Mt Taylor

trevdog · Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 6

Anyone been out to Mt Taylor this year? Or ever? I'm trying to figure out how to make the super long approach less so.

scotthsu · Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 133 Location: Los Alamos, NM

this is something that's been on my radar for some time. Summitpost's page on Mt Taylor has some useful approach info. Looks like there are approaches from the south (standard route) and northwest. It will probably require a pretty long skin just to reach the summer TH at this time of year.

trevdog · Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 6

yeh, last time i was on snowshoes and tried to take the Something-or-other Springs Trail (south side). spent most the day just getting to the trailhead, then turned around. Hoping to try it this year on the splitty.
Coming in from the NW looks like a long slug up the road to the saddle between the lookout and the summit of Mt T. also looks like a bit a skin back to the car, unless a car was left on the SW side...

trucker · Joined: 01 Apr 2008 Posts: 9

what we have done in the past is wait until after the Mt. Taylor quad, and then use the access (Lobo Canyon I believe) they create for the event. the road is plowed to the point where they switch over to snowshoes/skis...there are some nice lines to ski. and some relentlessly thick tree skiing.

Kerry · Joined: 16 Mar 2007 Posts: 101 Location: Albuquerque

The approach from the north is a really long route with less pitch than the approach from the west. Although I haven't skied it, the tip about Lobo Canyon after the Quad seems like a really good idea. Note that the north and NW aspect that is just north of the road uphill from the gazebo (approx 35' long steel shed) has a lot of blowdown on it. Anyone know when they plow the road? I'd like to go.

trevdog · Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 6

I know it short notice, but is anyone up for a day trip to mt. Taylor...tomorrow?
I'm looking at the north-eastish aspect from the summit, down into the 'inner crater' then back up one of the fingers to the truck. then maybe do it again.
I've never scoped this line before, or any on the mountain actually. But it would be nice to have someone along for a recon trip.
Depending on what the weather does this weekend, i may be able to wait until next week .

skidzo · Joined: 26 Feb 2010 Posts: 2

wENT TWICE within the last 2 weeks....right after the quadrathlon. we went up rto the inner crater. It was just out of this world. This sunday I am planning to go again but will go up by FR 77

skidzo · Joined: 26 Feb 2010 Posts: 2

That is where we started in th elast 2 weeks. The climb is all packed down because of race and snowmobile. They keep the road very well maintain since they need it for the observatory access.
Once you get to that parking lot you go staight up which means east...dont take the road that is the continuation ofm the road on which you came from. It is about 1.5 hour to get to the ridge of the inner crater.

There is tons of skiing to do up there. The chutes off the north face of inner crater next to the telescopes are amazing. I would not go there by myself, even if it not a avalanche terrain. Once you are in the inner crater you never see anybody for days so an accident on your own could be fatal.
Have funn

trevdog · Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 6

I had a great time yesterday, but because i was solo i stayed out of the crater. But yeh, there are some awsome lines that i would love to ride. If you want some company tomorrow I'd love to go again. got a beacon shovel and probe. My name's Trev. 505 730-5614