I hiked up Guadalupe Peak - the highest point in Texas at 8749' - on Thanksgiving day. In keeping with the Lonewacko ethos, it was a solo hike.

I felt very good about getting to the top of this peak. I've wanted to come here for about three years, but one thing or another would keep me away. I'd book a flight, then cancel it a week later. When I set out in the morning from Carlsbad, I was concerned about the wind, and I was thinking I might only go up part way and then turn around. But, by just putting one foot in front of the other several hundred times, I made it to the top.

It took a bit under 3 hours up and a bit under 2 hours down. There were several other parties on the trail, and I was joined on the summit by a large group of college-aged hikers (who I passed on the way up...), a couple, and another soloist.

My pack weighed around 20 lbs., over half of it liquid refreshment. I carried 3L of water and 2L of Gatorade. I drank 1.5L of the water and 1L of the Gatorade getting to the top, and the rest coming down and on the drive away. That was a lot more than I needed, but better safe than sorry.

When I left Carlsbad in the morning, the wind was quite heavy, but it was a lot lighter in the Park, and it was never an issue on the hike, although it did make it a bit chilly. The summit itself was actually somewhat warm.

Many of the others who climb this peak seem to come from El Paso. I came from the other direction, so my first good view of El Capitan was from the summit of Guadalupe Peak. It was quite impressive, especially since I hadn't seen it from below first.

There's no real exposure anywhere on the hike, unless you walked off (or were blown off) the trail. The trail and the surroundings remind me a bit of terrain at the lower levels of the San Gabriels or San Jacinto Peak.

A minor complication occured when one of my hiking poles failed: the lower section collapsed, and I couldn't get it to tighten back up. Oh well, I'll just use one pole, switching it from hand to hand every once in a while. That worked for a bit until I went to lengthen the pole that still worked: I couldn't get it to tighten up either. I had had a problem with these poles before, but in the opposite direction. The lower section was stuck in there, and not even putting it in a vise and trying to turn it with a wrench worked. REI had just replaced both lower sections at that time. I'm sure they'll replace these poles as well, but I might just trade up to something that's hopefully a bit better. BTW, these are REI/Komperdell Traverse poles.

Wackily enough, the poles later worked for my hike in the White Sands National Monument (more later, you know the drill by now), but then failed near the end of that hike...

Since I got Mount Livermore and Baldy Peak earlier, I now have the #1, #5, and #7 highest named peaks in Texas. (Don't laugh, it's an interesting state.) Numbers 2, 3, and 4 are also in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, but, since two of the three require cross-country travel and at least an overnight, I decided to return and get them when there are more of me.