New Mexico Outdoor
Roughing It In Luxury-Abiquiu, New Mexico 505.901.7321
Cerro Pedernal
Warning: Just a bit of spicy language!
Directions and Garmin Route at Bottom of this Trail Report
As mentioned many times on this site, Georgia O’Keeffe, Mother of American Landscape Painting LOVED Cerro Pedernal ..New Mexico’s famous Flat Topped Mountain! Every morning, we wake to this sight: 
..and every evening..we have the pleasure of: 
Furthermore..it is said, by Napoleon Garcia, that he and some friends helped “herself” make this hike..and that her ashes were spread at the summit upon her death! Finally..we decided to make this ascent: 
<<At the trailhead.
The key is to drive as close to the summit as possible! Clearance is the deciding factor. It can be an 8 mile hike OR 3 mile climb..depending upon how close you can get! We hiked a total of 6.5 with 3 miles of climbing and decending. Either way..you’re on the mountain the whole time. The trailhead is a jeep trail, well marked..the mountains' trademark Flat Top and Cornice in the backround:
..and begins at about 8,000 ft elevation. At nearly 9K ..it levels off into meadows with incredible views of the valley below:
Winding around these meadows to the western side ..it’s a Cabazon (nipple)..almost unrecognizable to those unfamiliar with this “face”: 
Just beyond the skeleton of the dead elk:
..we head back toward the mountains summit and UP:
..in fact up..up..up:
Gabriela setting our pace with Alp like reserve and determination. We have a bit of a break at the Cornice (crown-below) before the final ascent to almost 10,000 feet and one of the most prominent views in the West:
As you can see..the Corice is a sheer vertical..AND a technical climb: 
..Except for one very in-distinct spot ..which is only 12-20 feet of very dangerous vertical!
We had a volunteer to stay down at “the final ascent” with a walkie-talkie and to help “spot” on the way up..and to guide feet and hands on the way back down..and to guard backpacks.
After that 12-20 feet of near technical..it was nicely “pathed” BUT..took focus and vigilence until the top:
With spectacular 360 degree, as advertised views: 
Abiquiu Lake: 
Gabriela “summiting” first in a VERY rare show of emotional release:
And 17 miles off in the distance NMO to the right of Sierra Negra!!: 
..we’d been looking forward to this view of our house for 6 years now (but had no telescope). I'm pointing at Ghost Ranch:
. We shoot the NGS Plate at the top and marvel at the surrounding views in the, now gale forced winds. The ladies celebrate with the Piedre Lumbar Plateau FAR down and in the backround: 
The decent, uneventful (very important to have a volunteer stay down for the final descent of that cornice) and either a guide or explicit instructions, as many have missed the way up..and also some have died trying!
The drive there, about 40 miles (although only 17 miles distant for NMO..the hike is on the other side), is a spectacular array of reds…yellows …bad lands and canyon country that Georgia O’Keefe once remarked to Napoleon Garcia ..is “ever changing” ..challenging the painter to keep painting the same landscapes:
This is a very difficult hike-climb for experienced backpackers who are in shape and not afraid to climb! Much wildlife..birds squirrels, horned lizards, elk, deer, bear and mountain lion. Since way in excess of 7,000 ..rattlers are rare, if at all!
..and every evening..we have the pleasure of: 
Furthermore..it is said, by Napoleon Garcia, that he and some friends helped “herself” make this hike..and that her ashes were spread at the summit upon her death! Finally..we decided to make this ascent: 
<<At the trailhead. The key is to drive as close to the summit as possible! Clearance is the deciding factor. It can be an 8 mile hike OR 3 mile climb..depending upon how close you can get! We hiked a total of 6.5 with 3 miles of climbing and decending. Either way..you’re on the mountain the whole time. The trailhead is a jeep trail, well marked..the mountains' trademark Flat Top and Cornice in the backround:
..and begins at about 8,000 ft elevation. At nearly 9K ..it levels off into meadows with incredible views of the valley below:
Winding around these meadows to the western side ..it’s a Cabazon (nipple)..almost unrecognizable to those unfamiliar with this “face”: 
Just beyond the skeleton of the dead elk:
..we head back toward the mountains summit and UP:
..in fact up..up..up:
Gabriela setting our pace with Alp like reserve and determination. We have a bit of a break at the Cornice (crown-below) before the final ascent to almost 10,000 feet and one of the most prominent views in the West:
As you can see..the Corice is a sheer vertical..AND a technical climb: 
..Except for one very in-distinct spot ..which is only 12-20 feet of very dangerous vertical! We had a volunteer to stay down at “the final ascent” with a walkie-talkie and to help “spot” on the way up..and to guide feet and hands on the way back down..and to guard backpacks.
