Mile 1/4.
Observatory well (driving south) driven by a gasoline pump. Also above the road
is a shed housing pine seedlings being used in reforestation of the barren
area. Mile 1/2. Our campsite in a clearing surrounded by large Jefrey
pines. To the right or west is a big wash with large willow bushes. To left or
east, 1/2 mile up in a draw is a large concrete watering trough for cattle,
with fine spring water flowing into it via a plastic hose. An excellent place
to take a shower and get fresh water (except when the cows are thick or in
mornings and evenings). This is the only good water I know of in the Vallecitos
area. Mile 1-1/2. End of jeep road where we parked our jeep. From here
we headed south and soon picked up duck marks and a cattle trail. Mile
3-1/2. A small clearing surrounded by a heavy grove of quaking aspens. Here
one could go either to right or left continuing on south. Since I was dubious
of climbing up to the eastern escarpment too soon, we decided to have a rest
above the south end of the aspen grove. This break stop soon payed off as we
began to hear voices and cattle crashing thru the aspen grove. We then knew if
the Vaqueros were moving the cattle to a new pasture, they would find the trail
heading south for us again. Sure enough, they went to right or west and then
continued on south. After they were out of sight, Neil and I crossed thru the
aspens to the west picking up the trail again and started to climb up to the
east end of the La Tasajera Ridge. Mile 4. We begin to pick a small
flowing stream of fresh water about 1/2 mile above the aspen grove. Finding
this water was a pleasant surprise since water along the eastern escarpment is
scarce, especially in July. Most of the water in summer is found below the
western escarpment of Martir, as I found out the hard way, going without water
the better part of two days in the Santa Rosa Meadows area a few years back.
Mile 4-l/2 Summit of the Trasajera Ridge, elevation 8800 approximately
near its east end. This ridge runs in a westerly direction from its junction
with the eastern escarpment north of Blue Bottle to north of La Grulla Meadow,
where it drops off. From the summit of this pass, which I shall call "Blue
Bottle pass" one looks south and sees the southwestern ridge of Blue Bottle
sloping off toward Los Lianitos Meadows. From the summit of the ridge we
decided we would save time (east of pass it becomes very steep and rocky) by
dropping below the pass about 1/4 mile and contouring to the east (losing about
200 feet elevation), crossing several draws coming from the north and getting
in the main draw running down from the saddle just north of Blue Bottle. (We
also found good water in a pool here.)
We climbed up the main draw to
the saddle on the escarpment, then to the right or south, arriving on summit
(Mile 5) at about 1:30 pm. After 1/2 hour rest enjoying the fine view of
Big Picacho we headed back down and were back at the jeep in two hours. The
advantages of this route are many (even J.R. didn't know that a trail went
across the La Tasajera Ridge near its east end):
|