Hiking Trip To Truchas Peak In New Mexico
My First Big Hike
I grew up in a city with small mountains nearby, so I’m used to the idea of day hiking or car camping. On weekends, it was common for families and friends to go on a quick day hike with light trail food and drinking water. And I remember they always had the best local food near every mountain.
But, to be honest, I had never considered going on a big hike where I would have to walk seemingly endless miles while carrying heavy loads on my back. It was one of those things that seemed so far away from you that it almost seemed to happen only in movies or documentaries. And I generally don’t like the idea of bugs, not being able to shower, and not having the private restroom.
But you can never really predict how things will work out in life, right? Who would have guessed I’d meet an outdoorsy husband who is always itching to climb mountains.
So, this is a story about my first big hike to Truchas Peak and things that I found useful on the trail.
Let’s Start With North Truchas Peak
Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the North Truchas Peak Backpacking Trip is a loop trail that is 32.7 miles long, has moderate foot traffic, is known for its beautiful wildflowers, and is considered a tough course. Depending on the conditions of the weather, the optimum time to travel this path is between the months of March and October. Also, dogs are welcome to join their furry parents to hike and camp out.
PEAKS ON HIKE | ELEVATION | PROMINENCE |
East Pecos Baldy | 12529 | 889 |
Pecos Baldy | 12500 | 260 |
Little South Truchas | 12560+ | 120 |
Truchas Peak | 13102 | 4001 |
Something I learned about altitude sickness
So, while we were planning the trip, Kaush told me about altitude sickness and how I should be aware of it and tell him if I have any symptoms. I grew up climbing mountains in Korea when I was little, and I never knew about altitude sickness, so I wasn’t too concerned.
I thought slowing down a little as you go up higher and running out of breath more easily are just normal things since you’re doing some heavy physical activity. I didn’t realize that those are some of the initial symptoms of altitude sickness.
I don’t remember exactly when I started running out of breath very quickly, but I could feel my body becoming heavier, and I needed to pause regularly to catch my breath. I just thought I was just tired of carrying a heavy bag and walking up hills, but later I realized that the shortness of breath felt a little different than when you’re doing regular workouts.
Luckily, that was about it, and as we moved up, my body started adjusting. To stay energized and hydrated, I drank small quantities of water regularly while walking and ate trail snacks.
Challenges I’ve Encountered
We went in September, so the daytime hiking was very pleasant. We had strong sun, but we were able to cool down fast under the trees thanks to the cool breeze that blew in from time to time. We also didn’t have any bug problems, which was a big plus for me.
On the first day, we started at the trailhead and planned to reach the campsite by early evening. However, since I had to take frequent breaks at some point, we arrived at the campsite in the dark. When we were only a couple of miles from reaching the campsite, it was completely dark, and the temperature had dropped significantly. As we were walking, we were trying to see if we could camp out somewhere for the night and get to the campsite as soon as the sun came out. But we couldn’t find a good place and ended up keeping going, and to make things worse, it started raining heavily when we were almost there.
We quickly pulled out the oversized rain ponchos and covered ourselves including the bags, and continued walking. We were just too close to give up at that time. We finally made it, and the rain stopped shortly after we reached the campsite. We managed to find a nice location to set up our tent, build a small campfire to warm ourselves up, and prepare our late dinner.
What I would do differently next time
After spending the first night in the wilderness, I realized I might have packed some unnecessary items that made my bag extra heavy. There were just so many unknowns that I over prepared on additional sets of clothing, snacks, and other personal items since there were so many unknowns. I believe it is something that you cannot completely foresee and must learn as you go.
I definitely learned a few things about myself that I’ve never known before, such as how I couldn’t care less about taking a shower or washing sweats off myself when I’m very, very exhausted.
For the next hiking trip, I think I know what I really need and what are the things I can negotiate down with myself.
