Pacheco Canyon to Aspen Basin - Tesuque, NMThis is a fairly gentle, yet remote and scenic fire-road climb into the Sangre de Christo range in Santa Fe National Forest toward Tesuque Peak and Aspen Basin outside of Santa Fe. Best done by shuttling, we are dropped off at the intersection of 592 and the unpaved 102 in Tesuque, NM. The ride is 8.8 miles from the drop off at 7,200 feet above sea level to where this dirt road comes out at Hyde Park Road (475) at 9,760 feet above sea level. Our shuttle would pick us up at the other end 2 ½ hours later. The grade is about 5-6% as it winds its way to the top. As usual during late-spring in this part of the country, the weather was dry and uneventful: all sunshine and blue sky. The dirt road starts flat to slightly up as it makes its way along Pacheco Canyon through foothills studded with pinon and juniper. From this point, it’s not obvious how this road can find its way up to aspen and spruce covered mountain slopes as the terrain starts out in the arid desert hills. Ahead we go. A car passes on its way out, then a couple of hikers and then no one. The slope becomes steeper as the road makes its way further up and into the empty, dry hills. A backward glance shows the paved road we drove in on to be far below now as we start to gain elevation. The Rio Grande Valley can been seen even further beyond and lower still as the panoramas are stunning and big. We turn our attention ahead, and soon pass by an old, abandoned white suburban lodged precariously down the canyon slope to our right, and now someone’s target practice. An inviting “Entering Santa Fe National Forest” sign seems strangely out of place on this remote dirt back-road. The climb takes us now past a little farm tucked in a valley; hemmed in by walls of arid hills on three sides, the neatly plowed field several hundred feet below creates a stark contrast with the rugged terrain. The road changes as we enter into more lush vegetation of big Oaks which begin to provide some welcome shade. A little further on and the trees get bigger, as we see a cabin or two amongst the Ponderosa Pines. Another turn and the road climbs steeply as we negotiate a few small boulders in the path. She flattens out again and the hills seem like they’re not that bad. But as we begin to sink into our comfort zone, we hear what sounds to be a car coming around the next turn. Bracing for a tense moment riding the shoulder, I quickly realize the car is actually a waterfall cascading between some cliffs ahead. From here the road just continues on upward past mountain meadows and now groves of Aspen and Pine. With switchbacks every half-mile or so, we crawl toward the top as the road becomes flanked by mountain forest and is now well shaded. Two and a half hours after the drop off, we come out onto the well traveled Hyde Park Road at a scenic pull-off, giving us a nice respite with restrooms and water and a place to sprawl out after the ride. Our shuttle arrives and we head down the mountain to find a burrito in Tesuque. This ride is just a back road climb but gets and “A” for scenery and solitude. |
Ride Images
Fire Road to Aspen Basin
Mountain Medow En Route to Aspen Basin
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