Ortega Peak, Hershberger Peak, Marble Canyon Loop in Lincoln National Forest, NM

Hike Ortega Peak, Hershberger Peak, Marble Canyon Loop Lincoln National Forest, NM

Class 2 10.9 miles 4100 gain 5-7 hrs Loop Feb 17, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Ortega Peak, Hershberger Peak, Marble Canyon Loop GPX Track

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The first few hundred feet of this hike is known as the "A" hike, because the trail takes you to the white rocks of the Alamogordo mountainside "A". I originally intended to just hike Ortega Peak, passing the "A", and then head back down. The trail is super easy to follow until just before the summit, where you need to leave the trail and head up the ridge for a short time. Once I got to the summit of Ortega Peak, I noticed the repurposed road that made up the trail I had traveled continued toward Hershberger Peak, only about a mile away. Why not? I dropped down the other side of Ortega and joined the road leading along the ridge that would lead to Hershberger. To reach Hershberger, I needed to leave the trail again and continue through some easy bushwhacking. It was a little tricky here, but I ony ended up with a scratch or two, nothing crazy. At the small false peak before Hershberger, a use trail materializes that you can follow easily to the summit.

I decided I didn't want to backtrack from the summit of Hershberger, and because I love loops sometimes to a fault, I figured I'd risk there being a sheer cliff or intense bushwhacking in order to continue down the west ridge of Hershberger. Turns out this was one of the rare times I made a good choice! The ridgeline down was barely vegetated, and there were some really nice views I didn't get on the trail on my way up. Eventually, I got to a plateau where there were clearly some prety sheer cliffs preventing an easy way down, but with a little route-finding, I managed to find one section of Class 2 that would take me safely off the plateau. Basically, leaving too soon would be a ridiculously steep slope, and too late would result in getting cliffed-out. I lucked out with this one, though, for sure. Anyway, I scrambled down the Class 2 and continued toward the canyon below, the south fork of Marble Canyon. Holy crap, this was a major surprise. I went farther up Maple Canyon's south fork, which had sections of slickrock with crazy terrace formation, and then on the way down to complete my loop, I ran into a small section of slot canyon, totally unexpected. This ended up being a great loop for sure. Just a note that on my way out of Marble Canyon, and then after passing some fancy houses, I came to a gate that read "no trespassing" and I had to jump it to get out, oops.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Ortega Peak
7659 ft
339 rise
2
Hershberger Peak
7850 ft
570 rise

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Heading up the "A" Trail. You can see the "A" center top.
Heading up the "A" Trail. You can see the "A" center top.
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Passing through a gate (close it after you!)
Passing through a gate (close it after you!)
Continuing up toward Ortega Peak.
Continuing up toward Ortega Peak.
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Looking back on the way up to Ortega Peak. you can see the mesa on the left that you'll be coming down later after Hershberger. As you can maybe tell, the cliffs at the top are maybe too risky to scramble down. At this point, I kind of starting thinking it
Looking back on the way up to Ortega Peak. you can see the mesa on the left that you'll be coming down later after Hershberger. As you can maybe tell, the cliffs at the top are maybe too risky to scramble down. At this point, I kind of starting thinking it
Ortega Peak ahead.
Ortega Peak ahead.
Leave the trail (sort of a road), and head up to Ortega Peak.
Leave the trail (sort of a road), and head up to Ortega Peak.
Almost at the Ortega Peak summit, looking back down.
Almost at the Ortega Peak summit, looking back down.
Leave the trail to get up to Ortega Peak. Hershberger Peak on the right.
Leave the trail to get up to Ortega Peak. Hershberger Peak on the right.
Ortega Peak, looking toward Hershberger Peak.
Ortega Peak, looking toward Hershberger Peak.
Drop back down from Ortega Peak and follow the dirt road until you get to the ridge that will lead to Hershberger Peak.
Drop back down from Ortega Peak and follow the dirt road until you get to the ridge that will lead to Hershberger Peak.
Heading toward Hershberger Peak a trail starts to become more obvious. Much of my bushwhack to the peak didn't have an obvious trail, but then one appears, which makes me wonder if I kind of just missed the start of it? Anyway, it's not a bad bushwhack.
Heading toward Hershberger Peak a trail starts to become more obvious. Much of my bushwhack to the peak didn't have an obvious trail, but then one appears, which makes me wonder if I kind of just missed the start of it? Anyway, it's not a bad bushwhack.
Steep trail up Hershberger Peak.
Steep trail up Hershberger Peak.
A grave or memorial at the summit of Hershberger Peak.
A grave or memorial at the summit of Hershberger Peak.
Heading down the south ridge of Hershberger Peak.
Heading down the south ridge of Hershberger Peak.
Along the beautiful ridge of Hershberger Peak,toward a mesa that I would need to descend.
Along the beautiful ridge of Hershberger Peak,toward a mesa that I would need to descend.
There's a break in the cliffs (center of this image) to scramble down. I initially walked past it, so this photo is looking back toward it, Hershberger Peak top center.
There's a break in the cliffs (center of this image) to scramble down. I initially walked past it, so this photo is looking back toward it, Hershberger Peak top center.
Heading down the Class 2 break in the cliffs.
Heading down the Class 2 break in the cliffs.
At the bottom of the descent, almost at Marble Canyon's south fork.
At the bottom of the descent, almost at Marble Canyon's south fork.
First, I headed up Marble Canyon's south fork to see what was there.
First, I headed up Marble Canyon's south fork to see what was there.
Gorgeous water-carved rock.
Gorgeous water-carved rock.
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Heading back down Marble Canyon.
Heading back down Marble Canyon.
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Lots of fun terrace-like water-carved formations the whole way down.
Lots of fun terrace-like water-carved formations the whole way down.
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And then, a totally unexpected slot canyon section treat in Marble Canyon.
And then, a totally unexpected slot canyon section treat in Marble Canyon.
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Exiting the slotty section of Marble Canyon.
Exiting the slotty section of Marble Canyon.
Continuing down Marble Canyon.
Continuing down Marble Canyon.
Continuing down Marble Canyon until I reached Marble Canyon Road, a private road that I didn't realize was private (I learned this when I got to a ate that read "no trespassing"). Oops.
Continuing down Marble Canyon until I reached Marble Canyon Road, a private road that I didn't realize was private (I learned this when I got to a ate that read "no trespassing"). Oops.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!