The canyon is beautiful. The driving is easy. The solitude is tremendous. Against this, weigh the driving distance, the difficulty of staying on trail and the presence of skittish cattle on this waterway. Experienced hikers – shoulder your packs and go!
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This scramble takes you to Sharkstooth Pass, immediately east of Sharkstooth Peak in the Organ Mountains, then down to the saddle separating North Canyon and Bar Canyon. The ascent involves “Organ-eering”, a blood-spill minimizing skillset for scrambling amidst mesquite, prickly pear, shin stabbers, chollo, banana yucca, columnar cacti and ocotillo. This, while bashing through gray oak, Gamble oak and mountain mahogany thickets. Footing will be uncertain, the terrain steep. Organeering is an acquired taste. The route crosses over the boundaries of the Fort Bliss Military Reservation. The authorities there have been quietly tolerant of hiker’s who shave the corners of the reserve. A day-long drumbeat of distant artillery confirmed, utterly, assertions of live ordinance use. Having gone, I’m left feeling that this route edges uncomfortably far into the base.
So why describe it? Two reasons. First, Baldy Peak climbers might need a plausible bug-out route. Second (in the unlikely event of artillery practice being discontinued) this route might one day form part of an official Baldy Peak Trail.
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This is an off-trail scramble that ascends to the second-highest point in the Sierra de Las Uvas. “Second highest” may sound like faint praise, but it is a terrific alternative to driving to the fenced and locked summit of Magdalena Peak (the highest point in the range). This is desert wilderness so be prepared for difficult road, waterless trekking and terrain that rattles. It is also, in the springtime, a colorful hike into rarely seen terrain with spectacular views. Find a clear-blue day and do this hike!
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This is a strenuous scramble. It averages just under 1000 feet of gain per mile, which some may see as a mild challenge. Attentive map readers will observe that very little of that gain comes at the beginning of the hike. Consequently, the end game is an exercise in geologic “shock and awe”. In close company with cacti, ocotillo and sotol, scramblers find themselves kicking steps into a scree surface over steep terrain. Falling is an option, but a tumble or two in such prickly quarters is not going to improve morale. The rewards come in the last quarter mile. Having gained good footing on the ridge top, you’ll find precipitous views north into the basaltic wonderland surrounding Baldy and Organ Peak and long views south across the Organ Mountains all the way to Bishops Cap.
This route is not for beginners. On USGS maps Shark’s Tooth is identified only with an altitude label, “point 7974”.
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Mt Riley. The approach is on a ridge coming in from the left side and the descent is down the rib to the right.
This route is an off-trail journey in the Potrillo Volcanic Field (potrillo is Spanish for “foal”) within the northern reaches of the Chihuahuan Desert. Eruption risk is minimal, but there are risks due to temperature extremes, steep and difficult footing, the lack of any trails, the near-total absence of other visitors, and potential navigational hazards such as dust or thunder storms. All of which is made manageable by hiking in the cool season, bringing friends, carrying the requisite navigational aids and keeping an eye on the weather. You get a great hike in stark, other-worldly terrain that is an easy drive from Las Cruces.
Mt Riley is part of a ridge that extends for two miles west to east. For ease of reference it is called the Riley Ridge in this guide. Mount Riley proper, at 5905 feet, anchors the east end of Riley Ridge. “Point 5782” (named after the altitude label on the USGS quadrangle) anchors the west end. South of Point 5782 is the summit of Cox Peak. In this scramble you will traverse the Riley Ridge and return via the Cox-Riley valley.
This shallow waterway is also the jeep track.
If you go past the jeep track then CR-Ao05 will take on a slight downhill pitch. Turn back. Drivers of low clearance vehicles will want to park immediately beside CR-Ao05. Drivers of high clearance vehicles can drive a mile further on the jeep track to the campsite described below.
The mighty Camry, parked below Point 5782 on the west end of Riley Ridge.
The trailhead is just a grassy spot beside CR Ao05. There are no services. When pulling off the road watch for the small mesquite bushes hidden in the grasses. Their thorns are not good for your tire’s sidewalls. Also, if a road grader has recently passed this spot then there may be a small berm on the roadside. High-suspended vehicles would have no problem, but sedan drivers may want to have a shovel handy.
