Conquering The Tallest Mountain In New Mexico
The Wheeler Peak Wildernesses Area Of Taos Radiates Power & Grandeur With A Natural Point Reaching Well Over 13,000 Feet
Wheeler Peak, the highest mountain in New Mexico, is in the Sangre De Cristo (Blood of Christ) range, and it stands guard over the southern end of the Rocky Mountains, inviting all to enjoy its status which ranks as the 8th state in order of elevation.
The highest point in New Mexico, Wheeler Peak stands at a proud 13,161 feet, two miles southeast of Taos Ski Valley. Once christened as Taos Peak after the town itself, it was renamed in 1950 after Major George Montague Wheeler, an instrumental explorer and cartographer who surveyed a 350,000-square-mile swath of the American West in the late 1870s.
“Hiking up to the peak isn’t for everyone because of the altitude, but if you’re hearty, it’s worth the trip,” said Angelisa Espinoza, a travel guide and owner of Heritage Inspirations in Taos, N.M. “The view from the top is so inspiring and I’ve had people who huff and puff all the way up, but then thank me for taking them there. The views of the state’s tallest mountains plus the Rio Grande Gorge make this hike unforgettable.”
Wheeler Peak is one of the many hiking trails in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range which is a spectacular collection of peaks which stretches 250 miles from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Salida, Colorado.
The Wilderness Peak Trail is 4.1 miles each way with an elevation gain of 2,961 feet. There are two main routes to the summit, the Bull-of-the-Woods Trail, and the Williams Lake Trail. The Bull-of-the-Woods trail (also called the Wheeler Peak Trail) is 16 miles- round trip and is a well-marked class 1 trail, The Williams Lake trail to the summit is approximately seven miles round trip and is a steep class 2 trail, with the final 1000 ft. being a rocky scree slope.
The vastness and grandeur of the area will be immediately apparent. Avalanche chutes tumble down the steep mountain hillsides, and the whole area has a forbidding air. It is clear you are a visitor here, that only the big horn sheep and other animals belong.
“The trail itself is really well-thought out,” Espinoza said. “It ascends at a very consistent grade, so although you won’t need climbing gear, you may be surprised at the altitude you have traversed if you stop to catch your breath you might have a senior citizen pass you.”
The most impressive part of the trail occurs when it passes and re-passes the fields of scree from some of the avalanches. The Forest Service have angels who have moved each rock individually to its flat face to make a clear and easy path to follow. It takes days each spring to reset the trail. As hikers climb, they will begin to see the Taos peaks at eye level. Created by Ice Age glaciers 15,000 years ago, they are powerful examples of the forces of nature.
“This is one of the few places in New Mexico where you can view an alpine mat,” Espinoza explained. The mat contains beautiful flowers such as stonecup and forget-me-nots. There is also quite a bit of wildlife which are easy to spot because of the lack of trees. Marmots, elk, mule deer and even bands of bighorn sheep just kind of put up with the visitors. If you listen carefully, you can hear marmot mothers whistling at their young to warn them of your approach. Rarest of all are the pikas, which look like squirrels but are extremely skittish. You must be completely still to encounter them. Birds, of course, are constantly wheeling above your head, calling to each other and frequently swooping down to find something to eat. "It’s really amazing,” proclaimed Espinoza.
Though the hike is a very doable one, climbers should be in reasonable physical shape, there are some precautions you must take. Hikers should begin early if they want to be off the peak by noon to avoid lightning strikes, and the ascent takes three to five hours. The weather can change abruptly at any time, and the clouds can be a tell-tale sign that a storm is approaching fast.
“Many people think of this state as flat, brown and dry, and it’s true, there are definitely those places that force solitude and silence amongst the sage flats, the gypsum sand dunes and the arroyos," Espinoza said. The wild diversity of over 10,000-foot mountains is saturated in aspens, hemlocks and wildflowers in rich green meadows; while only 30 miles to the west, the land is painted in oranges, pinks, reds and whites stacked, eroded and split open to invite the artist’s canvas.
Candice Reed
A graduate of Kelsey-Jenny College in Communications as well as a certified grant writer, Candice has written for The Los Angeles Times & The New York Times. She loves entertaining and all things French.
Make Sure To Stay At:
Cimarron Canyon State Park is a forested canyon located near Eagle Nest on the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway where the Cimarron River flows. It offers beautiful views, interesting geology, quiet camping, fly fishing, hiking and equestrian trails.