Eddy County High Point Trip Report
7,480+ ft
Date: December 24, 2001
Author: Ken Akerman
I slept in my vehicle just off NM137, then drove in the morning to the trailhead for the highpoint, NM,
located on the Guadalupe Rim. I drove on the Guadalupe Ridge Road using
John's instructions and parked
at a sign for Camp Wilderness Ridge. This is the point where the road begins veering off towards the southeast,
so this is approximately the point on the road closest to the highpoint.
I attempted to use John Mitchler's directions
and tried navigating with my GPS, but on my first attempt I
went around in a loop and returned to my SUV after a short hike. It was windy and beginning to snow, so I
got back in my SUV, turned on the engine and heater, and carefully measured the latitude and longitude of
the Eddy County highpoint on my topo map and set this as a way point. With my destination now set,
I navigated toward the highpoint.
It is impossible to go in a straight-line direction to the summit because you have to cross a deep canyon to
do so, so I hiked northwest to the ridge, then south towards the summit. The wind was blowing fiercely and
it was snowing and cold, and the snow at times appeared to be falling horizontally. Under such extreme
weather conditions, I did reach the summit - (32° 00' 43.5" N, 104° 49' 19.9" W) -
and navigated back to my SUV.