Page Type:
|
Mountain/Rock |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
|
34.43490°N / 107.0853°W |
Activities:
|
Mountaineering |
Season:
|
Fall |
Elevation:
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9210 ft / 2807 m |
|
Overview
The Ladron Mountains are located in central New Mexico. These prominent but largely unknown mountains rise 4,000' above nearby Interstate 25 and are a major landmark in the area. The Ladron Mountains have only one named peak, which is the 9,143' Ladron Peak. However, this peak is not the true highpoint of the range. The true highpoint is unnamed, and rises to an elevation of 9,210'. The Ladron Mountains are located on BLM land, and the Sevilleta Wildlife Refuge. It appears that few people visit the Ladrone Mountains. Access to this area requires a long drive on dirt roads. This tends to discourage visitors.
With an elevation of less than 10,000', the Ladron Mountains rank way down on the New Mexico elevation list. But the new field of Prominence has made the Ladron Mountains a more important objective. With a prominence of 3,130', they're big enough to make an impressive appearance on the New Mexico Prominence Map.
Getting There
From Albuquerque, drive south on I-25 to Exit 175, the Bernardo Exit. Exit the freeway to the west, then start heading south along a roughly paved road. This road crosses a one-lane bridge. After about a mile and a half, the road turns to dirt. Turn right here onto County Road 12. Drive 21 miles west on this good road to a signed road junction. This junction is marked by BM 5995 on the topo map. There are also two signs here. One says “Co. Rd. E-65”, and the other says “Riley”. Turn left here onto a dirt road, which is still good at this point. Drive about a mile to this road junction, which is marked by 6074 T on the topo map. Turn left here onto a primitive road. Drive about two miles to this road junction. Turn left here onto another primitive road, and drive to the parking area at about 6,640’. The topo map shows a water tank at the end of this road, but you can’t drive all the way to it. There's a pedestrian access gate here.
Mountain Conditions
Contact the BLM Field Office in Socorro. Their number is 505-835-0412.
Topo Maps: Ladron Peak; Riley.
Camping
There are no developed campgrounds in the Ladron Mountains.
2 Routes
mpgrady - Jan 7, 2009 12:03 pm - Hasn't voted
location errorThe Ladrons are nowhere near Interstate 10, as described in the Overview paragraph. They are a few miles west of Interstate 25, correctly noted as accessed from the Bernardo exit, north of Socorro.