Black Mesa
| Oklahoma |
Elevation: 4,973'
Vertical Gain: 775'
Vertical Gain: 775'
Date: June 30, 2012
Time: 11:25 AM
Time: 11:25 AM
Weather: Hot, clear
Party: Bob, Kevin
Party: Bob, Kevin
From Lamar, Colorado, it was a 2 1/2 hour drive to Black Mesa. I found out the hard way to
watch for the sudden drops in the speed limit as the highways go through the towns of
southeastern Colorado. I was tired of trailing a truck and used his slow down to get around
him which earned me a nice little chat with a Springfield policeman for doing 57 in a 45. Once
he checked out my license he came back and told me to "have a nice day". I'm not sure why I
got to feel special on this day but it was a relief.
Kevin and I left the trailhead at 10:02 and were glad to get our first hike in. The trail winds
through the desert, climbs abruptly to the top of the well-defined mesa, and is then flatter to the
actual high point. There were lots of horned toads and grasshoppers but unfortunately we did
not get to see any rattlesnakes which are prevalent there. We enjoyed the top for twenty
minutes before returning the same way, finishing in 104 degree heat. Our 2:50 hike time for the
8.5 mile trip was well below the 3.5 to 5 hour estimates from the guidebooks.
After leaving, on the way south through New Mexico, we passed on staying at Ute Lake State
Park since it was still early, it was 115 degrees, and the few sites that were there had no shade.
Instead, we continued on, had dinner at a KFC, and went to Sumner Lake State Park. It was a
much more comfortable 91 degrees there which was made even more tolerable by a swim from
the rocky shore of the lake. Because of strong winds, we pitched our tent right within a three
sided pavilion on the site.
watch for the sudden drops in the speed limit as the highways go through the towns of
southeastern Colorado. I was tired of trailing a truck and used his slow down to get around
him which earned me a nice little chat with a Springfield policeman for doing 57 in a 45. Once
he checked out my license he came back and told me to "have a nice day". I'm not sure why I
got to feel special on this day but it was a relief.
Kevin and I left the trailhead at 10:02 and were glad to get our first hike in. The trail winds
through the desert, climbs abruptly to the top of the well-defined mesa, and is then flatter to the
actual high point. There were lots of horned toads and grasshoppers but unfortunately we did
not get to see any rattlesnakes which are prevalent there. We enjoyed the top for twenty
minutes before returning the same way, finishing in 104 degree heat. Our 2:50 hike time for the
8.5 mile trip was well below the 3.5 to 5 hour estimates from the guidebooks.
After leaving, on the way south through New Mexico, we passed on staying at Ute Lake State
Park since it was still early, it was 115 degrees, and the few sites that were there had no shade.
Instead, we continued on, had dinner at a KFC, and went to Sumner Lake State Park. It was a
much more comfortable 91 degrees there which was made even more tolerable by a swim from
the rocky shore of the lake. Because of strong winds, we pitched our tent right within a three
sided pavilion on the site.
Started out flat ...
... and finished flat.
About to descend back down
the mesa.
the mesa.