Summer Hiking: Deception Peak and Lake Peak

Celebrating birthdays during the pandemic is very strange.  All my normal birthday traditions like gathering with friends, going out to dinner, or attending a yoga class just aren't happening anytime soon.  There also seems to be a distorted sense of time this year.  Time is passing very quickly (where did July go?!), but at the same time the experience of the pandemic seems very drawn out.  Maybe we should all just cancel our birthdays this year and stay young!

Quarantine has been really hard on people's mental health.  I think we're all realizing that we need a balance of social time and alone time to feel healthy and grounded, and the pandemic has taken away the freedom to choose when to interact with others and when to be alone.  Some individuals who live alone and are working from home indefinitely are struggling with the forced isolation, coping with a new level of loneliness that humans just aren't prepared for.  Simultaneously, those of us still going into work and interacting with people all day, then being surrounded by all of our family members whenever we're home, are craving some quiet isolation and a mental break from tending to others' needs.  It has never been so apparent to me how important that balance is and how much humans suffer when the choice is taken away.

Self-care is more important than ever this year.  In crisis circumstances, it is abundantly clear that we have to have a healthy relationship with ourselves before we can strengthen our relationships with others.  We need to engage in behaviors that help sustain our energy and preserve our physical and mental health before we can compassionately serve others.  Self-care doesn't mean pampering or relaxation.  It's not a pedicure or latte art.  It's not backing out of commitments when times get tough.  Self-care doesn't necessary have to be selfish, either.  It just means no longer putting yourself last.  For me, especially this year, self-care means setting boundaries, standing up for myself, engaging intentionally in things that bring joy, distancing myself from negativity, forgiving people, embracing opportunities to learn and reflect, and controlling what I can in the midst of many elements that are out of my control.

My self-care for my birthday this year was to spend some time alone in the mountains, where I could physically and mentally set boundaries and, for a few hours, be free of the responsibility of caring for others.  It was a beautiful morning for a hike!

The hike to the peaks begins on the Winsor Trail near the Santa Fe Ski Basin, with switchbacks leading up to the Pecos Wilderness boundary, then turns and follows the fence line uphill along Raven's Ridge.  Along the way up there are lookout areas with stunning views of Santa Fe Baldy and Lake Peak, and two boulder fields.  The continuous climb at over 10,000 feet is physically exhausting and my legs were definitely feeling it, but the experience of breathing the air at high altitude is so therapeutic.  As a bonus, I didn't encounter many other hikers past the Pecos Wilderness sign.  This isn't the type of hike to attract tourists looking for a leisurely stroll.  

Once past the treeline, the air is thin but the views are breathtaking.  I truly felt like I was on top of the world climbing up to Deception Peak.  Lake Peak, Penitente Peak, and Santa Fe Baldy lie ahead, and Truchas in the distance, with Glorieta Baldy and Thompson Peak on the other side of the range.  Sandia Peak is visible in the distance, and the Jemez Mountains to the west.  Deception Peak is indeed deceiving, as there is a false peak before truly reaching the summit.  After that point, it's a rocky and precarious scramble over to Lake Peak, but the view from 12,409 feet is worth the effort.  A challenging hike to the top of a mountain peak truly triggers all the senses.  The forest seems to quiet until you truly listen, and then it's noisy with wildlife and birds and the roaring wind.  

Santa Fe Baldy, and Truchas in the distance

View from Deception Peak.  Lake Peak up ahead, Baldy in the distance, and Nambe Lake down below.

Mountain Dog admires the view

These little flowers are so resilient, growing in the side of a rock at 12,000 feet elevation.

View of Nambe Lake from Lake Peak

On the way down, I stopped for a lunch break and watched the sky over Santa Fe Baldy.  Is there anything more meditative than watching clouds moving over the tallest peak in SF?  It is such a great reminder that things can constantly change and evolve in this dynamic state while also retaining their true nature and firm foundation.

My goal in my new year of life is to continue to work on my relationship with myself so that I may better serve others.  I'm thankful for the mountains for giving me the chance to practice self-care.