The station looking north. That’s Redondo Peak and the Valles Caldera just past my chair.
18 JULY 2026 W5N/SI-012
| Elevation: | 8,241′ |
| Route: | Mining roads & cross country |
| Hike Distance: | 2.1 miles round trip |
| Elevation Gain: | 900′ |
| Navigation: | Not difficult |
| Steepness: | Steep in places |
| Vehicle: | High clearance 4WD suggested |
| Road: | Rough dirt |
| Cell Coverage: | Excellent Verizon |
As others have noted this summit lies on private property. BLM lands checkerboard much of my route’s approach and I was able to park on public lands, but it was necessary for me to drive through an unlocked gate with Private Property/No Trespassing signs and a trail camera pointed at the gate. The entire area is dotted with old gold mines, so any attempt on this summit should be done with this in mind.
The approach drive takes Luz del Cielo out of the small hamlet of Golden, New Mexico. I went through the gate about 6:30 AM and the town was very quiet at that hour. The road after that is extremely rocky with a lot of medium-sized rocks. Whitedog the Tacoma had no trouble negotiating the cobbles and an intrepid passenger car driver wouldn’t either. I parked well below where I might otherwise park due to my unfamiliarity with the road – one never knows when turning around might be difficult. Next time I would go quite a bit further up the road.
The hike follows mining roads up past one gated and locked mining shaft and then jumps off on to a northwest ridge. It was a very warm morning and it looked like it might be likely rattlesnake habitat, so I kept my eyes peeled and moved slowly up the steep slope. Lots of cacti on the summit and no real usable trees. I ended up using a Cholla to brace my fishing pole. There was a register and a benchmark in the summit cairn.
Radio conditions were again poor, but I did manage to work a few.
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