We planned a family outing to Red River, New Mexico over Labor Day weekend. It was my hope to pick up several peaks at the same time. My wife and I drove to Red River, getting in 8:30 Friday evening. We rented a 2 bedroom condo on the river. No dogs allowed, so I could not bring my hiking dog Daisy. We had a late dinner out, then and a nice evening by the fire. I got up early Saturday morning, August 30, 2014, leaving at 6:00 AM in hopes of hiking Van Diest Peak. From High Street in Red River I turned north on Bitter Creek Street and went about 4 or 5 miles to the north. I encountered a “No Trespassing” sign. I saw some people and they said it would be okay to go further, but a little later encountered a very extensive second set of “No Trespassing” signs and a locked gate. I decided to hike a different peak, Relica Peak, elevation 11,760. (See September 1, 2014, Van Diest Peak for what finally happened) I traveled east of Red River then south on highway 578. While driving I saw a large heard of elk and some deer. I proceeded to dirt Forest Road 58 and went down that road about a mile or so to a locked gate and Trail Head 58D. You do not need a 4WD to get to this point. I parked the SUV and decided to bushwhack it hard straight up the mountain. Another peakbagger showed a GPS trek following the road in a clockwise manner around the peak to the west, then going up. This is probably better. My son, his wife, my grandson and granddaughter were coming later in the morning so I was hoping to make a fast trip and be at the condo when they arrived. That was my main reason for going straight up the mountain. It was a cool crisp clear morning. I started hiking at 7:00 AM at an elevation of 9600 feet. It was a brutal, brutal first hour. Most of the time I was scrambling on all fours. I do not recommend going the way I went! After the first hour I found a ridge and the hiking was easier for awhile, then it got steeper again but not as hard as the first part of the hike. On the way up I saw some large grouse. It was a beautiful forest hike but there were quite a few logs to go over at times. It was a wonderful feeling to finally reach the top. It took 2 hours and 1.9 miles of hiking. Not all 11K peaks have expansive views, but this peak does. You can see the many majestic New Mexico peaks in all directions. Someone built a little shelter that is just big enough for one person to sit in. I signed a summit log and spent about 20 minutes on the top taking pictures. I went down the same way that I came up. I found a new technique to get down a steep incline. The last mile is very steep, and rather than a hard step-by-step downhill ankle hurter, I took big jumps down a loose dirt and gravel incline aiming one way then another way almost like being on skis or a snowboard. I have done this on big sandy sloops just for fun, but never hiking. I was surprised how much easier and more fun it was getting down. Don’t go up the way I went down! I arrived a little further to the west than I started so I followed the road and a little stream behind the locked gate. I arrived back at the SUV 3 hours and 40 minutes after the hike began and a slight bit over 4 miles total hiking distance. Total elevation gain with ups and downs was 2510 feet. If I had clockwise looped the peak, it would have been much easier, but would have been about 6.3 miles. I was able to get back to the condo shortly before my son and family arrived. We enjoyed walking around Red River which has the feel of a little Swiss Alps mountain town. We ate dinner that evening at the Sundance Restaurant which had some of the best sopapillas I have ever eaten! (See Sawmill Mountain Trip Report for my hike the next morning)

See pictures of highest peaks in New Mexico: 1 of 62 of highest 184 NM peaks. Part 1 YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAjCsjbhYMw
See pictures of highest peaks in New Mexico: 63 of 124 of highest 184 NM peaks. Part 2 YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrFMjoB9zNY

List of highest 184 peaks in New Mexico (Now 190) A very inclusive list!
https://peakbagger.com/list.aspx?lid=-925606&cid=1477