Reverse Order

Last year, on October 13th, I arrived at the Williams Lake Trailhead to attempt Wheeler Peak my 20th State High Point and my 1st peak of the New Mexico Six Pack of Peaks Challenge. The weather that day was a bit chilly with strong, cold winds at the summit. The treat of storms coming in over the next 3 or 4 days made me rethink my plan to do the other 5 peaks that week. So, I put off the New Mexico Challenge until the following year. This year! 2026!!

This time I arrived at the Williams Lake Trailhead on October 10th, 2026 with the goal of summiting Wheeler Peak for the second time and completing my first New Mexico Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge. (Summitted Mount Taylor on 10/4; Deception & Lake Peaks on 10/5; Cerro Grande on 10/6; Sandia Crest on 10/7 and Santa Fe Baldy on 10/9). At 0730, the lot at the Williams Lake Trailhead was almost full and dozens of hikers had either began or were just beginning their journey to the highest point in New Mexico (although I realized later that several were only hiking to Williams Lake).

Just like the following year, I kept a pretty moderate pace up to the summit and slowed a bit on the descent. The weather was a bit chilly around mid-30’s with mostly clear skies. As I neared the summit the winds kicked up to about 30 or 35 mph and the temps with the wind chill were likely near the teens. Similar to last years summit. I didn’t spend too much time at the summit and decided to descend for about a mile to get out of the wind and the cold so I could each my lunch.

The descent was very pleasant. I met and talked with several hikers along the way. As I looked back to the summit and could see the clouds coming in, I knew (362 days from my last summit of Wheeler Peak) the storms were coming in again. I was happy and grateful that I had already finished the New Mexico Six Pack of Peaks Challenge and would be heading out in the morning to California. As I drove away the following morning and for most of that day, driving through New Mexico and Arizona, it poured down rain and the winds on the I-40 were about 20 mph. I could only imagine what the weather was now like on each of the summits I had just completed.

All in all it was another great day on trail. I recorded 9.3 miles and 3,284 feet in elevation gain for my final peak of the New Mexico Six Pack of Peaks Challenge.