Ever Been to Top of Texas?

[Mellow]

I went to Guadalupe National Park last week as my first stop towards Big Bend.

I set up camp and then decided to go into Carlsbad for lunch. I was at Wendy's reading the brochure for the park and read where Guadalupe Peak was the tallest Peak in Texas. I thought it would be cool to say "I've been to the top of Texas". The brochure stated the trail length was 4.2 miles one way. It was 12pm and I wouldn't get a start 'til 1. What the heck. I gave myself 2 hours to see how far I could get then 2 hours to make it back down. That would put me back in camp, or the hospital, before dark.

I looked at the hill and thought, "how hard can that be?" Well, once you get to the top of that hill, there's another one behind it that you have to climb, then another one behind it, THEN, you see the peak that is taller than the 3 previous hills. That's as far as I got, there's a backpacking campground at that point and it was just before 3pm.

Time to head back. The climb up was pretty easy and I found out later that I was going too fast. About half way down my knees started hurting a little and by the time I was to the bottom it was killing me to step off a curb.

I'm thinking I made it 3/4 of the way up for about a 6 mile round trip hike. It wasn't riding but it was a personal goal I wanted to hit, I'll be back again and I'll make it to the top the next time. Maybe a group ride/hike?

If you look closely at the 2nd pic you can see the trail - for the 1st hill.

Has anyone been to the Guadalupe Peak?

[Big Bandit]

I have seen Guadalupe peak from the car campground. I was camping with my children, who were very young at the time, and hiking to the top was not an option.

I have stood on top of the second highest mountain in Texas many times. It is Emory Peak and is located in Big Bend National Park.

Rod

[Trekker]

Awesome Joe! I myself have never been to Texas but it looks great. It's funny how our 40 something bodies don't always perform as well as we would hope, especially when we spend more time at a desk instead of some kind of activity (speaking for myself here). Heck, up here in the winter I get soft and my knees hurt just from the stairs! Looking forward to your trip report. To be honest...I never have thought of Texas as having a "top". Just my northeast mindset I suppose.

[Doobage]

If I remember correctly it's the tallest peak from there headed east all the way to the coast.

I tried climbing it in the evening and only made it about 2.5 miles (I had my 6 year old daughter with me) and set my time table based on the sun light availability. I had to hike back with her on my shoulders (and most of the way there with her on my shoulders), so I was carrying about 80 lbs. between my daughter and the pack. I got back and my legs were feeling well used.

The next day we were going SOGging. (Skysite on Ground) - it's kinda like Geocaching, but you look for these relay comm satellites that come down after floating in an area for about 24 hours. So we ended up hiking for two more days after that, but never got the time to climb to the top again. I want to conquer it as well.

Glad you liked the area.

[mongo]

I think Mt Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi. I like the camp ground there (directly off of BRP) I will do a review of the campground if the weather and work ever both help me out together.





http://americasroof.com/nc.shtml