Backpacker Magazine – May 2012

Rip & Go: Horseshoe Lake - Pecos Wilderness, NM

Navigate a long-lost trail to a remote alpine lake.

by: Kenzi Wilbur and Rachel Zurer

Tags:
• New Mexico
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KEY SKILL: Acclimate to altitude
Hovering around 12,000 feet will put you at risk for the headaches, nausea, and fatigue of acute mountain sickness (AMS). Separate science from tall tales to perform your best up high.

Myth If you’re in good shape, you shouldn’t worry about AMS.
Reality Susceptibility is partly genetic, and partly related to how quickly you climb. If coming from sea level, spend a night at altitude before hitting the trail (Santa Fe’s 7,200 feet should do it).

Myth All headaches up high are bad news.
Reality AMS often goes away without serious consequences. Pop 400-600 mg of ibuprofen (and check to see if your pee is nearly clear; dehydration can mimic AMS). If your headache worsens, you’re confused, or you start having trouble with coordination or balance, then descend below where the symptoms started.

Myth You should avoid caffeine at altitude.
Reality If you’re used to pouring back the java, going cold turkey is sure to give you a headache; maintain your normal intake.


SEE THIS: Pikas
As you make your way past scree-covered hillsides near treeline, listen for the high-pitch call of the pika. With luck, you may catch a glimpse of the hamster-size, brown mammals as they dive into their rocky burrows. Cute but tough, pikas are members of the rabbit family, with small round ears and no visible tails. To survive harsh winters, they sun-dry and store piles of grass to feed them through the year. In fact, they’re so adapted to cold that even short exposures to temperatures above 78°F can kill them, putting them at risk as the climate warms. 


LOCALS KNOW
Extend your journey into one of our mapper’s favorite weeklong adventures by traversing the wilderness another 40 miles to the Santa Fe Ski Basin. You’ll pass five more lakes, summit a 12,500-foot peak, and visit some of the forest’s least-traveled corners. Head south from Horseshoe Lake to join Trail 269 toward the Pecos River basin. Take Trail 456 to Trail 239. Head toward Beatty Flats on Trail 24, then climb out of the valley on Trail 259. Take Trail 257 as it parallels Jack’s Creek on a gradual ascent through thick forest to Pecos Baldy Lake. Detour to summit Pecos Baldy, then take Trail 251 down through Horsethief Meadows and past Stewart Lake. Head south on Trail 254 to Spirit Lake and on to the Santa Fe Ski Basin parking lot. backpacker.com/hikes/26815



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