Holman Hill summit
The most imposing view involving this summit just may be
from the bottom, and not from the top. Looking east from
the town of Mora, the Sangre de Cristo mountains are a
green eminence with a few teeth like cliffs eroded into
its top row of giant green gums. However the road to the
summit never comes close to this area, and instead diverts
to the right into a verdant, green valley.
Except for a few locations mentioned below, there is no
road shoulder, but the road is wide and traffic is
relatively sparse, so that it makes a pretty good cycling
route anyway. The summit is identified in the appendix of
Marshall Sprague's book "the Great Gates".
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01.(7170ft,mile00) START-END WEST:
Mora
02.(7380ft,mile03) Cleveland
03.(7560ft,mile07) Holman
04.(7610ft,mile08) stay left up hill
05.(9469ft,mile14) TOP: Holman Hill Summit
06.(8550ft,mile19) FR76 joins from right, just
before a spot named Tres Ritos
07.(7750ft,mile28) START-END EAST: jct 518 to US
Hill Summit and NM75 to Penasco
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Approaches
From East. It is worth mentioning that NM518 below
Mora and below the starting point of the profile is rumble
stripped and difficult to bicycle. However the initial miles
upwards of Mora have a wide shoulder, on which the cyclist can
safely enjoy the ride, marvel at all the shining chrome on the
car wrecks displayed in the yards, savor the smell of wood
smoke on a late October morning, or just count all the
disposed Bud Light bottles next to the road. This scene
stretches through Cordillera and Cleveland to Holman. Here
NM518 leaves the Mora valley, the shoulder ends and the climb
begins in earnest. It is a green scene all the way to the top,
something that could be straight out of Appalachia. At one
point the road near the summit comes into view, and gives the
impression that this is quite a climb wherever it is. An
alternate dirt road approach which looks like an old highway
merges with the modern road. Gaining altitude the road
meanders through high forested meadows and then traverses to
the top. Approaching the summit the distant straight drop-offs
of Hermit Peak form an interesting landmark. There is no
official indication of a summit. But the viewshed changes
dramatically to a few bread loaf like mountains to the west,
with their rounded tops raising above timber line.
From West. (described down hill). It is a long,
shallow, straight descent. Brakes almost seem like optional
equipment for this roll. The road passes many resorts with a
strong rustic quality, one of them named "el Lodge".
I wonder how you pronounce "Lodge" in Spanish.
During my traversal on a late October, early afternoon, the
temperatures became surprisingly colder as I lost altitude.
The long roll ends at the junction with US
Hill summit. Alternatively the ride can also continue for
more downhill interuptus to the Rio Grande.
Tours
Dayrides.
(paved): A loop ride, starting at Coyote Creek state park
> Mora > Holman Hill Summit > US
Hill Summit > Taos > Palo
Flechado Pass > Angel Fire > back to the starting
point measured 105 miles with 6500 ft of climbing in 7:4 hours
using a Vetta cycle computer with altimeter (r2:07.10.25).
(MTB+paved): Another loop ride from Coyote Creek State Park
> NM434 > FR 76 summit(u)
> Tres Ritos > Holman Hill summit > Mora >
Guadalupita > back to the starting point measured 84 miles
with 6000ft of climbing in 7:4 hours, using a VDO MC1.0 cycle
computer (m3:07.10.27).
pictures: 1: from summit looking north east,
2: Sangre de Cristo range from Mora, 3: approaching summit
looking east, 4: summit looking west, 5: town of Mora, 6
Hermit Peak to the south
back to New
Mexico's Summits and Passes by Bicycle
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