Red Wash. Unexpected Small Wonders

Red Wash Canyon is a surprising gem of a hike with an unusual slot canyon, an incredible palette of colors, and a fascinating petroglyph rock in a pass high above the Rio Chama.

Kelly’s thoughts…

Red Wash has much to offer.  Near the trailhead, off to the side, is an unusual slot canyon.  I’m always amazed at how each slot canyon seems to have its own character and personality.  This is a rubbly, tumbly canyon with walls made of conglomerate stones.  It is narrow enough we had to turn sideways for portions of it, and it was longer and deeper than we expected.  I don’t think it is well known, and it doesn’t seem to have a name.

Farther up the main canyon the incredible colors of the surrounding walls became apparent.  Yellows and reds and purples are everywhere contrasting with each other.  The stones along the valley floor are many-colored as well.  There were beautiful dryfalls and a cool looking arch.

Some great scrambling brought us up the valley to a view of beautiful rock forms and cliffs farther along.  But soon we turned up the side of the valley along a narrow trail leading to a low pass in the hills.  Here, right at the top with a view up Red Wash and down to the Rio Chama with Pedernal peaking over the distant mesa was a large, flat, black rock with petroglyphs across its surface.  A deer, a strange looking man and many crosses were included with various other symbols and shapes.

 

A beautiful walk down the ridge with views of the Rio Chama valley led us back to the pickup.  We love the really impressive sites throughout the Southwest, but smaller hikes like this are so valuable and often hold unexpected small wonders and moments.

Riki’s thoughts…

Originally, we had planned to go out yesterday, but it was raining and windy, so we postponed our trip until today. When we headed out today, the sky was threatening to rain, and spit a few drops on us. We considered for a moment whether or not the weather would be a problem again today, but we pushed past our concerns. The rain gave way to sunshine and friendly clouds almost as soon as we headed out.

The slot canyon was so deceptive! It looked like a short, insignificant drainage on approach, but soon gave way to an impressive, though quite rubbly gem. Slot canyons are a new experience for me since I have moved to New Mexico, and they are a personal favorite. I love them! Every one I have been in has its own personality and quirks. This one struck me as young and immature. All the loose rocks in the bottom make me wonder if the canyon changes with every hard rain. I wonder how different it will look next time we have the opportunity to visit.

The trail led us along a dry river bottom for much of the journey. At one point, the trail shot up the bank and over a ridge. We decided to try to continue along the river gorge. It led us to a dry fall with lovely vistas and a fairly easy scramble out and back on the trail. The second time this situation arose, the dry fall was impenetrable for two fifty-something adults who lack technical climbing skills. So, we had to back track a bit. We were soon back on the trail, and enjoying some gorgeous vistas as we took an easy hike up to the petroglyph rock.

I think possibly the rock contained rock art from many different time periods, and this was somewhat frustrating for me. When is it rock art and when is it more like graffiti? If the toys we played with as children are now showing up in antique stores (gulp. . .) then things become significant more quickly than I used to think they would. Are the more recent additions defacing the art, or adding to its complexity? How soon does something become a part of history?

The loop trail took us to a mountain top, from which we could see a future adventure. Someday, we will hike Pedernal, which was teasing us in the distance. We picked the better hike for today, though, because the peak still had quite a bit of snow on the ground. Kelly has been finding gems closer to home this spring. We can get out, enjoy an adventure, and be back in time for a tasty home-cooked meal and some relaxing time on the couch. Today’s meal was a delicious shrimp and vegetable stir fry. Thank you, Kelly, for a wonderful outing and a fabulous late lunch!