"This cirque route ran the ridge up and down about a half dozen 12-13k peaks over the entire traverse. Wheeler Peak, Mount Walter, Simpson Peak, Rich Peak, Lake Fork Peak and Kachina Peak to name some of them. My legs are absolutely smoked. Driving south to Texas to bag the highest peak there tomorrow. Guadalupe Peak in Guadalupe Mountains National Park." — wiweasel • Sep 29, 2023

"This cirque route ran the ridge up and down about a half dozen 12-13k peaks over the entire traverse. Wheeler Peak, Mount Walter, Simpson Peak, Rich Peak, Lake Fork Peak and Kachina Peak to name some of them. My legs are absolutely smoked. Driving south to Texas to bag the highest peak there tomorrow. Guadalupe Peak in Guadalupe Mountains National Park." — wiweasel • Sep 29, 2023

"This cirque route ran the ridge up and down about a half dozen 12-13k peaks over the entire traverse. Wheeler Peak, Mount Walter, Simpson Peak, Rich Peak, Lake Fork Peak and Kachina Peak to name some of them. My legs are absolutely smoked. Driving south to Texas to bag the highest peak there tomorrow. Guadalupe Peak in Guadalupe Mountains National Park." — wiweasel • Sep 29, 2023

"On Peakery.com a new peak was added, Rich Peak, elevation 12,535. It is between 2 peaks I have done before, Kachina Peak and Lake Fork Peak in the Wheeler Peak Wilderness. I was expecting just a bump on an, above-the-timberline-meadow, it ended up being much more difficult than I anticipated. I left my house at 4:30 AM, heading to the Taos Sky Valley, then driving a little further to the south and I was at the Williams Lake parking area. The final leg is a dirt road but a 4WD is not necessary. My GPS said the elevation was 10,220 feet. It was a perfectly clear pleasant morning. I was carrying about 14 pounds for conditioning and started hiking at 7:45. My plan was to climb up the world class Taos Ski area by way of the Kachina Bowl going straight up some black diamond runs to the ridge above, then across. I was met by a worker who said I could not go that way because of construction. I would have had to go a very roundabout way, adding much more difficulty to the hike. I said, “Please will you let me go this way?” He was very kind and said that being that it was so early and there was no construction going on, “Yes.” A great big, “Thanks!” to him. I first had to get to Kachina P..." — Phil-Robinson • Jul 27, 2023

"Zach and I stayed at a VRBO in Taos after making it to the top of Pikes Peak just a couple hours earlier. We awoke to snow at 4am and and immediately knew we were in for trouble. Driving as far into the ski resort as possible, we tried to find the Williams Lake Trail for the most direct route to the summit. Conditions were bad and getting worse, the snow picked up and fog set in. Wayfinding was near impossible with fresh powder, poorly marked trail no tracks. Under the fresh snow was about 3-4' of snow pack. Snow shoes were a must just for normal travel but as the slope angle increased closer to the peak, it became apparent that we were going to have to turn back. We were making slow progress and the snow was relentless. We had to head back to Colorado for Elbert the next day, so 1000' from the summit of the highest point in New Mexico, we retreated back to the car. We cut our losses on Wheeler, but we'll be back again for another attempt." — wiweasel • May 11, 2023