Steep meadows before the summit of Timber Peak

Overview:

The South Baldy Trail #11 ascends from a darkling canyon bed up to the sunny ridgeline of the Magdalena Mountains. Access is easy and the grade is moderate. The subsequent views from the Timber Peak Trail #70 sweep the region; from the San Juans in southern Colorado to the Black Range in southern New Mexico. Pick a clear day and go! Novice hikers should know that snow sometimes obscures the trail. If you have doubts about your navigation skill then come anyway, bringing a resolute willingness to turn back when the tread becomes doubtful.

Driving Directions

  • Drive to Socorro, NM on Interstate-25 (I-25)
    • If you are coming from the north (e.g. from Albuquerque) 
      • Take Exit 150 from I-25.
      • After 0.4 miles on the off ramp, at the stop light on the ramp end, go straight ahead onto California Street.
      • After 1.3 miles on California St, at a stoplight, go right onto Spring St.
    • If you are coming from the south (e.g. from Las Cruces)
      • Take Exit 147 from I-25.
      • After 0.7 miles the ramp “invisibly” segues onto California Street, reset your odometer as you go past the first gas station.
      • After 0.6 miles on California St, at a stop light, turn left onto Spring Street.
  • After 0.6 miles on Spring St, at the first stop sign, go left onto US-60 West (signed).
  • After 14.9 miles on US-60 West turn left onto Water Canyon Road. Just before the turn you will see a sign on US-60 saying, “Water Canyon Campground”. There is a state historic marker at the junction as well. 
  • After 4.6 miles on Water Canyon Road, at the Water Canyon Campground (signed), turn left onto Forest Road 235 (signed, roadbed becomes gravel)
  • After 2.1 miles on Forest Road 235, at a wide and level spot on the right side of the road, park at the trailhead. A sign for  “South Baldy Trail No. 11” should be visible. (FR-235 is numbered with small, blue signs about every tenth of a mile, the trailhead is about 100 yards past the blue sign saying “24” and a second sign saying “ELEV 7500 FT”).

A sign at the start of FR-235 recommends against driving the road unless you have a high-suspension, 4-wheel drive vehicle. For now, however, almost any normal passenger car can make it as far as the trailhead.

Trailhead:

Trailhead (double click to get a better view of the sign)

A wide spot on the right side of the road, tucked into the floor of Water Canyon, forms your trailhead. On this date there was some water moving in the canyon, but you should not count on it as a resource. There are no services at the trailhead, although you will pass several campgrounds along FR-235 that have vault toilets. Water Canyon Campground is currently open and you can check on its status here. Important note! About 100 yards before this trailhead there is another trailhead, signed for “South Canyon Trail No. 15”. That is a separate trailhead for a separate trail! 

Data:

  • starting elevation: 7,540
  • ending elevation: 10,510
  • net elevation: 2970
  • distance: 4.3 miles (one way)

Hike Description:

Warm morning sunlight strikes the canyon rim.

At 7500 feet you might expect juniper and pinyon pine, yet this cool canyon shelters a narrow forest of tall and thriving pines. Some have the cinnamon bark of ponderosa pine, but others had a dark gray, vertically furrowed bark typical of a Chihuahua white pine. Recent snowfall has toppled some of the old snags. True to Murphy, these always seem to fall directly across the tread. Dodge those trunks and hike on – all such impediments fade away in less than a half mile. 

South facing wall of Water Canyon

December mornings refrigerate the canyon bottom. Fortunately, the trail departs the canyon bed at 0.8 miles. A long switchback pulls you onto the south-facing wall of the northern-most tributary to Water Canyon. Climb into morning sunshine and feel it going to work! Off come the wool hats and puffy coats. At the switchback’s end the trail turns up-canyon and begins a carefully engineered slog that slowly creeps up the wall – almost reaching the rim. At some point you may want to dash up onto the rim for a fine view down into Copper Canyon and across the east-facing slopes of the Magdalenas.

Snow covered trail

Below you the tributary bottom starts to soar and at 1.9 miles the bed rises to meet the trail. Here, on this date, snow began covering the trail. Those with little navigation experience should recognize this turn-back signal. For others, follow the trail as it crosses the tributary and turns southeast, traversing into the large bowl encompassing the canyon’s headwaters. The trail slaloms between the forested hillocks that dominate the ridgeline. You may hear some traffic noise – the main ridgeline houses both the Magdalena Ridge Observatory (MRO) and the Langmuir Laboratory. At 2.9 miles the South Baldy Trail ends at its upper junction with Forest Road 235.

