March 31, 2025.
In 2019, Aaron and I attempted to climb the South Rabbit Ear in New Mexico’s Organ Mountains. It was late November and we were turned back by ice and snow. Since we were in the area during springtime, I thought, we had a second chance.
We began the approach at 8:30 am and followed the user trail past the mine. I remembered that we left the trail earlier than we should have on our first attempt and got mired in all the poky desert plants. This time, we stayed on the trail right into the canyon and made excellent time (with far less clothing catching on thorns). By this time, the sun had already risen above the peaks on the horizon, but we found some shade and much more bearable temperatures within the canyon walls.
We moved slowly up the steep, rocky canyon, avoiding the spines, thorns, prickles and other hazards. The one thing we didn’t have to worry about was ice. There wasn’t even a drop of water in the canyon. I enjoyed seeing the living desert: hedgehog cacti, buckeye, cholla, sotol, lichens. Greens, purples, yellows and oranges disrupted the general backdrop of brown. This is a luxury we did not have last time we visited.
At long last, we reached the saddle below South Rabbit Ear. We were only 200 vertical feet from the top! This is farther than we got last time; we had to give up partway up the hill leading up to the saddle. We took off our packs and savored a rest. We were pretty beat from the arduous climb to this point. I ate a snack bar and wandered around, looking for a way up. I had read the route description and pored over the map hundreds of times. This part shouldn’t be that bad. We made one attempt, backtracked, then tried a different route. All the little chimneys were strewn with loose rock or covered with moss. It was a bust. The risk/reward calculation just didn’t pencil out. The wind kept blowing stronger and stronger as the day wore on. I knew our attempt was over.
Frustrated, but confident I made the right decision, we started back down the way we came. We chose slightly different routes just to avoid kicking rocks down on each other. We were feeling sluggish, so it took us quite a while to get back down. By the time we reached the exposed desert out of the canyon, the heat was practically unbearable. I had to remind myself it was only March! As predicted, the wind continued to pick up. I knew tomorrow it would be completely untenable to be in the mountains, so today was our only chance.
When we got back to the van, totally wiped, I searched online for anywhere that had frozen treats and quick service. I found Zeebs, a place that boasted having fruit ice, burgers and fries. That sounded like exactly the kind of well-rounded, post-adventure dinner we needed. The fruit ice servings were ginormous and totally hit the spot!
Will there be a third attempt? Only if I find someone who knows the route who will take us. There is plenty left on my to do list that I do not need to come back for another try.