Afraid of the Summer Heat?

Yesterday, we headed to Guadalupe Mountains National Park to log some more miles in the Peak Fitness Challenge, our free hiking program organized by the Texas Mountain Trail and lots of partners and volunteers.  Sure, it was HOT when we started out about 10:30 in the morning, but we knew that the Smith Spring trail offered something very special for summer hikers.

**Stay tuned, because right here late next week we'll announce some special guided hikes in the park, including the Smith Spring trail, for Sunday, June 23.  Details to come!** 

Agave blooming in the desert

At the middle of this 2.6 mile hike, there's a natural spring which means water and shade trees, and hummingbirds and dragonflies, all of which we saw yesterday.  The spring is the desert's best kept secret as it is "hidden" between two peaks, into the fold of the mountains atop a dry arroyo.  We spent almost an hour in the cool, dark spring area before we headed out into the sun, fully refreshed.

Getting there is a gradual climb of 400 or so feet....there's no "climbing" or scrambling over boulders, just a gentle rise on a dirt or rocky path.  This is rated as a moderate hike, but many beginning hikers may be ready to tackle it. 

Not only do you get to visit this cool, green, shaded oasis, but the trail also takes you by Manzanita Spring, a pond, and a frequent stop for birds and wildlife.  The trail begins and ends at the historic Frijole Ranch house, now a small museum showing early life in the Guadalupe Mountains. That's why this trail is designated as a "Texas Mountain Trail Heritage Hike."

More photos from the trail from yesterday! 

Closeup of the agave blooms

Pools of water from Smith Spring

Outdoor Tip!

Our friends at Clif MOJO sent us some bars to sample along with some "Adventure Tips for the Great Outdoors!"  

Here's one they offer:  "Packing snacks is a no brainer.  It's better to err on the side of having too much versus too little.  Consider factors such as weight, bulk, nutritional value and taste.  Try packing a few Clif Mojo Sweet and Salty Trail Mix Bars to cover your snacking needs, and plenty of water to stay hydrated during your day outdoors."

Guadalupe Peak Trail

Sarah Clark
Community Outreach

SCA AmeriCorps Intern

Guadalupe Mountains

 National Park

Guadalupe Peak Trail by Sarah Clark

Mountain tops seem to hold a special place in men’s minds. Moses came down from the mountain top with the moral code that has shaped the lives of millions of people for thousands of years. Native Americans seek their visions among the mountain tops, while Buddhist monks remain to find nirvana. The mountain top is a symbol of clarity, knowledge, and enlightenment. The effort and struggles of gaining the peak are integral to the significance of gaining the summit. No one would say they had conquered a mountain by flying to the top in a helicopter. No, each step on the way to the top has its own place and meaning.

The hike to the top of Guadalupe Peak is no different. As you work your way up the trail the desert floor falls away; the sounds of the highway gradually fade. Valleys and hills unfold before you, curving away to join ridge upon ridge, knitted together by rock and tree. Rounding a corner opens new worlds, as barren hillsides and sheer cliff faces become mountain slopes covered in pines, only to give way to the grassy shoulders of the peak. The air, thin enough to give pause as you switchback your way through the steepest sections of the trail, fills with the scent of pine. Even with your eyes closed, the air near the peak would tell you that you are far from the rest of the world. The last scramble to the summit, full of white fossil rich rocks of a long vanished reef, brings you face to face with the goal of your long climb. The mountain top is yours. Away below is the work-a-day world. But here, on the top, the press of everyday affairs is far away. Whether the first or the hundredth time to the top, the summit brings its own sense of time and scale to your perspective. As you gradually make your way back down the trail the headiness of the summit will remain. Distances seem changed, perspectives reframed. The memory of the view from the top is contrasted with where you are. Once returned to the base, the moments of clarity on the mountain top, with only the sky above you, the winds around you, and all the world below, remain.

We are so excited to have Sarah Clark, a Community Outreach Student Conservation Association AmeriCorps Intern with Guadalupe Mountains National Park helping with our Peak Fitness Challenge! 

