during the trip and managed to avoid sunburn almost completely. But I neglected UV lip balm. I had lip moisturizer but it didn’t block UV so my bottom lip got pretty roasted. As I gained altitude the excitement of the views getting more spectacular made me forget all about the effort of climbing. Soon I passed the turn-off to the campground and then passed the bridge and the cliff, where I shot a little video. Later it was exciting to look back and watch the group behind me crossing the bridge. Watching my feet I stopped to grab a few lungfuls of air. I looked up, glanced right and was amazed at the view that had opened up over the ridge to my right. I could now see miles and miles into the desert to the west. I climbed on and it felt like I was moving up with no effort. I stopped to breathe again, glanced up and there it was, the marker/memorial at the top. “I could hit that with a rock,” I thought. It was then I knew I was going to make it. Not a doubt in the world. 100% certain. Then I was there, touching the cool metal. And you already know how I spent my time at the summit. I wanted to go on out to the lip of El Capitan but I felt so good I decided to descend. I knew I might not feel so well after the effort it would take out to the Cap and back and I wanted to enjoy the hike down. I was back down at the campground in half the time it took me to climb. The scree under foot tried to dump me at least 10 times on the way down. I remember thinking that it wouldn’t surprise me if someone twisted an ankle everyday on this climb. And that evening they did have to perform a horseback rescue. After reaching the trailhead I celebrated with an ice cold powerade from the machine near the bathroom. I spent the next day recovering from the climb. Setting off to ride back to Carlsbad Friday morning the winds were light and I was making great time coasting down the hills. My plan was to reach the construction at the state-line and then try to get a ride from that point on for myself and my gear because the road had no shoulder on that side and I didn’t want to risk it. I left the campground and was almost to the state-line when a fellow (Thanks Pedro from San Antonio, TX) from the campground who’d had an eyeglass emergency and had to go to town to get them repaired picked me up and took me all the way back to Carlsbad. I checked back into the same room I’d had at the Royal Manor and that night I watched 4 back to back episodes of Survivorman. The next day I was back on the Greyhound to Austin. David T. Connolly - Written April 7, 2008 Thumbnails for uploaded photos:  "Image #1")
 "Image #2")
 "Image #3")
 "Image #4")
 "Image #5")
 "Image #6")
 "Image #7")
 "Image #8")
 "Image #9")
 "Image #10")
 "Image #12")
 "Image #13")
 "Image #14")
 "Image #15")
 "Image #16") | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Go To Top | ||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|||||||||||||||
| Go To Top | |||||||||||||||
Caution: The information contained on this page may not be accurate and is not intended to be used as an instructional guide. Trip report text and photos can sometimes make terrain appear easier (or more difficult) based on the descriptions or photos provided by the author. Before climbing a 14er, make sure you have the proper equipment and skills. Failure to have the necessary experience, physical conditioning, supplies or equipment can result in injury or death. Hike, climb, or ski with care and use your best judgment and climb with experienced partners when possible. Mountaineering requires sound judgment and adequate physical conditioning. Be wary of all terrain and know when to turn back. Please read the 14ers.com Safety and Disclaimer pages for more information
