Boulders and Exploring the foothills of the Sandias
Every time I go up into the foothills of the Sandia Mountains I think the same thing, I need to come here more. There are so many different trails to approach the Sandias from that it will take you quite a long time to exhaust them all. Like this time, I found this rock wall that was great for bouldering and general climbing and exploring. It was even dog accessible! If you have not gone out to the foothills of the Sandias in a while, take some time this weekend to get a very different view of Albuquerque.
Traveling all over the state of New Mexico for rural land photography work allows me to explore some off the beaten path places in between shoots. The latest was Spring Canyon State Park, which is really part of Rockhound State Park, and this particular canyon is Lover’s Leap Canyon. That’s complicated! All without mentioning these parks are made up of the Florida Mountains! The trail up Lover’s Leap Canyon is allegedly only 0.9 miles, but it takes over 30 minutes due to how steep and rocky it is. The view just keeps getting better and better as the trail gets higher. Once at the top, take off your backpack, get out a snack, and enjoy the fruit of one’s hiking labors! This is another hidden gem in New Mexico.
Ever since I first drove into Albuquerque, New Mexico in January 2017 and saw the Sandia Mountains, I knew I had to summit them at one point. Over 14 months later I finally had the opportunity to hike to the summit, my first summit since having ACL knee surgery 3 years ago. Hiking to the almost 3000 meter summit was a physical and mental test, not just for me, but also for Jessica who came with me and our dogs Kiki and Artie.
