Ortiz Peak summit(u)
 This
route is one way to get from Cabresto Canyon over the
divide into Valle Vidal. It involves crossing Ortiz Peak
on the divide. For me the route offers equal portions of
confusion about the topography and excitement about the
scenery, while crossing into one of northern New
Mexico's most interesting valleys. Back in Spanish
colonial times the horseman could enter Valle Vidal from
the the same direction by way of the old Costilla
Pass. Today's mountain biker has to cross a higher
ridge to stay away from private property. The route
described here route consists of a combination of dirt
roads, abandoned lumber paths and fence line trails, that
are not shown on any maps, unless they are handdrawn by a
local forest ranger. It's a good idea to take along an
extra supply of time and flexibility for a dayride across
this summit.
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01.(7470ft,mile00) START-END SOUTH:
Questa
02.(9050ft,mile10) FR148 branches on right to Red
River
03.(10510ft,mile16) Lagunita Saddle, route continues
left shortly after this point
04.(10560ft,mile17) turn right onto route closed to
motorized traffic
05.(10870ft,mile19) pick up Valle Vidal fence line
trail
06.(11209ft,mile22) Ortiz Peak
07.(10760ft,mile23) route somewhat indistinct
between here and next point
08.(9770ft,mile23) pick up forest road above
Comanche Point
09.(8960ft,mile25) junction with good dirt road
along Comanche Creek
10.(8940ft,mile26) junction with private road to
(one of three passes named) San Francisco Pass
11.(8150ft,mile39) START-END NORTH: Amalia
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Approaches
From North. To start at the bottom, topographically
speaking, one has to start in Questa (7500ft). The
route follows a gravel road to Lagunita
Saddle. The first right after the saddle goes to Trail
Canyon ( or similar name ). The route to Valle Vidal continues
straight. A short distance later, at the next junction, stay
left on the road that winds uphill through a meadow into a
higher forest. There another smaller road takes off to the
left. Stay right. Cross a cow grate and take the next right
onto a forest road closed to motor vehicles. Meanwhile the
path surface conditions have improved considerably since
Lagunita Saddle. The closed double track leads past a prime
viewing area of Wheeler Peak (2nd picture), through an old
tree harvesting area and curves back towards the west. This is
where it becomes tricky. At a junction a path towards the
right appears to dead end. At this point the route crosses the
Valle Vidal boundary. A straight fence line, from which the
wire has been removed runs along the ridge. An old fence line
trail heads in a westerly direction just inside the old Valle
Vidal boundary. This trail eventually tops at a forested
summit with a microwave facility at 11209ft.
From South. (described downwards). Several minor hills
after the summit the trail eventually turns north to descend
into Valle Vidal. Great views from here. Below timber line the
trail becomes faint. It crosses a small meadow with an old
cabin. The trail exits the meadow uphill towards the right and
soon skirts a large area with wind damaged timber. After
further faint meadow crossings my own route detoured upvalley
substantially. I was tempted to head straight through the
forest to the road clearly visible in the valley (3rd
picture). But the upvalley route did eventually dump me onto
FR1750 within half a mile east of Comanche Point (which is
shown on the Carson National Forest Map).
Tours
Dayrides. A loop ride from Questa, climbing Lagunita
Saddle via Cabresto Canyon, continuing over the divide as
described, returning to the starting point by paved road
through Amalia and Costilla measured 69 miles, 5310 feet of
climbing in 7.1 hours using a Cateye 100A cycle computer.
back to New
Mexico's Summits and Passes by Bicycle
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