I believe I can now officially indoctrinate myself into the New Mexican Outdoor Hall of Fame. It only took 11 months but I’ve made it and I’m mighty proud. How you ask? Well, it all began with a simple invitation to go on a girl’s overnight camping trip - sounds innocent enough. I’d envisioned a picturesque campsite equipped with flaming fire, multiple bottles of wine and many chortling laughs before rolling into tents and sleeping bags then rising to make the short walk to the car park to get home and shower off the wilderness. However, our little planning soiree put an end to that scenario. As I dished out the plum tart I'd prepared in honor of our ladies camp meeting, I quickly learnt that this was going to be an endurance event. ‘Strenuous’ was the word used to describe the 12 mile hike chosen by my outward-bound experienced chums. We were to reach elevations that I had only previously reached in the comfort of a chairlift.
I’m not shy of a little physical activity, I’ve completed the odd hike in my time but these were usually incentivized by a hearty meal at some pre determined dining spot with comfy chairs and larger on tap. I truly doubted my ability to breath and walk with a pack full of necessities one would need for such a trip. My pride, however, prevented me bailing out.
The evening before we set off on our adventure I prepared for bed at 7.30pm. Nerves and concerns prohibited me from sleeping as my body's pluming continued to remind me that these would be the final hours before I would see any lavatory facilities for almost 48hrs. My head was full of questions I didn’t have the answers to. Was there helicopter rescue for the unfit? Was our tent bear proof and what was the procedure in the event of a mountain lion attack? I chose to ignore the questions, rising early to make my final preparations that included shoving some homemade biscotti in my pack in case I was left out there longer than anticipated. I had actually forgone extra clothing to save on weight, to hell with the bear attracting smell of food, it’s the one thing I can’t skimp on.
Our group of 4 headed towards the Santa Fe Ski Basin to begin our hike. Within 5 minutes of ‘hiking’ I had seen a snake, had my inhaler out and was unable to talk due to my inability to tackle steep inclines without wheezing. As my hike-mates walked and talked I silently prayed that no one would expect me to talk through this pain and fear I was experiencing. Then all of a sudden the terrain levelled out - hoorah - we’d reached a ridge and I was able to gasp the breath of life back into me. The scenery was beautiful but bear fear still had a hold over me, why had I insisted on that damn biscotti. After a few miles we stopped to tuck into some tail-mix and work out our whereabouts. Within moments Gray Jays were coming to visit. I held out my peanut filled hand and they came to feed, all of a sudden I was the Gray Jay whisperer!
That was the start of my wilderness wonderland. We continued past bubbling springs and meadows until we came to Austria, more commonly known as Puerto Nambe in these parts but I felt as if I were an extra member of the Von Trapp family from the Sound of Music. This picturesque area had views of peaks and the distant New Mexican desert and was apparently home to several free-range cows. It was all I could do to stop myself from singing Climb Every Mountain.
We set up our camp and went in search of a water source and planned an afternoon hike towards a serene lake sans hefty backpack – thank you! I was very pleased to discover that my ultra marathon fit camp mates were just as enthused over the eating portion of the trip as I was. Robyn had outdone herself in preparing pre-dinner hors d’oeuvres consisting of smoked trout, cheese and crackers, paired with a lovely glass of red served in tupperware cups supplied by me! To follow we sat around the campfire and enjoyed our curry, rice and naan bread – hello this is not my idea of roughing it and I love it. And to top off the meal we sipped hot chocolate with a heavy helping of peppermint schnapps, sadly there was no room left for me to try my first smore.
The night was still and the stars were out in there millions. I couldn’t have been more content. In fact, I surprised myself with the level of excitement I felt at having the chance to tackle the massive peak that formed the stunning backdrop to our campsite. I was the first to wake to the chilly clear morning, ready to light the fire and fuel up our crew. After half an hour of lighting matches and failing to set fire to a twig, I was rescued by my more experience camp buddy before I used up our precious supply matches. I went and retrieved the food from the trees; this was a far more achievable task for me (we’d hung the food the night before to deter the bears – good thinking). Breakfast was yet another gourmet treat, coffee, breakfast burritos and I managed to fit in my first smore and let me tell you I’ll be having another one of those thanks.
We set off in the direction of Santa Fe Baldy. Baldy because it’s a bald peak that thrusts up above the tree line at a wind-swept altitude of just over 12,600 ft. I had no fear; pacing myself, I admired the views as we ascended into the sky. Lucky for me I came prepared with a fleece, as it was getting rather chilly once we reached the saddle that lead to the final climb. Here is where the test began. As the air thinned and my thighs strained over the rocks my thoughts came back to helicopter rescue facilities. This was madness and it seemed to never end. I watched my fit friends climb with ease and I was in need of motivation. It was here that Jenny lent me her song of endurance, guaranteed to give perseverance in any tough hiking stretch. I would like to share it but it really has to be reserved for moments of endurance failure. Susan stayed close and reminded me of the prize at the top. At this stage I didn’t think anything could be worth this amount of pain and energy. I was wrong. We reached the top and it was magnificent. Words cannot describe the view and the pride I felt. I was my own personal legend. Who knew my legs could achieve that. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to skype the world from where I was just to let them know I was there and I’d walked it.
We hiked 18.5 miles in two days and even though I have blisters and my body still aches it is certainly in my top 5 best weekends of all time. It was beautiful and inspiring and I’m ready to do it again – just give me a few weeks to get over the small scale pain I’m still suffering. I want to say a massive thanks to Robyn, Jenny and Susan for introducing me to the delights of the New Mexico mountains.
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