Guadalupe Peak…
Took a trip to Texas, part in attending a trade show, and spending a few days before exploring the mountains of Texas.
Our fist stop was in the Guadalupe Mountains for the Guadalupe Peak / El Capitan hike. Guadalupe Peak is the tallest point in the state of Texas, at 8,749’. A lot of people climb this peak but not a lot also tag El Capitan, a side trip that you cross-country scramble out and back, for a combined 10.5 miles x 4700’ gain day.
It was cool, dry, and windy when we did it…fun to get off trail too.
Just getting started up the trail, looking back at the trailhead…
A view across the Pine Spring Canyon…Hunter Peak is the highest point (right)
Parts of the trail are cut out of solid rock…pretty cool!
Came across this small grove of true Douglas fir…
Tree sniffer…sniffing the Pine to see if it has the vanilla smell as the Ponderosa does here in the PNW
Lots of work went into building these trails…
Summit of Guadalupe Peak, highest point in the state of Texas (8,749′)
Now onto our next objective…El Capitan.
No real trail out to this point. This was our cross country route…
On our way we spotted this nice rack and skull from a Barbary Sheep. Since we are in the National Park, we are not allowed to remove…or I would have 🙂
Summit register at El Capitan (8,085′)
From El Capitan, looking over at Guadalupe Peak…
The 800′ huff back up to the switchback on the main trail…
The day’s route…
