Truchas Peak and Pecos Baldy in Santa Fe National Forest, NM

Hike Truchas Peak and Pecos Baldy Santa Fe National Forest, NM

Class 2 27.5 miles 8200 gain 10-14 hrs Out + Back Oct 7, 2019
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Truchas Peak and Pecos Baldy GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

"Why are you here?" I was just coming out of the pit toilet when I was accosted. "To hike!" I exclaim with my regular over-excitedness for everything. "No, but why are you here?" I stare blankly. "…because I want to hike all the things?" She nodded toward my NJ license plate. "You people come up here (here referring to anything pretty in nature, I assume) and then it's all ruined. Good thing my time's almost over. You being here is a sign that it's the end for this beautiful place." I look around and note the horse poo everywhere and NM-plated hunter trucks lining the parking lot,  but inquire further. She's clearly very upset. She let me know she was also upset about the (and these are certainly not my words) "fat b****es who wipe their snatches and leave toilet paper everywhere. I know because it's the way the paper is folded. It's from their snatches and the f***ing millenials who come up here just to pose for their friends". I suppose since she moved to the area 20 years ago, she thinks she claim ownership of this trail. Eventually I was able to escape the angry lady and start out from the Jacks Creek Trailhead.

My route today consisted of East Pecos Baldy, Pecos Baldy, and Truchas Peak (aka South Truchas Peak). The approach from the Jacks Creek Trailhead is long enough that I wanted to get them all in one swoop so I didn't have to repeat the forested and not particularly interesting approach, despite the fairly long mileage and my still-recovering injury. Last spring, I did North Truchas Peak from the north and the remoteness of the area and somewhat relative obscurity of the peak cluster beckoned me back.

The Jacks Creek Trail was in great shape, switchbacking a few times before wandering through the forest and entering a wide meadow. The surrounding views were lovely, Lake Peak visible to the west and Pecos Baldy to the north, humps of rock amongst the otherwise lightly rolling landscape. The trail continued through the meadow and entered the forest again, only following the actual Jacks Creek for a short time, but the short-lived water sounds were a nice addition. The trail continues through a burned area before eventually making it to Pecos Baldy Lake. This was a bit over 7 miles in, and I was feeling really great. I briefly debated skipping the Pecos Baldy Peaks, but was determined to hit all my goals for the day. A nice trail leads to the summit of East Pecos Baldy (the taller of the two), and a short Class 2 scramble leads across the ridge to Pecos Baldy (the shorter of the two). This ridgeline was probably the highlight of the day: great views and a mini scramble.

Back at Pecos Baldy Lake, I located the well-marked Skyline Trail and followed it through wide open winding meadows and up and over a couple of big humps before making it down to the south ridge of Truchas Peak. Cairns marked a route through the meadow as I gained elevation and I eventually stumbled onto a social trail that led through some trees and up to the rocky base of the peak. I decided to head up and over Little South Truchas Peak, a small hump before Truchas. On the return, I followed a social trail that circumnavigated this little hump. I continued up to the summit, Class 2 scrambling with the occasional semblance of a trail leading to a final steep section up the slope past where the trail seemed to wander off. The views were incredible. I returned the way I came.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
East Pecos Baldy
12529 ft
889 rise
2
Pecos Baldy
12500 ft
260 rise
3
Little South Truchas
12560 ft
120 rise
4
Truchas Peak
13102 ft
4001 rise

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!

