Hiking: Fourth 10-mile trip plan - South Crest Trail to Sandia's South Peak

While living in the Boston area last fall, I set a goal to complete five 10-mile hikes to be followed by a capstone 20-mile hike, each to be done contiguously in one day. I started mid-November, and within just three weeks I had completed three of my 10-milers (Blue Hills, Kendall Green to Concord, and Middlesex Fells). I originally had decided I would complete my final two hikes immediately after moving to Albuquerque in January. But once here, I realized quickly that hiking at a mile's elevation was much different than hiking near sea level. So after some considerable delay, tomorrow I will finally complete my fourth.

My first setback after arriving to Albuquerque was the altitude. Then, after planning three possible 10-milers at the end of January, I got discouraged that the nearby mountain's best hikes would remain snow-covered until spring. I planned a couple of low-elevation 10-mile hikes, and though I never got around to completing them for one reason or another, I continued conditioning for the big hikes, focusing on several intense hikes of between four and seven miles.

The snow's long gone now, and I'm ready to get back at it. Picking from one of the previously planned 10-mile hikes, I have decided to to a hike in the southern Sandias up to the mountain's South Peak. I will drive to Tijeras in the morning to arrive at the Canyon Estates trail head by 9 a.m. From there, I will take Trail 135 about two miles through Hondo Canyon to the junction where the South Crest Trail heads east and breaks away from two other trails (the CCC Trail and the Upper Faulty Trail).\

From the junction, I will follow the South Crest Trail for a little more than four miles to the Embudito Trail. From there I will take a spur that leads north to the South Peak (where I will jump for joy - in lieu of shouting out  "I did it!" - if I can find stable footing). Then, after doing my happy dance, I'll follow the spur back to the South Crest Trail and go slightly further north to where it meets the top of the CCC Trail, which I will follow down a steep slope for about two miles to reach the 135 Trail again and follow it two miles again to the trail head.

This hike is more than 10 miles, though I'm not sure exactly how much more because the spur to the peak is not an official trail and mileage is not available for it on the map I'll be using (DHARMA Maps, Sandia Mountain, NM01). If I remember, I'll count my steps for the final ascent to get an approximation.

By the way, I post these trip plans for several reasons - one is to set personal goals and keep me accountable to following through on them and the other is to leave a trace of where I'm going in case I run into some trouble out there in the wilderness and need to be looked for. I am telling several people locally where I'm going, too, and when I plan to return. I'm also packing plenty of food and water and will practice safe hiking! Check back in with me tomorrow night for a follow-up trip report replete with pictures galore!