Red River, Enchantment Circle New Mexico

[Desert Rat 1]

Here's a report of our small adventure jeep trip we did last weekend to Red River and the Enchantment Circle area in northern New Mexico. It was to celebrate my 50th birthday. What better way to spend your 50th birthday than doing what you love...with you family and..... jeeping!

We made a quick stop at Chimayo New Mexico, to visit this 18th century sanctuary, a very beautiful and peaceful place in a nice river canyon.



On our way to Taos...the Sangre de Cristo mountains...with snow!!


The Rio Grande..


Taos ski valley...rain or snow?


Near Questa...


On our way to Red River...


Finally...Red River...I had been waiting for this for a while now and here it is...


A wonderful little town in the mountains...

 

[Desert Rat 1]

After checking in to our nice little cabin right by the river and a having supper, we wondered around this nice place, with it's own private fishing pond... and then we went to sleep... the next day was going to be a great day...

 

[Desert Rat 1]

Goose Lake Trail

Early next morning, after a hearty breakfast; we started our way to Goose Lake. The trail was ok at first, just a little muddy from the rain the night before, but as we went higher we started to see snow...and more snow! We encountered a couple of trucks who had to turn back because of the ice and snow.

 

[dbart82]

Nice adventure and happy 50th. I need to make it up into that area next year.

 

[Desert Rat 1]

Nice adventure and happy 50th. I need to make it up into that area next year.

Thanks! Does that qualifies me as an "Old Fart"?

 

[Desert Rat 1]

Goose Lake

Goose Lake. We'd been wanting to make it here for a while, after viewing lots of posts, pictures and videos about it; but being here it's something else...it's so impressive...pictures just don't do justice to this place. I guess is a matter of perspective, in the pictures these mountains surrounding the lake look kind of small when in reality they're massive...beautiful...just beautiful....

 

[gringo m]

Great pics! Thanks for sharing.

 

[TheViking]

Those photos rock thanks for posting them congratulations on fifty and having a great adventure.

 

[Richie]

Oh man I envy you. I've always wanted to make it up to Goose in the snow. Nice to see you made it up and down safely. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Desert Rat 1]

Thanks guys! The snow made it a bit more challenging at times, specially going down.

 

[Desert Rat 1]

After playing around in the snow, we were hungry, our feet were getting wet and cold and with everything full of snow and not finding a good place to set the grill, we decided to go back down to the cabin to grill some steaks and celebrate my birthday.
Like I said, it was a bit more challenging coming back down with the snow, the jeep tended to slide a bit when braking, so I went on 4-low to avoid this and manually gear up or down as needed, that worked pretty well.












Man... I really feel old now...

 

[Quest4ADV]

AWESOME!! Thanks for sharing. I'm hoping to move out to NM next year. Headed out there next week for a visit around SF to check it out. Can't wait to see some of these places!

 

[Lichen]

Thanks! Does that qualifies me as an "Old Fart"?

No. You have 10 more years until you qualify.

 

[Desert Rat 1]

No. You have 10 more years until you qualify.

I don't mind waiting...hehe...

 

[Desert Rat 1]

We left town early Sunday morning, and headed south to Eagle Nest and Taos to complete the Enchanted Circle loop. Unfourtunately. we couldn't much at Eagle Nest because of a thick fog that covered that entire valley, it disappeared as soon as we started climbing our way up to Taos Canyon.



Wheeler Peak and mountains...


Entering Taos Canyon at Valle Escondido...


Back at Taos