A panorama of rugged desert scenery at once familiar and mysterious, once a boundless shore along a vast and ancient sea. A hiker's and fossil hunter's dreamscape.
Days at Park: Tue, 17 December 2019
Base Camp: Karbani Inn - Carlsbad, New Mexico
Expedition Parks: Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns, Big Bend, White Sands
Point of Embarkation: El Paso, Texas
A new expedition started in El Paso, Texas with a 2 hour drive to base camp in Carlsbad, New Mexico. The Karbani Inn, was ideally located at the very edge of town with easy 30 and 45 minute drives to Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains respectively. The Karbani Inn was a unique motel complex with basic but comfortable rooms, perfect for solo wanderers. I did not come prepared for the cold desert temperatures but a quick stop in the local Walmart for winter hat and gloves would make my hikes more comfortable.
McKittrick Canyon
Azure blue skies and a cold desert morning hike through McKittrick Canyon was the perfect way to begin a new expedition. The trail was clearly defined following the canyon floor with several wet creek crossings until the Pratt cabin was reached. A small stone wall and gateway fronted the way to this rustic cabin where I could easily imagine living quite comfortably for some time. It was very tempting to idle away some time in one of the comfortable rocking chairs on the back porch, but further hiking was scheduled for the day. Continuing along the trail was a small limestone grotto (appropriately named The Grotto) and a frontier cabin where several stone picnic tables were in place nearby.
Guadalupe Peak
The highest point in the state of Texas is the summit of Guadalupe Peak. The trail to the summit is a strenuous climb up numerous switchbacks just to get on top of the mountain ridgeline. From there the trail winds along and just below the ridgeline, hugging cliffsides for miles further. Unfortunately the lateness of the day prevented me from summiting, but there were breathtaking views of the west Texas wilderness from atop the ridge.
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