View from second campsite on jeep track to Point 5782. The feeder arroyo is the green swath on the lower right side of the photo.
Follow the jeep track as it makes a shallow climb to the east along the Cox/Riley valley floor. This valley is saddle-shaped rather than spoon-shaped. That is, the high point for a traveler going west to east along the valley floor would be the low point for a traveler going south-to-north from Cox Peak to Point 5782. Study that saddle point as you ascend the jeep track. It is important to navigation on return. After one mile on the track come to a campsite with a rock fire ring. Look closely and you will find a much fainter jeep track ascending for another two-tenths of a mile on the Mt Cox side of the valley. The faint jeep track ends at a second campsite. Peruse the prominent rib that descends from Point 5728 almost straight at you. That rib is your path to the ridge. Descend north-east to the central arroyo in the valley floor, cross, and ascend along side a feeder arroyo that takes you toward the rib.
View along the “open ridge avenue” to a false summit on ascent to Point 5782
After leaving the jeep track you will be entirely off trail. As you cross the valley floor watch for dense accumulations of prickly pear cactus, thorny mesquite and saw-like sotol. This is no place for sneakers or shorts. At about 1.4 miles from the trailhead the terrain begins to steepen. Leave the feeder arroyo and stick to the rib as it becomes increasingly steep. Initially the rib is rather broad and open, making it easy to throw in a few switchbacks. At about 1.7 miles from the trailhead come to a shoulder on the rib. The gradient eases and the rib-top becomes more sharply defined. Ocotillo plants appear, but oddly they don’t seem to grow well on the very top of the rib (perhaps due to wind-damage). An open ridge-top avenue takes you skyward. The terrain rises and shelves several times, but you eventually arrive at the summit of Point 5782 having walked 2 miles from the trailhead.
View from Point 5782 along the ridge to Mt Riley. The western-most peaklet is visible in front of Mt Riley.
The views are terrific. The blocky mass of Cox Peak dominates the south. Immediately to the west are the cinder cones of the Potrillo Volcanic Field. Beyond lie the Florida Mountains. To the north are the Las Uvas and Robledo Mountains, while the Organ Mountains dominate the north-east. Eventually, however, you must turn your attention south of east and focus on the long ridge that will take you to Mt Riley. Descend on easy terrain to reach a pleasant col and then gird yourself for the climb to the first of three peaklets along Riley Ridge. The climb is easy. At the top you get your first view of the middle peaklet, which is topped with a pair of small knolls separated by a little pass. Drop down on steep terrain with lots of loose rocks, cross a minor saddle and rise to “Middle Peaklet Pass” 2.4 miles from the trailhead.
View from Middle Peaklet Pass down to the eastern peaklet, the main saddle and the west face of Mt Riley.
From here look down to the eastern-most peaklet and beyond to the steep flank of Mt Riley. You will definitely be losing lots of hard-won elevation. But, there is much to be learned here. The top of Mt Riley is almost flat. When you eventually near the top you will be coming to a western shoulder and then strolling east in a park-like environment to the summit. This can be seen, in the photo above, where the top of Mt Riley appears slightly notched. The shoulder is on the left and the summit is on the right of this “notch”. More importantly, the climb from the main saddle directly up the mountain’s steep west face is an unattractive route. Instead, when you leave the main saddle you will want to climb the west face until ascent becomes difficult, then turn right (more southerly) and perform a rising traverse across the mountain to gain the rib that descends from the shoulder. That rib can be seen in the photo as a smooth, light-colored curve descending from the shoulder. It is still steep but the footing is better.
Steep terrain, cacti and plate-like rock shingles decorate the flanks of Mt Riley.
Enough theory? Descend from Middle Peaklet Pass down to the last peaklet of Riley Ridge. This terrain is moderately inclined and etched with cattle trails. As you near the eastern-most peaklet you will pick up an old barbed wire fence. Follow it along the ridge to the main saddle directly below Mt. Riley, having hiked 2.7 miles. Continue following the fence across this grassy saddle onto Mount Riley’s west face. Where the grasses give over to juniper, barrel cacti and rock turn right and begin that rising traverse across difficult terrain. As pictured above, you will encounter ledges that are flaking off large piles of broad rock shingles. Some of those piles are none-too-stable. There is a marked improvement in the footing when you gain the rib that descends from the mountain’s shoulder.
