The Mountains of New Mexico
www.surgent.net |
|
Prairie Point Peak • Peak 8423 • Monument Mountain I spent today hiking a bunch of short and easy peaks, starting with three located a few miles northwest of Reserve, in Catron County, New Mexico. I had left Bisbee yesterday and arrived in the Reserve area about 4 p.m., and hiked one peak, Higgins Mountain, before settling into a mindless evening of Family Guy on the tube at a small hotel in Rancho Grande. These three peaks were chosen specifically because they looked easy and uncomplicated, and most importantly, short. The weather is typical for mid-August, with clouds and thunderstorms that usually start building by noon. I did not want to commit to a long hike only to be caught in a storm with no bail options. Prairie Point Peak is a big hump-shaped peak about six miles northwest of Rancho Grande, the community at the junction of routes US-180 and NM-12. It can be seen from the highway here, as can the long ridge that holds the other two peaks I had on today's agenda. I was up very early, and out the door while mostly dark. I did not have far to drive, and wanted to be hiking as close to dawn as possible. It was cloudy but with clear areas, no lingering storms, and chilly, in the mid-50s. I drove northbound on US-180 about seven or eight miles, to where Gila Forest Road 4040 angles sharply to the right, this being near milepost 15 and about a quarter mile south of the scenic overlook on the main highway. The turn is almost invisible if heading northbound, but I was here in May checking it out, although at the time I skipped hiking it.
Date: August 14, 2025
• Elevation: 8,341 feet ✳
• Prominence: 718 feet ✳
• Distance: 3 miles
• Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
• Gain: 594 feet
• Conditions: Cool and humid
New Mexico
•
Main
•
PB
•
LoJ
FR-4040 is a little rough with some rocky areas, but I went slowly and eased in about two miles, coming to a sharp bend in the road near spot elevation 7747 as shown on the map. High clearance would be necessary for this road, but not 4-wheel drive.
The main road actually bends to the right but is now marked FR-4040G on the maps, while FR-4040 goes uphill and turns into a rocky nightmare, no way my car would handle it. I parked in a nearby clearing.
I would be hiking FR-4040 to the top, about a mile and a half distant. I got dressed, going light because it was humid, just a butt pack, my shirt tied around my waist. I was in shade for now, but the sun was up, the outside temperature in the mid 60s. I was on the move at 6 a.m..
The hike was very easy, just following the road to the top. It stays level for a little bit, then switchbacks up to the summit, the grade always lenient, but the road consistently rocky and a mess. In about a half hour, I was on top.
The summit is broad and indistinct, and heavily forested with no views. The highest point could be any one of about ten rocks in the general area. I spent about ten minutes wandering the area, kicking and tagging rocks, looking for any sign of a cairn or past visitation.
With no views and no cairn or register to log my visit, I did not stick around. I got what I came for, and I started down, the egress hike taking about the same amount of time due to the loose rocks. I was back to my car at 7:15 a.m..
This peak was a milestone for me: my 1,300th peak worldwide with over 100 meters (328 feet) of prominence.
I was happy to be successful, but this peak has little going for it. I didn't delay, and started the slow drive out back to the highway.
Elevation: 8,423 feet ✳
• Prominence: 330 feet
• Distance: 2 miles
• Time: 45 minutes
• Gain: 163 feet
• Conditions: Sunnier, warmer
PB
•
LoJ
I drove less than a mile, to where the highway crests a pass and FR-35 branches to the right. I was here two years ago, when I hiked Peak 8601, the San Francisco Electronic Site as cited on the map. It's just a batch of towers.
FR-35 is a good road, smooth and gravelled for the first few miles, at least as far as the turn-off to the Electronic Site, about 4 miles in. Afterwards, it is still a fine road, just not covered in gravel.
I went in another four miles, or about 8.5 miles total since leaving the highway, and parked where old FR-4271T goes to the right. This road is shown on the maps but it has been abandoned and left to return to nature by the Forest Service.
This old track leads about 90% of the way to the highpoint. I was still (barely) dressed from my earlier hike, so I was on the move quickly. It was sunnier and warmer, but still pleasant. The humidity, though, was heavy.
This "mountain" is just a ridge on top of the main ridge, so it was mostly a level hike of about a mile to the highpoint, wherever it was. The road was sometimes easy to follow, and other times barely discernible. Downed trees lay across it, and adolescent trees were growing in its tread.
In about twenty minutes, I was at the end of the road and now just walking through some bigger pines and passing through one fence, but I could see the cliff's edge up ahead. Conveniently, the highest point was in some rocks at the very edge of the cliff. I found a register and signed in, then sat for a short break and some photographs. The views were good from up here, and the weather was sunny for now.
The hike out went well, except for the couple times I "lost" the road. I would just walk on a bearing and find it again. The round trip took less than an hour. This was a lame peak but it counts, and I was happy about the unexpected fine views from its top.
Elevation: 8,406 feet ✳
• Prominence: 361 feet
• Distance: 0.9 mile
• Time: 45 minutes
• Gain: 306 feet
• Conditions: Sunny and warm
PB
•
LoJ
•
USGS BM Datasheet
Back to my car, I drove another 3 miles, or 11.4 total, to place myself near an alleged forest track marked as FR-4031 on older topographical maps. The newer forest-service maps show the track but no number.
I could not locate any sense of a track veering off the main road, so I parked somewhere convenient, in a wide spot on the road, figuring it would be unlikely there would be another driver today.
It was warmer now, but still pleasant, although the humidity remained strong. I saw what looked like a track veering uphill, but it wasn't. Nevertheless, I went up this way, barging straight uphill, and in moments came upon the erstwhile FR-4031.
This old track was still easy to discern, being a ledge built into the hillside. Trees lay across it but deadfall was light. I walked it for a few minutes. It levels off below the summit, another hundred feet of gain above.
The uphill hike to the top went well. I crossed a fence and soon, was on top the peak. This peak's highest point was also near the cliff edge. An old brass benchmark was embedded in the rocks, stamped "Box" and dating from 1915. I found a register and signed in, and snapped a couple of images. The air was getting hazier, the first hints of cloud buildup for the afternoon's storms.
I bailed downslope and was back to the track quickly, and to my car quickly as well, the round trip taking less than an hour. This peak was a little less lame than the one before it, but I was happy to tag it. It's always nice to log a benchmark, too.
I drove the road back to the highway, then back to the cafe and hotel at Rancho Grande, but no one was in. I stopped for about ten minutes to relax and check some texts and emails.
I had been at over 8,000 feet elevation for these three peaks and had pleasant temperatures up that high. Now down about 2,000 feet, it was much warmer, into the mid 80s. My next batch of peaks were to the south, down by Alma, and it would be getting hot.
After more delays in the parking lot, I got back on the road and headed south. My first peak was about halfway to Alma, and I would be there fairly soon. The story picks up here.
|
|