I woke up at Dog Canyon, inside a New Mexican State Park bordering the Lincoln National Forest; the site of an unsolved historical mystery. Here, in Dog Canyon, an expatriated French recluse named François-Jean Rochas resided in the late nineteenth century. A suspected member of the secret trade-guild, “Les Compagnons du Devoir”, Francois constructed the miraculous spiral staircase in the Loretto Chapel, Santa Fe, New Mexico and irrigated the clear-water stream to construct a vineyard, orchard and manage over four-hundred head of cattle.
His mastery of the vital asset of water would ultimately lead to his demise, as he was mysteriously shot dead the night of December 26th, 1894. His death remains unsolved to this day, though there are indications suggesting Francois’ neighbor, Oliver Lee, raided his property and shot him dead in order to gain access to this precious water access, which he then sold to the railroads; the State Park bears his name.
A short sixty miles South and I was back in Texas, joining the trail in the aptly-named ‘Butterfield, Texas’ and headed just South of the US Army Westbrook Range Complex, to the birthplace of modern bouldering as well as the largest concentration of mask pictographs in North America, Hueco Tanks State Park!
Hueco Tanks is so special for the same reason Francois-Jean Rochas’ irrigation canal was so important, water. It was with great coincidence then, that I proceeded to meet Sal Nuño, the Ranger who has the honor of keeping the water clean.
After I topped off my water supplies with that fine Texas water, I went over to examine the ruins of the Hueco Tanks Station!
Hueco Tanks Climbing Guide HERE
I climbed up ‘the chains’ to North Mountain (Page 3 in guide) hotspot of “The Potatoes” (Page 9) I had no idea which route I wanted to take, so I decided to look for my first problem.
Hueco tanks’ water-eroded molten rock brought life and held rainwater in the desert oasis, now, they now equally serve as unique holds for climbers seeking new challenges. In fact, many climbing gyms feature ‘Hueco-Style’ holds on most routes… there’s nothing like the real thing.
I started at Baby Baker Boulder, a series of V0’s that was a fantastic way to gain confidence.
I followed my friend to the next spot, in the Big Time Boulder area (Page 8). It was here that I would try a series of challenging problems, unsuccessfully trying the V2 Nobody Gets Out of Here Alive, and settling on a modified approach to the problem, “Pull The Pin”, is the remainder of the alcove hanging over the Nobody Gets out of Here Alive cave.
I finally thought I had the problem solved, and remembered the importance of leveraging that good bodyweight inertia. I pulled myself above the overhang, and cleared the face of the boulder.
The Plutonic syenite rock sits in a 320 million year old sea bed from the Carboniferous period; thrust toward the surface from an underground volcano, weather, animals, humans, and the passage of time have shaped the Huecos.
I headed down to inspect a treat; a 3000-piece, outdoor art gallery curated over thousands of years. I began at ground level, at a true intersection of mankind; in the easily accessible caves and recesses of the area, it is not uncommon to see a cross-generational rock canvas come to life. (6:15) The hunting figures are more clearly defined from this angle, the layering on the rock is a sight in itself.
Middle and late archaic nomads, Mogollon, and Mescalero Apache preferred the shelter and safety of higher ground, and their work can be found.
While I didn’t see much wildlife at Hueco, as soon as I turned back on the road, I encountered this Pronghorn Doe, several hundred yards to the side of my vehice in a see of yucca trees and a dramatic cloudy horizon. I stopped to enjoy the natural scene.
At the top of Guadalupe Peak, there is a monument commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Butterfield Overland Mail Route, with Guadalupe Peak serving as a landmark icon along the journey. As Ormsby approached the mountain in 1858, he recalled: “The Guadalupe Peak loomed up before us all day in the most aggravating manner. It fairly seemed to be further off the more we travelled. […] Rearing its head four thousand feet above the plains and [8,751] above the level of the sea,” As I’d just returned to Texas, I thought it fitting to buy a Dr. Pepper. I sipped the glass bottle as I read Ormsby’s passage next to a setting sun. After twilight, I set forth to camp at Guadalupe Mountains National Park, drink my fresh water from Hueco Tanks, make my evening meal, and rest.