View from ascent rib south and east to the East Potrillo Mountains
On the rib turn uphill and zig-zag past ledges, dodge ocotillo thickets and push by more barrel cactus. (On this date these cacti had orderly circles of vividly yellow fruit on display). The angle is pretty severe so don’t be too distracted as views open to the East Potrillo Mountains. At 3.1 miles reach the shoulder and, as promised, an effortless stroll to the summit cairn in less than 100 yards. The views are similar to those from Point 5782, but with spectacular sight lines east to Kilbourne Hole and Aden Crater out in the middle of the Mesilla Basin. Beyond the craters lie the Franklin Mountains.
Riley Ridge from Mount Riley Summit
Also, there are absorbing views west that reveal the full extent of Riley Ridge. That’s quite a scramble you’ve just had. Take a break. Grab a bite to eat. It can be hard to beat an in-season orange consumed in the warm New Mexican sunshine while sitting on a desert peak and studying possible approaches to the East Potrillos. Eventually, though, the lure of the valley below will induce you to hoist your pack. Head south, picking your way past junipers and aiming towards the east slopes of Cox Peak. Descend a broad rib that tumbles through layers of softer rock and then shelves as it strikes the harder stuff.
Looking over the south-east projecting “claw” at the foot of Mount Riley, towards the summit of Cox Peak.
Near its foot the mountain sends out two claw-like projections. Stay a little to the left (east) to get onto the south-projecting claw and then turn right and contour down to the top of the south-east projecting claw. Having hiked 3.5 miles, you are nearing the valley floor. You want to set a course that will return you to the valley’s saddle point. There are an infinity of choices. On this route, stay high and contour west along the base of the mountain on easily followed animal trails. This will take you across the southern face of Mt Riley to a point below the ridge’s main saddle. Follow a rib descending from main ridge and gradually work your way into the steep-sided arroyo on the rib’s west side. From the far bank aim towards the center of the valley, but try to avoid losing so much elevation that you have a long climb back to the valley’s saddle point.
Continue west, dropping into drainages and fighting up over each far bank to regain the table-land. Some of this table-land is covered with dense, light-brown grass. The grassland looks attractive from a distance. Up close, however, those dense grasses make it hard to see the light brown rocks that lurk beneath. Walking becomes a very slow process. The juniper, cactus and mesquite terrain is actually easier to negotiate. You quickly learn to steer away from the light brown patches in favor of the dark-colored terrain. At about 4.3 miles, come to the valley’s central arroyo and cross it. Above the bank on the Cox Peak side you should find a well-defined trail heading up towards the valley’s saddle point. This is great for tired legs. Continue along the trail to the valley’s saddle point, cross over, and then head down-valley. At 5.0 miles, return to the campsite at the upper end of the faint jeep track. Follow the jeep track back to the trailhead, having hiked 6.1 miles.
The author on the summit of Mount Riley (Cox Peak in the background).
♦This is an outstanding cold-season hike. The conditions at the start of November, for example, were perfect. It was cool, a bit windy and overcast. Hikers who are not training for the Death Valley Marathon will want to stay away during the hot months.
♦A second good reason for favoring the winter months is that I saw only two reptiles on this hike. (One lizard, one horned toad). The reports say that the terrain can rattle in warmer weather. See below.
♦Bring friends. This place is so lonely that there are yellow flowers growing in the crown of County Road Ao05 (these flowers look something like tickseed).
♦Bring a map, compass and a GPS device. Bring knowledge of how to use them. On nice days there may be some grumbling about this (“hey, I can see 100 miles from here”). On nice days that turn sour – when rain or dust blows in – you’ll be glad to have independent means for navigating.
♦Bring all the water that you need for rehydration plus an emergency liter or two. On this November day I used about 2.5 liters of water. It was reassuring to have carried four.
♦RayRay, on Summit Post, has a very complete report on scrambling Mt. Riley. He was able to drive the jeep track and then hiked the Cox-Riley valley to get to the base of Mt. Riley. From there he did a direct ascent and returned by the same route. That cuts the round trip distance to 4.4 miles.
