Santa Fe Baldy via Lake Peak and Winsor Loop in Santa Fe National Forest, NM

Hike Santa Fe Baldy via Lake Peak and Winsor Loop Santa Fe National Forest, NM

Class 2 15.4 miles 4800 gain 6-8 hrs Loop Nov 5, 2017
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Santa Fe Baldy via Lake Peak and Winsor Loop GPX Track

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After a few days of debating if I wanted to hike at 12,000 feet in November, I casually told myself I'd do the first peak, Lake Peak. I followed the Winsor Trail up the the Wilderness boundary. From here, a use trail follows the barbed wire fence (really?)  for a while, leading to the ridge up toward Lake Peak. The weather was getting windy and foggy. It was beautiful, but not great for peak bagging. Deception Peak was first, named so I assume because it's a sub-peak of Lake Peak. An easy class 2 downclimb along the ridge leads to Lake Peak. I would have been more inclined to scramble the ridge if it wasn't covered in frost. The snow and fog were both beautiful, and the combination of summiting Lake Peak, seeing Santa Fe Baldy in the distance, and my general feeling of wanting to summit things kept me moving. From Lake Peak, the trail leads along the ridge to Penitente Peak before an incredible open grassy field slopes down into the forest.

Eventually, the trail leaves the woods and meets with the Santa Fe Baldy Trail, which gets progressively more steep until the summit, which overlooks Lake Katherine. I lucked out with the weather. Incredible clouds and lighting, frosty ground, and gusts of wind that kept me on my toes. The route from the junction with the Sante Fe Baldy Trail takes the Winsor Trail all the way back to the trailhead.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Deception Peak
12320 ft
n/a rise
2
Lake Peak
12409 ft
1329 rise
3
Penitente Peak
12249 ft
169 rise
4
Santa Fe Baldy
12622 ft
1982 rise

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Starting out from the trailhead.
Starting out from the trailhead.
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Approaching the wilderness boundary. Through the fence is where you come later to complete the loop. Take the trail on the right that follows the fence.
Approaching the wilderness boundary. Through the fence is where you come later to complete the loop. Take the trail on the right that follows the fence.
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Heading up the ridge toward Lake Peak.
Heading up the ridge toward Lake Peak.
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Nambe Lake below, almost at the Lake Peak summit.
Nambe Lake below, almost at the Lake Peak summit.
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Holy frost. And why is there someone else out here?
Holy frost. And why is there someone else out here?
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Deception Peak summit, looking toward Lake Peak.
Deception Peak summit, looking toward Lake Peak.
Along the ridge.
Along the ridge.
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Looking back toward Deception Peak from Lake Peak.
Looking back toward Deception Peak from Lake Peak.
Lake Peak summit looking toward Santa Fe Baldy.
Lake Peak summit looking toward Santa Fe Baldy.
Heading down the east ridge toward Penitente Peak.
Heading down the east ridge toward Penitente Peak.
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Penitente Peak ahead.
Penitente Peak ahead.
After the Penitente Peak summit, along a gorgeous alpine grassy slope.
After the Penitente Peak summit, along a gorgeous alpine grassy slope.
Looking back toward Penitente Peak and Lake Peak.
Looking back toward Penitente Peak and Lake Peak.
Santa Fe Baldy ahead.
Santa Fe Baldy ahead.
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After exiting the woods, Santa Fe Baldy comes into view on the right. A trail splits off.
After exiting the woods, Santa Fe Baldy comes into view on the right. A trail splits off.
Heading toward Santa Fe Baldy.
Heading toward Santa Fe Baldy.
Looking back toward Lake Peak.
Looking back toward Lake Peak.
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Approaching Santa Fe Baldy summit.
Approaching Santa Fe Baldy summit.
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Santa Fe Baldy summit!
Santa Fe Baldy summit!
Santa Fe Baldy summit, looking back. Lake Peak on the left.
Santa Fe Baldy summit, looking back. Lake Peak on the left.
Overlooking Lake Katherine.
Overlooking Lake Katherine.
Back on the Winsor Trail.
Back on the Winsor Trail.
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On the Winsor Trail, looking back toward Santa Fe Baldy.
On the Winsor Trail, looking back toward Santa Fe Baldy.
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Image 61 from gallery

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!