Starting along the Jacks Creek Trail.
Starting along the Jacks Creek Trail.
Image 1 from gallery
Entering a meadow along the Jacks Creek Trail.
Entering a meadow along the Jacks Creek Trail.
View back through a meadow.
View back through a meadow.
Image 4 from gallery
Pecos Baldy and East Pecos Baldy ahead.
Pecos Baldy and East Pecos Baldy ahead.
View back, Santa Fe Baldy and Lake Peak visible to the southwest.
View back, Santa Fe Baldy and Lake Peak visible to the southwest.
The trail enters a forest and follows Jacks Creek for a bit.
The trail enters a forest and follows Jacks Creek for a bit.
Then the Jacks Creek Trail heads through a burn area.
Then the Jacks Creek Trail heads through a burn area.
Approaching Pecos Baldy Lake.
Approaching Pecos Baldy Lake.
Pecos Baldy Lake, East Pecos Baldy visible ahead. To reach the peaks, a trail leads left a bit before where I'm standing and into the trees on the far left in this photo.
Pecos Baldy Lake, East Pecos Baldy visible ahead. To reach the peaks, a trail leads left a bit before where I'm standing and into the trees on the far left in this photo.
Ascending the trail to East Pecos Baldy.
Ascending the trail to East Pecos Baldy.
East Pecos Baldy seen through the trees.
East Pecos Baldy seen through the trees.
Pecos Baldy Lake visible below as I make my way up the switchbacks.
Pecos Baldy Lake visible below as I make my way up the switchbacks.
A nice sign marking East Pecos Baldy's summit.
A nice sign marking East Pecos Baldy's summit.
Ascending to East Pecos Baldy.
Ascending to East Pecos Baldy.
Summit of East Pecos Baldy ahead, the Truchas group visible in the distance.
Summit of East Pecos Baldy ahead, the Truchas group visible in the distance.
View down to Pecos Baldy Lake from the summit of East Pecos Baldy.
View down to Pecos Baldy Lake from the summit of East Pecos Baldy.
View along the ridge to Pecos Baldy, the shorter of the two Pecos Baldy peaks. I descended along the ridge.
View along the ridge to Pecos Baldy, the shorter of the two Pecos Baldy peaks. I descended along the ridge.
Along the ridge to Pecos Baldy.
Along the ridge to Pecos Baldy.
View back toward East Pecos Baldy from a section of light Class 2.
View back toward East Pecos Baldy from a section of light Class 2.
Pecos Baldy ahead, some more fun Class 2 to come. Nothing too crazy.
Pecos Baldy ahead, some more fun Class 2 to come. Nothing too crazy.
Summit of Pecos Baldy, view back toward East Pecos Baldy.
Summit of Pecos Baldy, view back toward East Pecos Baldy.
Summit of Pecos Baldy, view southwest.
Summit of Pecos Baldy, view southwest.
Summit of Pecos Baldy, view toward the Truchas group.
Summit of Pecos Baldy, view toward the Truchas group.
I headed back to Pecos Baldy Lake and continued north, now headed to Truchas Peak along the Skyline Trail.
I headed back to Pecos Baldy Lake and continued north, now headed to Truchas Peak along the Skyline Trail.
View back as I ascend to the high meadows.
View back as I ascend to the high meadows.
Truchas Peak comes into view.
Truchas Peak comes into view.
Along the gorgeous Skyline Trail, heading north toward Truchas Peak.
Along the gorgeous Skyline Trail, heading north toward Truchas Peak.
View back toward East Pecos Baldy.
View back toward East Pecos Baldy.
Approaching the Truchas group.
Approaching the Truchas group.
Truchas Peak visible top left.
Truchas Peak visible top left.
I left the trail and started ascending to Truchas Peak, following a light social trail when possible.
I left the trail and started ascending to Truchas Peak, following a light social trail when possible.
Heading north to Truchas Peak.
Heading north to Truchas Peak.
View back along the meadowy, sloping ridge where the Skyline Trail led. The Pecos Baldy peaks visible top right.
View back along the meadowy, sloping ridge where the Skyline Trail led. The Pecos Baldy peaks visible top right.
I found a really nice social trail as I entered a short forested section.
I found a really nice social trail as I entered a short forested section.
Approaching Little South Truchas.
Approaching Little South Truchas.
View back toward my progress so far.
View back toward my progress so far.
Class 2 to Little South Truchas.
Class 2 to Little South Truchas.
View back from Little South Truchas. The Pecos Baldy peaks visible center, and the Skyline Trail's meadowy ridgeline on the right.
View back from Little South Truchas. The Pecos Baldy peaks visible center, and the Skyline Trail's meadowy ridgeline on the right.
Little South Truchas, view toward Truchas Peak (top left).
Little South Truchas, view toward Truchas Peak (top left).
Along the ridge to Truchas Peak.
Along the ridge to Truchas Peak.
View back as I continued along the social trail leading toward Truchas Peak.
View back as I continued along the social trail leading toward Truchas Peak.
Progress up to Truchas Peak.
Progress up to Truchas Peak.
Another shot back, shortly after leaving the social trail, which didn't seem to actually lead to the summit.
Another shot back, shortly after leaving the social trail, which didn't seem to actually lead to the summit.
Summit of Truchas Peak, view north toward the other peaks in the Truchas cluster.
Summit of Truchas Peak, view north toward the other peaks in the Truchas cluster.
Close-up toward North Truchas Peak (right) and sheepshead Peak (left).
Close-up toward North Truchas Peak (right) and sheepshead Peak (left).

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!