 

JOIN the Peak Fitness Challenge! 

This is a free, fun challenge designed to help you set goals by trying new trails in Far West Texas:  Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Franklin Mountains State Park!  When you hike a trail, you log your miles on the website AND your name is entered into a monthly drawing!  Free stuff, fun and adventure!  Try it now:  www.geobetty.com/peak

 

The Guadalupe Peak Trail IS part of the Challenge!!

 

Green, green, green!

Much of the country has been suffering through drought, including our beautiful Far West Texas, however lately we've been blessed with rain and our entire region is greening up nicely.  Now's a GREAT time to get out on the trail!  Here are some shots taken on Friday in Big Bend National Park, along the Lost Mine Trail.

 

 

Here's a link to the park's webpage on mountain hikes in Big Bend's Chisos Mountains, including the Lost Mine trail we took on Friday!

And hikers in Guadalupe Mountains National Park or Franklin Mountains State Park, have you logged your miles in the Peak Fitness Challenge?  Do so, and you could win prizes...so far we've all hiked 635 miles!  This is a free, fun challenge for everyone, with VERY easy to VERY challenging hikes in both parks!  Sign up here, and join our facebook community here!

Scenes from our First Couch Potato Hike!

The Lazy Cow trail in Franklin Mountains State Park is great for hiking and mountain biking too! Click here to Read more about this easy hiking trail !!

Our first Couch Potato Hike of the Peak Fitness Challenge, led by Abby Austin (r), with Adrianna Weickhardt (TPWD, center) and hikers (left) on the Lazy Cow Trail of Franklin Mountains State Park! Click here to  Read Abby Austin's hiking blog here!

Would you like to join the Peak Fitness Challenge?  Visit www.GeoBetty.com/peak to register!

Meet Abby Austin: 1,000 Miles on My Own Two Feet

This is the first of several interviews we'll post with Abby Austin, creator of the wonderful hiking blog, 1,000 Miles on My Own Two Feet.  Originally from Maine, Abby lives in El Paso while her husband is stationed with the military at Fort Bliss.  We LOVED her blog, and were excited to meet her recently...and get her support as a volunteer with the Peak Fitness Challenge!  (We'll announce the challenge on Thursday, but you can join the facebook community of the challenge now, at www.facebook.com/PeakFitnessChallenge )   Abby will be leading a "Couch Potato Hike" in Franklin Mountains State Park on Saturday, June 23.  Make your reservation by calling the park at  915-566-6441.

Lazy Cow Trail, Franklin Mountains.  Abby will lead a "Couch Potato Hike"
on June 23rd for anyone wanting to get out in the Franklins, regardless of experience!

One Foot in Front of the Other:  Last year, you started a quest...well, why don't you tell the story?

Abby Austin: My husband will be retiring at the end of 2012 after twenty years of service in the military. That means we’re in control of our future, and we have backpacking dreams. Fitness was absent in my life—I was a couch potato!—and I was fearful of the trails because I wasn’t in shape. I challenged myself to hike 1,000 miles that year to get conditioned for our future backpacking. What better of a place than the Sun City with three hundred days of clear skies every year?

Hiking in the Franklin Mountains State Park is a great opportunity for me to hike 1,000 miles. There are trailheads just miles from my home. It’s such a gift to be so near to outdoor recreation, despite being in the middle of a city of half a million people. The park is ideal for my needs because it’s easy to find a variety of trails, including trails that would take my day’s mileage into double digits. The Franklins are ideal, too, for providing challenging terrain. I am the least surefooted person you’ll meet, but I love mountain tops, and to see them, I have to trust my feet. I still don’t hike fast, but I feel comfortable hiking on loose rock now, which stumped me when we arrived.

One Foot in Front of the Other:  Why do you enjoy hiking?

Abby Austin: I love to see Mother Nature at her wildest, truest self.  There’s only so much of America I can see from a highway. By hiking and getting into the backcountry, I’ve had the opportunity to see loads of wildlife just here in the Borderland, including Oryx, Barbary Sheep, and Javelina. And I don’t think I’ve ever felt quite as alive as standing on the summit of North Franklin—except for my few snake encounters!



