Starts to feel a lot like winter

Today I squeezed in a quick hike up to Kachina Peak, racing the rain in the forecast — and I won hands down! Mostly because the rain came quite a bit later than forecasted, but I'll take it! The weather ended up perfect: sunshine, calm air, and not a drop of rain. Even better, there was some snow! Just a light dusting near the Bavarian, but up on Kachina, there were a few inches in the shadier spots. It felt amazing to get a little taste of winter — and we’re still more than a month out from Thanksgiving! A sign of things to come, surly, right? Anyway, here are some pics!

The sun rises on Gold Hill, 12,700'. Hence the name?

Three siblings keeping each other warm - There's
nothing like family

Lake Fork Peak, 12,891', as seen from Kachina Peak.

Gold Hill a couple of hours later.

Fairchild Peak, 12,833', as seen from Kachina Peak.

Gold Hill

 Yesterday was one of those end-of-Fall early-winter-type days that lend themselves exceptionally well to longish hikes. Loki the Magnificent (my four-legged friend) and I went to a different type of objective, Gold Hill at 12,717’ (per USGS) in the Columbine Hondo wilderness in northern New Mexico, not too far from Taos Ski Valley.

It’s the end of fall because the beautiful, colored leaves are now starting to fall en masse, while temperatures are dropping noticeably. It was 22 degrees at the trail head at about 9,400’ and just a little over 12 degrees, and some very strong western winds on top, the kind of wind that will knock you over.

This feels like a “different type of objective” because it’s less jagged and more of a hill, while still a respectable effort. According to AllTrails, it’s 10 miles and a bit over 3,300 elevation gain, while my Garmin says I did 15.4 miles, the mysteries of technology…

In any case, Gold Hill to me is a brilliant example of the great Western beauty so characteristic of the intermountain west at its best. Here are some pictures, all taken above the tree line.

On top Gold Hill and below is Goose Lake.

Looking north towards Colorado.

Coyote in the distance...

...and zooming in.

From a wind shelter on top of Gold Hill, looking South at 
Wheeler Peak (the highest point in New Mexico at 13.166')

A no-name knob at about 12,100' on the way back.

Fall puts on its show in Taos

 “’Tis too the season to be merry! 🍁✨ The trees are in their grand finale gowns, twirling in gold and crimson as if the forest itself were preparing for a grand ball. Sure, winter is winter—the one and only, the shimmering King of seasons—but even he must smile at fall’s colorful curtain call.

These photos were gathered on a little outing through the resort and along the trail to Lake Williams. Each bend in the road whispered a different shade of wonder. And that lake photo—ah, that one was taken just before dawn, from the old glacial moraine west of the water, when the first light tiptoed over the horizon and the world seemed to hold its breath. 🌅

But here’s the real magic—take a close look at that last picture. Captured just yesterday, it wears the first snow of the season! ❄️ A silvery promise that the great winter tale is about to begin again—quiet, bright, and utterly irreplaceable.”