♦Greg at Greg’s Running Adventures has a thoughtful post viewing Mount Riley from a runners perspective. It includes a number of great photos, including evidence that the scramble can be rattle-y.
♦There is a YouTube video of Hadley Robinson paragliding near the summit of Mount Riley. The video was made in 2009 so the images are grainy. The video includes shots of the summit and several good views of the East Potrillo Mountains. Still photographs from the event (with a great deal more resolution) can be found here.
♦This hike is located close to the Mexican border. The Federal Government advises caution in this area due to the potential for illegal border crossing activity. They also warn that the road may become impassable during wet weather.
View of rubble-strewn foothill (right) and beyond to Indian Hollow and Sugarloaf Peak (on left)
This route in the Aguirre Springs Campground begins with a gentle ascent on the Indian Hollow trail, diverts onto a scramble below the soaring walls of the Organ Needle and ends with a mellow descent on the Pine Tree Trail. It is a wonderful little hike. If you are teaching someone navigation skills and they are already comfortable with a map then this would be an excellent exercise. It is, however, a lonely route and probably too demanding for first time scramblers.
The Mighty Camry at the trailhead, with the rubbly foothill above it and the Organ Spires in the distance.
The trailhead is a large parking lot with several covered picnic sites for group camping. There are waste receptacles and pit toilets. There is no water at the trailhead, but as noted in the driving directions there is an offer of water at the host site on Aguirre Spring Road. Fees are currently $5.00 per day in the campground, but there are significant complications to this story based on passes, fee-free days, and other considerations. Check the website and be sure to bring the correct change.
Sign at start of trail
The first few miles follow the same tread into Indian hollow as described in the Pine Pass route report. See that route description for full details. There are a few more observations that might be useful to scramblers. First, several people have pointed out that you do not need to go into Campsite One in order to find the trail. Instead, find a bright yellow sign suggesting that you leave the rattlesnakes alone on the uphill side of the parking lot. There is a clear tread right beside the sign. Follow this path as it rises briefly towards the Organ Mountains and then curves left (south) toward the rubbly hill. From there you will find the fence and needle’s eye mentioned in the Pine Pass report.
Signed trail junction with options for Sugarloaf (go left) or Pine Pass (go right). Go right for the Pine Tree Trail scramble as well.
Following the recommendations of the Pine Pass report, hike the Indian Hollow trail (a clear path) as it contours around the rubbly foothill and then rises into Indian Hollow. After three miles you will reach a junction where a sign indicates that you should go left for Sugarloaf or go right for Pine Pass. Go right. On your approach you should be moving toward a conical hillock topped with a white rock spire that sits in the center of Indian Hollow. In less than a quarter mile past the signed junction, while ascending on the left bank of a creek, you will pass this spire. You will depart from the main trail just after passing the conical hillock.
Meadowy terrain near saddle uphill of the conical hillock.
Stroll past a small grove of oaks above you and to your left to come to a second intersection (unsigned). This junction is effectively 3-way. As described for Pine Pass, you could go uphill and away from the creek on a very faint tread. This faint departure trail is made clearer since someone left a line of rocks pointing uphill (in addition to the pink surveyors tape dangling from the oaks). You could go straight ahead on a path that initially stays along the bank but will eventually drop you into the creek bed. Or you could turn right and drop directly into the creek bed, where a scraggly juniper is marked with bright orange tape. Turn right. It is here that you leave the route described for Pine Pass. Ascend the far bank of the creek on a faint trail marked with small cairns and bright orange tape. This trail brings you past a fire ring and into a small grassy saddle uphill of the conical prominence. At this point the cairns and survey-tape disappear. The scramble begins.
Smooth, whitish cliffs seen from the saddle behind the conical prominence.
Looking out from the grassy saddle, look for a whitish cliff face and aim to cross near its foot. The cliffs look quite close, but you will cross several waterways before getting near that cliff. Another scramble above Aguirre Springs Campground goes from Windy Pass to Pine Tree Trail and that traverse pushes through brutally dense brush. Fortunately the terrain in Indian Hollow is much easier to cross. There is no formal trail but you will often find useful stretches of game trail. Look for stands of ponderosa pines because the terrain beneath the pines can be wide open. Burned bark is obvious in many places, so a recent fire may have much to do with the ease of movement here.