Prickly Pear, Franklin Mountains

One Foot in Front of the Other:  What's your favorite hike? 

Abby Austin:  Do I have to pick only one? This region has so many fabulous hiking opportunities. I love hiking in the Guadalupe Mountains, Big Bend the Davis Mountains, but I’ll pick a favorite from the Franklins because I know this park the best. My favorite trail is Scenic Trail—and don’t let the subtle name fool you because “scenic” isn’t a good enough name. I’ve hiked this trail in the Franklin Mountains many times, and each time I come down feeling as though I’ve been at the spa. I feel refreshed, cleansed and inspired. My favorite time of day there is morning. I’ve seen the sunrise from up there, and a mountain view sunrise is better than the strongest java.  The morning light makes the mountain colors look more brilliant than any other time of day.


Scenic Trail, Franklin Mountains

One Foot in Front of the Other:  What's your favorite fitness tip?

Abby Austin: Enjoy the sport you choose. I love hiking. Even on days where it feels like a chore to get out the door, as soon as I see North Franklin Mountain towering over the North Hills, I fall into pace and wonder, why did I want to sleep late?

One Foot in Front of the Other:  What advice do you have for folks who are just thinking about getting started with hiking or fitness in general?

Abby Austin:  Enjoy the trail. There is only so much of America that we can see from the highway.



McKittrick Canyon Trail in Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Have confidence in yourself when you begin finding fitness. Self-doubt and self-consciousness are going to hold you back more so than the rattle snake blocking the trail. You might not look pretty doing it, you might be slower than someone else, but the bottom line is that you’re moving, and that is going to promote good health.

One Foot in Front of the Other: You’re going to be leading a “Couch Potato Hike” in Franklin Mountains State Park as part of the launch weekend for the Peak Fitness Challenge.  Can you tell us about that hike, the trail, and what participants can expect?

Abby Austin:  The Lazy Cow Hike and Bike Trail will be the trail we hike for the Couch Potato Hike. It’s located in the northeast section of the park, and it’s a favorite among mountain bikers, so the trail is well worn and comfortable to walk. The hardest part of the hike is at the very beginning as we will hike to the trailhead which has a slight uphill grade. The rest of the trail is flat, meandering through yucca, prickly pear, ocotillo agave and barrel cacti. The entire loop will be a six mile hike, but for those hikers who wish to hike less, there are loop backs to shorten their hikes.

The hiker I anticipate joining me will be someone new to the outdoors, perhaps someone who likes to walk around their neighborhood, but who would like to step it up a notch. This is a beginner hike, but at least a small level of fitness will be required. Hikers must bring one-two quarts of water and sturdy shoes/boots, sunscreen and/or thin, loose, breathable clothing to cover their skin.  Well behaved pets on leash are welcome (and remember their water!). This is one of the first trails I hiked by myself in the Franklins, and it was here that I gained the confidence to become a daily hiker.

 

One Foot in Front of the Other:  Join Abby on Saturday for the Peak Fitness Challenge "Couch Potato Hike" at Franklin Mountains State Park.  More information is here!  

 

**Make your reservation by calling Franklin Mountains State Park:  (915) 566-6441.**

Bring:  Water, snacks, sturdy hiking shoes/boots, hiking stick, camera, binoculars,  and dogs are welcome on leashes!

 Saturday, June 23 – Peak Fitness Challenge Hike  -   

“Couch Potato Hike” J  on the Lazy Cow Trail   

Start Time: 8:00 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Length: 6.3 miles/ 2 – 3 hours

Trailhead:  Meet at Chuck Heinrich Park/East side of the mountains (call for directions)

*Difficulty Level:  Easy to Moderate.  This single track trail is often used for mountain biking, but is a nice leisurely stroll as a hiking trail as well.  It is not difficult terrain to traverse, however, it is a longer distance and may be challenging for new hikers.  The plant and animal life in this area is readily seen and with the Franklins as a backdrop, this hike is beautiful.

