Emory Pass
 Emory
Pass is not the highest or the steepest pass in New
Mexico. Neither does the road have a shoulder of any kind.
But because of a number of factors, this is my favorite
paved pass or summit in New Mexico so far. For one thing
it doesn't need a shoulder. Traffic is so light (at least
in winter) that a wider road would only disturb the
landscape more needlessly. The surface is a rough chip
seal. But currently it has matured and is so smooth that
it is perfect to ride on with any kind of skinny tire (Feb
08). The road is in strong contrast to the area to the the
south. Coming up from the Mexican border and Deming there
is an amazing absence of garbage and litter. I almost
seems that you have crossed into a different country
again. Neither are there those annoying tourist businesses
that sell junk of all kinds. The contrast in landscape is
also amazing. After the stark shapes in the dessert to the
south, the road climbs into deep forest. These mountains
are part of the basin and range province. The ranges are
individual fault blocks with a younger geology than
superficially similar landscapes, like all those rounded
hills in the Appalachians for example. Here the landscape
has a more angular, disturbed, look. Finally, unlike many
of the forested paved climbs in the Sangre de Cristos to
the north, there is a grand overlook onto the drier
dessert mountains to the east. All this - and you can make
believe it is the season of your choice during mid
February.
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01.(5640ft,mile00) START-END WEST:
NM90 crossing the Mimbres River south of Lorenzo
02.(8228ft,mile15) TOP: Emory Pass
03.(6350ft,mile23) Kingston
04.(5290ft,mile32) START-END EAST: Hillsboro
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Approaches
From West. The lower approach on NM61 following the
Mimbres River below the starting point on the profile is a
pleasant ride through large gently flowing hills, passing
settlements that have names on maps, despite the fact that
they consist of a few interesting old houses or lived in
schoolbuses and a white church here or there, services every
other Saturday. It's a great ride in mid February, but I
imagine it gets pretty hot during most of the year. The
profile starts with Ancheta Canyon after the junction
NM90-NM6. The road soon climbs into a juniper forest with
interesting views back down into the Mimbres Valley. Instead
of climbing the high ridge ahead the road turns right and
crests on an intermediate summit in order to descend back down
to the lower Gallinas area. The road rounds a deep ruggedly
incised meander of this creek and climbs in deep forest
towards the ridge line. The last miles are comprised of
forested switchbacks in order to deliver the rider at a grand
overview of the Rio Grande Valley to the east. The overlook is
few feet higher than the pass and the far views come as a
great surprise after climbing into heavier and heavier forest.
From East. (described upwards) The open lava capped
valleys of the Rio Grande tributaries seem to end in the old
mining town of Kingston. The town contains only a few
buildings that show little sign of life, and instead add to
the feeling of remoteness of this area. Above lies a
forested climb up a traverse, where the road is never
straight but follows every contour of the land, great
cycling. Looking back you can often see the road turns stack
up behind one another, similar to the contours of a relaxed
snake that is maybe in the process of crossing a road. Now
and then you catch a glimpse of the dessert hills below.
Some of the upper turns are perpetually shaded and remnants
of snow linger long after the last storm.
Tours
Dayrides.
An out and back ride starting at the junction of NM90 and
NM61, over the pass to a turnaround point a mileage marker 45,
about 5 miles shy of Hillsboro measured 63 miles and 6000ft of
climbing in 5:2 hours measured with a Vetta cyclecomputer
(with some tire problems) (r2:08.02.07).
back to New
Mexico's Summits and Passes by Bicycle
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