Sign at trail’s intersection with FR-235

If you were to turn right and follow the road uphill you would come to South Baldy, the highest peak in the Magdalenas. For this route, however, turn left and follow the road as it gently descends a quarter mile. Find the heavily weathered sign for Timber Peak Trail #70 at a traffic turnout. (Curiously, the turnout had been plowed – possibly to make room for later snow accumulations). Depart the road and follow the tread up the ridgeline.

South Baldy Peak (MRO is midway across the ridge’s snow field)

A series of bumps populates this ridge. The trail makes several westerly-detours to contour below them. The views are terrific. Above and west of you lies the summit of South Baldy, snow clad in winter and grassland in summer. The MRO is a prominent, white, ridge-top building capped with a shiny aluminum dome. Below and east of you lies the Socorro Mountains. Straight ahead (south) lie views into the depths of Sawmill Canyon. At 3.8 miles the tread rejoins to the ridgeline and barrels straight at Timber Peak.

San Juans (snow capped, left-third on the horizon) and Ladron Peak (right-third, middle distance)

Snowy conditions can make that ascent demanding. Postholing at altitude! A broad meadow graces the flanks of the summit block and it is pitched steeply enough to require kicking steps into the snow. The grade finally gentles and you are guided into a small alcove framed by fir trees. You might think that you’ve arrived. False hope! The true summit lies 20 or so feet above you. This is not technical terrain, but you may have to probe the snow with your boots to find adequate foothold. Finally, at 4.3 miles from the trailhead, join the weather-station sensors crowning this summit.

View over Sawmill Canyon to Hardy Ridge, San Mateo Mts and (visible just above San Mateos) the distant Black Range.

Views include the snow clad San Juan Mountains directly north, Ladron Peak to the northwest, along with hazy views of the Sandia Mountains and Manzano Peak in the Manzano Mountains. To the southwest lie the Oscura Mountains and the rounded dome of Carrizo Peak. Look west, over the vast gulf of Sawmill Canyon, to find San Mateo Peak in the San Mateo Mountains. Beyond the San Mateos (in the far distance) glimpse the north end of the Black Range.

Recommendations:

Author, obscuring your view of the Oscura Mountains

Postholing became a problem above 9500 feet. In preparation, I brought along my elderly MSR snowshoes but failed to examine them closely. Alas! The ancient elastomers that made up the straps had quietly succumbed to old age. I had gone no further than 20 feet when the bootstrap on the left shoe broke. The right shoe straps broke about 100 yards later. Fortunately, it was rare to plunge more than a foot or so. If you have functioning snowshoes take them with you in the car. As you approach on US-60 take a look at the summit of South Baldy. If you can see snow up there then you will want to carry your snowshoes into the upper reaches.

I didn’t carry an ice ax. There was no need for the South Baldy Trail. The Timber Peak Trail has several segments of side-hilling on steep meadows where an ax might be advisable.

On a cool day I went through just one liter of water. I was glad to have two, however, as the sun in the afternoon shone warmly on the west-facing slopes and water breaks were frequent.

Kicking steps at 10,000 feet is hard work. Has your party just come from sea level? Then keep an eye out for signs of acute mountain sickness.

Links:

Solphoto has a writeup and nice photos of the tremendous views you get from the ridge leading to Timber Peak. Check it for what this part of the hike might be like in warm weather.

The Chamber of Commerce in Magdalena, NM has an extensive description (PDF) of nearby trails including the South Baldy Trail and the Timber Peak Trail. Bookmark it if you need route suggestions for hiking in this area.

The HikeArizona site, a great resource, provides a brief description of a variation which you’d hike up the South Baldy Trail No. 11 all the way to South Baldy Peak.

In milder weather folks with high-clearance vehicles drive to the Timber Peak trailhead and do just the upper part of this route. George at Ondafringe has a description with numerous photos to give you an excellent idea of what to expect in warmer seasons, extending the trip to an open part of the ridge beyond Timber Peak.

A post at the New Mexico Volunteers for the Outdoors explains how it is that the South Baldy Trail is in such excellent shape. Thanks to Nick T and all the other volunteers!