Fisher's Peak

[J2TheZ]

Anyone climb Fisher's Peak in Trinidad, CO?? Or know where the Trailhead is??

[traderaaron]

I believe you have to access it through New Mexico and up the Sugarite Canyon to the James M. John State Wildlife Area.

Really neat place in general both on the New Mexico and Colorado side.

Here's the directions I found from the web. From Raton, NM, go seven miles northeast on NM 72 & NM 526 to the road that goes up Sugarite Canyon. It is 12 miles to the Colorado / New Mexico border. Just across the state line there is a parking lot for Lake Dorothey. Access to Lake Dorothey and James M. John are by foot or horseback only.

BTW, it's the highest point in the U.S. east of I-25 apparently.

[J2TheZ]

Thanks for the info! I might hit it up tomorrow. It's been looking at me for a week now. =) Just sucks that I have to drive 45 minutes to go somewhere that is 3 miles from my house because of private property...

[Tim A]

Sorry for the necropost to drag this back up.

I'm planning on visiting the Trinidad Area during Labor Day weekend in a few weeks and was looking a Fisher's peak just east of town for a hike. However, I've hit a sort of research stumbling block. Summit post doesn't have a page on it, and the LoJ page doesn't have a lot of information either, nor are there any reports on this site of it. From what I've gleaned through various forums, the RT length is claimed to be between 6 miles and 18 miles. I haven't conclusively found anything on elevation gain: those figures range from 1700ft to 3000ft.

I've got a clear picture of accessing the TH from NM and that the wildfires in the region from last year have affected the views and wildlife viewing, but I can't for the life of me find any other kind of trip report of any kind. Looking over the area on google's TOPO maps, there appears to be a very narrow ridgeline connecting the Fisher Mesa to Fisher Peak and I can't find pictures which give me a clearer picture of this.

Has anybody from this site ever bothered to hike a lowly 9er this far south? From what I've read, it's the highest mountain in the US east of I25 and actually ranked 98 in terms of prominence for CO peaks, so I'm sure its on somebody's list and that they wrote a TR with pictures.

I would have no issue just bringing my Garmin and finding a TOPO map and working the route on my own, but I'm bringing my GF on the trip and trying to build her up to coming on future 14er trips with me, so I'd just like to see some pictures of the hike to better ascertain if its a good route for someone just starting hiking. If it really is 18miles RT with 3000ft of gain, I'll look for something else to introduce CO to her and come back on my own to do the slog.

[susanjoypaul]

I did it last fall. It's a very long, grueling day - somewhere between 23 and 26 miles roundtrip, from what I recall, and a lot more elevation loss and gain than you would expect. Yes, you drive to New Mexico and Sugarite Canyon, then into Colorado, hike up the road past Lake Dorothey, and across the mesa on the Pipeline Trail. After you cross Fisher's Peak Mesa you drop down on a very steep, loose trail, then you have to bushwhack back up to a notch and the second mesa, and it's a class 3 scramble to Fisher's Peak. That "connecting ridge" looked like Class 5 to me.

There is no safe water up there - just a bunch of filthy puddles where the cattle drink - so you'll want to pack in a lot of your own to drink. No shade either. But the views are nice!

Have fun

EDIT: Ha! Just noticed you were considering it for a training hike for 14ers. It's a lot tougher than most 14ers, at least the ones in this state. As any serious peakbagger will tell you, you can't judge a peak by its elevation!

[rijaca]

From what I've read, it's the highest mountain in the US east of I25 and actually ranked 98 in terms of prominence for CO peaks...

There are several mountains in NM east of I25 that are higher (>10,000'), although these mountains are actually further west of Fishers Peak. (I25 starts bearing more west than south thru much of northern NM)

[Tim A]

Thanks for the info, Susan and Rijaca. I figured some of the info I read on a random Colorado Travel website was probably inaccurate: shame on me for reposting it here.

I guess I'm going to pass on this peak for this trip. Any recommendations for a highpoint of some kind with terrific views in the area? I would like to do something during Labor Day weekend other than hike around Sugarite Canyon in NM or Trinidad Lake in CO. These don't seem to have any real "goals" in terms of a summit to strive for, or even just a ridgeline with some expansive views.

Long term, I'm planning on bring the GF out to do the Spanish Peaks sometime later in the year or in early 2014 as an additional layer of prep before a "big" 14er, but right now even a 13er is out of the question and I'm limited to locations within 6-7 hours of Lubbock, TX because I only have the three-day weekend off.

Please note that I have and will always use a trowel when in the backcountry, and that not all of us from Texas are as disrespectful of LNT as recent forum drama would suggest.

[susanjoypaul]

Greenhorn Mountain is a nice 12er, and the highpoint of Pueblo county, if that matters.

There are three routes up there: the Upper Greenhorn Trailhead via Ophir Creek Road (seasonal), Lower Greenhorn Trailhead (Rye) and the Bartlett Trailhead (Rye). I've done two of the routes, and most of the third one, and they were all good hikes with awesome views.

You can stop on the way and hit up ranked 8er Capulin Mountain, a volcano just north of the highway, and about 5 hours from Lubbock and 2 hours from Rye. It's not much of a climb, but it is a very scenic leg-stretcher, with a paved trail to the top, from what I recall. I've been up there twice.

And no need for the Texas disclaimer. I know a lot of nice, clean Texans (including my son, who just left Texas Tech/Lubbock for UT/Austin for his PhD); and one of my roommates, who always picks up after himself and hasn't pooped on the carpet once... yet.

[aaronmojica]

Whoa! A thread about Fisher's! I grew up on the northern base of this tough little 9'er. I've been up it every which way (um, excluding private lands of course). From Sugarite has the most public access but the summit access is still private. There's a super quick easy way up that you can get permission to ascend, pm me and I can elaborate.

[aaronmojica]

And, there's plenty of fun to be had on the ridges and peaks north of the Culebra private lands

[KentonB]

Long term, I'm planning on bring the GF out to do the Spanish Peaks sometime later in the year or in early 2014 as an additional layer of prep before a "big" 14er.

Let me know if you need any help with the Spanish Peaks. I have some good beta, pics, and GPS tracks! They are both wonderful summits... and despite the lower elevation, I enjoyed East Spanish Peak more than it's Western neighbor.

[susanjoypaul]

Thanks for the info, Susan and Rijaca. I figured some of the info I read on a random Colorado Travel website was probably inaccurate: shame on me for reposting it here.

No problem, that "beta" is posted all over the place, and it's actually the route to unranked Little Fishers Peak Mesa (9,020') east of the Pipeline Trail. Ranked peaks Fishers Peak Mesa (9,626') and Fishers Peak (9,627') are much further. If you ever do decide to go that route, note that there's a large cairn on the east side of the trail marking Fishers Peak Mesa, but I believe the highpoint is located on an outcropping to the west, per my GPS. Have fun, whatever you do!

^^Hi Kenton! Still waiting for Area 32