Stewart Lake


“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.”
-John Muir


My favorite season is waning as temperatures and aspen leaves drop.  There is a crispness in the air in the mornings, and I’ve already replaced my flip flops and tank tops with boots and sweaters in my closet.  But I am eagerly trying to squeeze in a few more long hikes before the first big snow.  There are so many amazing hikes to do this time of year that I just want to hike every day!

Last weekend I wanted to try a new hike outside of Santa Fe.  I planned to do Holy Ghost/Spirit Lake, a 14.5 mile trek in the Pecos Wilderness, but opted instead for something a little bit shorter since I really haven’t put in many miles in my hiking boots lately. 

The Stewart Lake trail is an 11-mile loop in through a forest of aspens, scrub oak, and pine trees in the Pecos Wilderness.  The first half of the hike is a gradual uphill that parallels Winsor Creek and leads to the lake.  Most of the leaves have fallen, creating a rich carpet of yellows and reds, though there were still trees clinging desperately to their bright yellow leaves at lower altitudes.  Stewart Lake is a serene mountain lake nestled in the woods, and from its banks you can spot Santa Fe Baldy to the west.  The return section of the hike was gorgeous, offering distant views of Baldy (and I believe Lake Peak, though my geography is not the greatest on this side of the Pecos Wilderness).

Carpet of gorgeous fall leaves


Stewart Lake

Aspens at their peak


Pecos Wilderness

Lake Peak?  Maybe?

Hiking on this side of the Pecos Wilderness really broadened my horizons to the vastness of the forests and trails in this area.  I’ve become so familiar with the hikes close to Santa Fe, but in reality those are only a small piece of the puzzle. I hope to have the opportunity to experience more of these amazing hiking trails!

In other news, I've been working on a lot of crochet projects lately and trying some delicious fall recipes!  And stay tuned for pictures of my canine and feline daughters in their Halloween costumes!


Comments

  1. KatieOctober 18, 2012 at 11:14 AM

    Fall recipes have become one of my sneakiest distractions from school! Seriously, ask Nick. I may have a problem. Have you made a back-up reserve of pumpkin spice latte syrup yet?? Here's the recipe I used: http://sugarcrafter.net/2011/09/16/pumpkin-spice-latte/

    Try it out! It has brightened my every day. Sugl!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Pacific Northwest Bachelorette Party

Image
I just returned home from a memorable weekend in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, celebrating my sister, Katie, who is getting married in just a few short weeks.  Four years ago she, as my Maid of Honor, planned the most unforgettable and fun-filled bachelorette weekend for me:  San Francisco and Sonoma Bachelorette , and now it was my turn to do the same for her!  We gathered together a group of twelve women from Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, Manchester, Santa Fe, Denver, and Seattle to celebrate the Bride to Be.  I wanted to have some organized, pre-planned group activities, but also plenty of down time for games, lounging, and drinking wine.  While we wanted most of the weekend to be spent at a cozy cabin overlooking the serene water of Puget Sound, we wanted one exciting night out on the town, and I think we achieved that balance.  Here's the breakdown of our weekend events: 1)  Night Out in Capitol Hill We arrived...
Read more

High Altitude Baking: Coffee Cake

Image
Happy January!  I have two weeks left of my maternity leave and I'm trying to make the most of it by spending lots of quality time with Baby Ady before she starts daycare.  It's going by so fast!  While I'm home I've been using my crock pot a lot, working on some yarn projects, taking long walks with Ady and Kua, reading, and doing some baking.  I have struggled with high altitude baking since moving to Santa Fe 5 1/2 years ago.  Cookies turn out okay, but I usually have to make some adjustments with cakes, and my breads are often mushy in the middle and crispy on the ends.  I can get by okay with a few of my favorite recipes that I have practiced multiple times, but it's often hit or miss.  For Christmas, my secret santa got me this amazing cook book, Pie in the Sky: Successful Baking at High Altitudes, that explains the chemistry behind high altitude baking and gives suggestions for adjustments to make at various altitudes.  Ingenious!  ...
Read more

My Bachelorette Party: San Francisco and Sonoma

Image
I have the best Maid of Honor in the world!   Between grad school, work, and preparing to move into a new apartment, she miraculously found time to plan THE BEST bachelorette party ever (and 3 time zones away, I might add).  I had such a fabulous time being surrounded by (and loved and adored by!) all my best friends for four days. The weekend started at 4:30 a.m. Thursday when my Santa Fe friends and I drove to Albuquerque (a 50 mile trip made possible by Panera breakfast) to catch our early flight to the Bay Area.  After a 2 1/2 trip (complete with Bloody Maries, Tequilla Sunrises, Coffees with Baileys, gossip and a few bridal magazines) we landed in Oakland!  One of my dear bridesmaids from Chicago who had arrived a few days earlier picked us up and we headed into San Francisco.  We met up with the other gals, checked in early to our hotel (Parc 55 Wyndahm in Union Square) and set out to explore the city by foot.  Som...
Read more