All photos courtesy, Abby Austin!

Introducing Adrianna, a friend to new hikers!

Parks Ranger/Parks Interpreter, Adrianna Weickhardt, of Texas
Parks and Wildlife's Franklin Mountains State Park

Sometimes, when you try something new, it helps to have a guide or a coach or someone to encourage you to get the most out of an experience.  Our state and national parks have some great rangers and interpreters who can help you become a hiker, and one of the best is El Paso's Franklin Mountains State Park, Adrianna Weickhardt.  New to Texas, Adrianna joined the park staff in October, and she's been encouraging new hikers ever since.

This week, Adrianna begins a new series of women's beginner hikes!

Adrianna leads a group of hikers up the mountain!

We visited with her recently....here's the basic info!                           "Thursday (3/22) is the first ALL WOMEN'S HIKE that we've had at the park: This hike is for the females out there who are new to the recreational activity of hiking, would like guidance in getting started, and by having a group of other first time hikers the experience will be easy going and enjoyable - you'll have the support of other females, feel empowered as you start mastering your own skills in hiking, and learn about Chihuahuan desert flora and fauna along the way.For more information on the hikes, call headquarters at (915) 566-6441."

Adrianna, tell us more about the "women's hikes!" 

"This is going to be a great opportunity for females of all ages who may feel some apprehension or fear about starting this new activity.  They will learn all of the fundamentals of hiking, taking a slower pace, starting with beginner level trails, and have an experienced guide along for the entire hike to lead them, assist, and answer any questions.  The support that comes from having an all women’s hike is unmatched; you’ll be surrounded by fellow first time female hikers all trying something new, and the comfortable environment created from setting up a newbies hike like this can really allow each woman to take the experience at her own pace, enjoy the learning process, and ease her into the fantastic world of hiking!"

How did Adrianna learn to be an "outdoors person?" 

"Thanks to my family being health conscious and nature loving people, I was introduced to the outdoors from day one.  I can’t thank them enough for “raisin’ me right” in the sense that they instilled in me an appreciation for the outdoors, initially through horseback riding in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California.  But, I spent a majority of my life hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas, with lush rolling hills, flowing creeks and rivers, and a LOT of trees.  I’d have to say a comparison of the Franklin Mountains and the Ozark Mountains would be comparing apples to oranges.  I love them both, and each ecosystem has some incredible aspects to appreciate.  The Franklin Mountains have so many unique qualities beginning with the hidden wonders found in the caves and mines to the surprise of finding the springs that flow continuously in this Chihuahuan Desert mountain range.   There are incredible hiking and biking trails that unveil sprawling vistas (not to mention jaw dropping sunrise and sunset viewing), and there's such an easy access to opportunities to explore the geology and wildlife all within the city limits of El Paso.  Hiking and biking in the Franklin Mountains is nothing like doing the same in the Ozarks; in the desert you get views as far as the eye can see, literally you could watch your dog run away for 3 days out here."

Thanks, Adrianna, we look forward to hearing from you again soon about a joint project the Texas Mountain Trail is undertaking with GeoBetty.com, Franklin Mountains State Park, and Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Far West Texas!  We know the women in your all-women's beginner hikes will have a great experience!

Hiking 101--Where's the Trail?

If you're new to hiking, here's a tip.  To help folks stay on the trail, many are marked with piles of rocks, called cairns.  (See one in the center of the photo?  Click on the photo for a closer view!)  They are often placed at regular intervals on trails with stony areas or in places where the direction of the trail may not be obvious.

Isn't this a lovely view?  You can hike this trail yourself at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center, outside Fort Davis, Texas.  The Clayton's Overlook trail is just 1.5 miles and offers terrific views of the entire Davis Mountains range.

Never been a hiker, but you're eager to try?  Late this spring we're going to announce a fun hiking challenge for Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Franklin Mountains State Park...and we'll make it easy for new hikers to achieve their goals...even if it means hiking the tallest peak in Texas!  Our other partners will be our own Texas Mountain Trail and GeoBetty.com!