View to a high rib from below the smooth, whitish cliffs
Once you have contoured around this first cliff band, look ahead to find a high rib that blocks views north into the Sotol Creek drainage. Once again, it appears to be quite close by, but the navigation issues are far from resolved. There are two more drainages to traverse and there is a smaller rib to contour around before climbing to the top of this high rib. Running between the small rib and the high rib is an arroyo with canyon aspirations. If you try to descend into this arroyo you may find yourself being deflected away by the steep walls of the waterway. It is possible to cross, but it takes some effort. Once you get onto the high ridge and look back you will see that the top of the small rib is nicely forested. Although it is an untested route, it might be easier if you climb to the top of the small rib and stay out of the arroyo completely.
Castle Rock and Pine Prominence on the high ridge, just above the saddle used to cross the ridge.
The top of the high ridge is marked by a squarish, almost crenellated rock above a bump that is crowned with a single pine. An open saddle below the bump offers a convenient crossing point. There are broad views out to the Sacramento Mountains, White Sands National Monument and the Tularosa Basin. If you were hoping to join up with Pine Tree Trail at this point then prepare yourself for a small disappointment. You are about to enter the headwaters of Sotol Creek, but the trail is still a ways off. Ominously, the brush factor starts to pick up here as well. Progress slows as you hunt for game trails to take you around the densest thickets and abundant thorn bushes. This is a good place to begin edging downhill as the descending arm of the Pine Tree Trail is a bit below you.
Baylor Peak – looking a bit imposing!
Traverse one more steep-banked water way. It is relatively easy to enter, but you might have to descend about 300 feet before finding a good exit point. On the next height of land note the striking profile of Baylor Peak to the north. In contrast to the hard-edged profile of the Organ Spires, Baylor usually looks a little bland. The view here reveals a surprising amount of gain between Baylor Pass and Baylor Summit. Push through the last 100 yards of downed logs, thorns and scrub oak until you come to the Pine Tree Trail. In comparison to what you’ve been on the tread looks like a super-highway. Follow the Trail downhill. If you are alert, you could divert off of the trail and follow Sotol Creek back to the Group Camping Area. I followed the trail all the way back to the Pine Tree Trail trailhead and then followed Aguirre Springs Road back to the car.
Author enjoying the shade in the group picnic site.
Summery conditions, coupled with springtime winds, are returning to the Organ Mountains. As it turns out, this is a pretty good hike for that kind of day. The lower reaches of Indian Hollow seems to be out of the wind (although you could hear it roaring through the passes above). The pine forests that take up much of the traverse are cool. Bring lots of water, there was no running water at all on this date.
View of northern Organ Spires, Windy Gap and the Rabbit Ears
As with any scramble there are going to be stretches in which you don’t exactly know where you are. This is especially provocative when you think you’re nearing the Pine Tree Trail and have to allow for the possibility that you’ve stayed too high and might be traversing above the Trail. Many hikers, especially new hikers, find this level of uncertainty upsetting. Know your fellow hiker’s risk tolerance before setting off!
Just past the sign for Sugarloaf/Pine Pass I found a rattler beside the trail. It did not seem particularly anxious to share the trail, but gave no trouble other than to warn of its presence. It was terrifically camouflaged, none of the photos I took give a good view of the animal. It had no bands on it’s dark tail, so I assume it was a black tailed rattlesnake.
The National Drought Monitor shows a bit less than 2% of the state is currently “abnormally dry”, the entire remainder is shown as under moderate drought or worse. This looks like a bad year for campfire lovers.
Southern New Mexico Explorer has some great photos, particularly of Sugarloaf and autumn foliage on the few aspen that can be found in Indian Hollow. He also mentions that he found a boot-beaten tread on his traverse, which is something I never encountered.
The Jornada Hiking and Outdoor Club in Las Cruces has done this hike. Their writeup includes a recommendation for gaiters (almost an essential for scrambling here) and a link to a GPS track that is markedly different from the one shown in the map above. There is a big bow in the track of the scramble/traverse – they may have found another way to avoid the mini-canyon below the high ridge.
New Mexico Meanders 