Meditation or Masochism?

This weekend’s hike was the Embudo Trail. The Sandia Mountains are my local backyard mountains. For me having thousands of acres of mountainy wilderness literally next door to go hiking in is one of the great attractions of ABQ. So as I said this weekend was the Embudo.

The trail starts at the mouth of the Embudo Canyon and is about 2.5 miles long with an altitude gain of around 1,700 feet. It starts on the West side of the mountains and goes East into the heart. The entrance to the canyon is broad and you hike up the center which is relatively easy. Then there is choice to continue in until you hit a short but steep climb through some falls or to jog South, do a steep climb up the slope of the canyon and go around the falls which is also a fairly challenging hike. This is always my choice because there are fewer people and you avoid the slippery, wet rocks of falls. About this point the legs are aching and the lungs are going full force.

As you come around the side of the canyon it narrows where the falls are. Just beyond the falls you rejoin the main trail and the canyon reopens onto a wide, tear shaped valley with the broad part of the tear across the valley to the East. This is always a beautiful site as the whole valley opens before you. The colors and shades constantly vary depending on the time of day and the weather. Late afternoons are particularly spectacular. At this point you’re about 1/3rd of the way done. The trail through the valley is a relatively gentle incline. If you’re in reasonably good shape, you’re in good spirits. Then you hit the base of the tear.

This is the 2/3rd mark. The base of the tear is in fact a toe of the mountain extending South and separates two major valleys. For the hiker this means a very steep climb with three places where you have to clamber over rock outcroppings. This is hard work and if you’re a spaz like me, those outcroppings take close attention. Pain is really starting to kick in.

But, when you get to the top, it opens up over a wide expanse that gives spectacular views to the South and West and a close up view of the craggy sides of the South Peak of the Sandias. There are numerous places to sit and relax. At this point the pain washes away and I get this wonderful meditative feeling. It’s not unusual for me to meditate while I’m there. Unfortunately it was 45 degrees with wind around 30 miles an hour so it was freakin’ cold. So I huddled behind a rock to break the wind and eat some nuts and raisins for the trip down.

Coming down offers great views of the city and the far off peak of Mount Taylor (about 70 miles west). When you start down there is this initial euphoria because you’re no longer enduring the cardio-vascular strain of going up hill. This lasts for about 20 minutes. Then the muscles and joints really start complaining. This lasts for the rest of the trip down generally getting worse because you no longer have the adrenaline push of reaching the goal.

The culminating moment is the wonderful finish after you get home, pop 4 ibuprofen and take a wonderful hot shower.