After that 12-20 feet of near technical..it was nicely “pathed” BUT..took focus and vigilence until the top:
With spectacular 360 degree, as advertised views: 
Abiquiu Lake: 
Gabriela “summiting” first in a VERY rare show of emotional release:
And 17 miles off in the distance NMO to the right of Sierra Negra!!: 
..we’d been looking forward to this view of our house for 6 years now (but had no telescope). I'm pointing at Ghost Ranch:
. We shoot the NGS Plate at the top and marvel at the surrounding views in the, now gale forced winds. The ladies celebrate with the Piedre Lumbar Plateau FAR down and in the backround: 
The decent, uneventful (very important to have a volunteer stay down for the final descent of that cornice) and either a guide or explicit instructions, as many have missed the way up..and also some have died trying!
The drive there, about 40 miles (although only 17 miles distant for NMO..the hike is on the other side), is a spectacular array of reds…yellows …bad lands and canyon country that Georgia O’Keefe once remarked to Napoleon Garcia ..is “ever changing” ..challenging the painter to keep painting the same landscapes:
This is a very difficult hike-climb for experienced backpackers who are in shape and not afraid to climb! Much wildlife..birds squirrels, horned lizards, elk, deer, bear and mountain lion. Since way in excess of 7,000 ..rattlers are rare, if at all!
A Very O'Keefe'ean Rendering of The Mountain by:
Trish Booth 2010 Featured Artist
These Directions and Garmin Route For High Clearance Vehicles:
- Follow FS 100 (dirt) for 5.5 miles until you reach an unsigned trailhead where a 4WD road turns left (east). This is the trailhead for 2WD vehicles. There isn't much parking possible here.
Note: Use your odometer. None of the described trailheads and intersections are signed in this forest.
4WD vehicles can proceed much further.
- Reset your trip odometer.
- Go 1.1 miles down the length of Temolime Canyon until the road takes a sharp turn north. There is a good parking spot here where an old road is blocked. A high clearance 2WD can easily make it this far.
- To go as far as possible, continue 1.8 more miles on the 4WD drive road until you find yourself in a large meadow with a good view of Cerro Pedernal. This is as far as you can conceivably drive. Along the way, the 4WD road will come to an intersection where the main road goes straight, and another switches back hard to the east. Take the switch back to the east. It is marked with a 3 foot cairn.
The 4WD road gets rougher as you go. A good option is to find a pull off along the initial stretch of road to park. If you drive to the end of the road, you are a mere 1 mile from the summit.
Make your way along the base in the meadow til you reach naerly the North point of the summit. Here you should see a path heading up the mountain and to the cornice (beware..the cornice is pumice and very slippery). Make your way along the bottom of the cornice until Waypoint Final Ascent. If you get to the cave...you've gone too far. There is a braced latilla (stick) in the way to block your path and tell you where you need to climb. This, maybe 25 feet can get a bit scary! It' almost technical (=need equipment for) ..but is the most difficult part of this hike/climb.
This Garmin Route Begins Where You Park You High Clearance Vehicle With Great View of the Summit. Note: A Route is a line drawn on a map and needs a margin of error. In this case..my MapSource map doesn't correctly describe the incline, which is rather dramatic. Please download and save, as I/E, many times doesn't want to recognize and open it. Open it with your AmpSource software when saved.
Click To Download Garmin Route of Cerro Pedernal Hike/Climb
Please note: A Track is an precise record of footsteps produced, where a Route is a line drawn on a may..wanting to represent the way to a place..but needs margin for error.
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