bdreese2 - Nov 9, 2021 5:22 pm Date Climbed: Nov 8, 2021
Tough Hike - Beautiful Day
Tough hike. I typically hike alone, this is one I'd have preferred to do as a group. 8 hours total. The climb near the top was no problem going up, right at the edge of my comfort zone coming down. Would not want to do this in anything but the driest conditions. Astonishing views.
casetrain_ - Jan 3, 2021 9:40 pm Date Climbed: Jan 3, 2021
Tough, but worthwhile
Climbed w/ Kevin & Chris. One of the hardest hikes I've done in a very long time. We ended up coming up the first gully to the summit, but we're all experienced technical climbers so it was fine. We could see as far as Guadalupe Mountains from the summit. Sí Señor Express after was great recovery food.
Matt McCullough - May 10, 2019 3:48 pm Date Climbed: May 3, 2019
Organ Needle fail
Arrived at the trailhead at the La Cueva picnic area at 7:00 am. I climbed to the ridge crest on the southeast side in about 4 hours and after some difficulty found the route which leads to a rope with clip-in loops along a steep wall just below the summit. For a class 3 scramble, I had expected that the last stretch could be climbed even with my clunky hiking boots without too much trouble as numerous other such climbs. After examining the roped wall and partly making my way up, I decided that, although I could probably continue further, it would be beyond my comfort level coming down, especially with my boots and without a way to clip in. I also scouted out 3 other routes making my way up to perhaps just 50' below the summit. Oddly my altimeter said I had reached 9000'. The peak supposed to be less than than that? I decided the best decision was to give up and make my way down. I had a great beer at the brewery in Cloudcroft by 7:00pm.
jbarn46 - Nov 30, 2018 10:21 am Date Climbed: Mar 17, 2018
Organ Needle
A lot of hype about this climb. It's not extremely difficult because of its short length. However, it is very dangerous because of how steep it is. It's also easy to get on the wrong trail as there are many branch trails off the main one.
Brian Kalet - Jan 15, 2018 3:56 pm Date Climbed: May 23, 2016
2 Peaks
With 4850.
bnmchone - Feb 29, 2016 2:37 am Date Climbed: Dec 13, 2015
Climbing in Winter/Snow
Started at 4 AM, took the Modoc Mine Route, there were several inches of snow which made the upper parts of the climb miserable. We didn't have snowshoes, and even so I doubt they would have been much of a help due to the rocky nature of the mountain, but we did bring ice axes and trekking poles which were immensely helpful if only for the added security and balance. There was a rocky/icy section of the mountain which we barely got up and had to gingerly glissade down on the way back down to get back to safety. I would recommend steering clear of this mountain after receiving any snow. Also, we didn't make it all the way to the summit as getting up the class 3 section with it all iced over was impossible, but we did make it to the Dark Saddle which is so close I consider it a success given the circumstances. Open-cycle maps has a GPS route which was handy in route-finding on those occasions when we were unsure of the trail (which was often thanks to the snow). Got back to the vehicle around 2 PM, the snow slows travel down immensely. I cannot overstate to be careful in the winter and come prepared. Oh, and we saw a Javelina on the descent.
Tracy - Oct 30, 2015 8:51 pm Date Climbed: Oct 26, 2015
Modoc Mine route
I hiked/climbed this one from just below the green gate with fellow summitpost members cp0915 and moapapk. I was willing to drive to the end of the road but my hiking partners preferred hiking the road rather than me driving it. The summit was exhilarating and we summited the more technical peaklet to the northeast just for kicks.
jherring - Mar 18, 2015 1:36 am Date Climbed: Mar 14, 2015
What a trek
We drove up to the Modoc Mines and started climbing around 745 we got to the top around 1115 and had lunch and enjoyed the view till noon and we were back at the trucks around 1500. Trail was good, lost it a few times and had a few oh there you are moments. When we got close to the tops we made the mistake of following another hiker (not In our group who said he knew which way was the right way for the final climb. If we had literally walked 10 more feet we would have seen the correct way up. The way we went up was scary. I'm a pretty active person and consider myself an adrenaline junky and I was terrified. But once we got to the top it was worth the skid mark in my shorts. We did find the right way up/down and they way down was, in my opinion, tougher than the way up. My bug toes didn't enjoy the pounding against my shoe. Plan on going again with another group to camp around the Juniper Pass area. Fun hike, definitely glad I did it after having lived in this town for 23 years.
Pewma - Oct 15, 2013 12:52 pm Date Climbed: Mar 11, 2013
Organ Needle
A fun route to the summit and a great view of Sierra Blanca across the Tularosa Basin
eric-griz - Mar 12, 2013 3:35 pm Date Climbed: Mar 11, 2013
Tough hike
I was under the impression that the route would be difficult to follow, but my group had no problems following the distinct user trail up to the summit. It looks more intimidating than it actually is.
JustDSM - Mar 24, 2012 4:37 pm Date Climbed: Mar 23, 2012
3rd Time's a charm!
Took another friend of mine and my dog again. Took some alternate trails and found an interesting cave around the Grey Eminence area.
JustDSM - Nov 1, 2011 7:44 pm Date Climbed: Oct 22, 2011
2nd Summit Attempt
My 2nd successful summit. This time it I took my German Shepherd (Kadin) and a friend who'd never done any climbing. Once we got to the Class 3 section I learned he was actually scared of heights! He dug deep and over came his fears. Good man. Rigged up a harness for my dog, and just used the ropes to belay her. She had no issues ascending or decending the Class 3 section. But she's not your average pooch.
JustDSM - Nov 1, 2011 7:41 pm Date Climbed: Sep 17, 2011
Good hike/climb!!
My first trip to the top of the Needle. Lead the El Paso Hiking Group up there. 13 members in total, 11 made the summit.
benwood - Aug 23, 2011 10:18 am Date Climbed: Apr 1, 2010
Modoc mine route
Just guessing on the date climbed. I went with someone who had done this peak many times so he was able to show the way. At times to trail was hard to follow, but very rewarding. One of my favorite things about the hike is the cement plaque giving the final directions to the summit. Whoever put that there was determined.
twilly - Aug 8, 2011 11:27 pm Date Climbed: Mar 23, 2009
quick climb
Started from Baylor canyon road. We didn't have the whole day to climb so we booked it. We ended up getting to the top in 2 hrs 45 minutes. It took us quicker than we expected so we stayed on top for over an hour enjoying the view.
strudolyubov - Jan 24, 2011 1:18 pm Date Climbed: Jan 23, 2011
Modoc Mine Route
Climbed Organ Needle from Modoc Mine TH. The trail was relatively easy to follow with lots of cairns. Climbed the wall (low Class 5) to the left of the standard crux pitch. After visiting the main summit, climbed the eastern sub-summit. Nice hike/climb, great weather, gorgeous views!
Farmdog - Aug 19, 2010 8:10 pm Date Climbed: Aug 14, 2010
Hot Hike
Started at Fillmore Canyon trail, followed that over to Modoc Mine trail, then up to Needles trail. Lots of new growth on trail. Started at 7:54 and go to log book at 12:28. We had been planning on overcast skies like the previous weekend, but it was sunny the entire day. Clouds didn't move in until we got back to the vehicles. Good hike though.
seano - Nov 12, 2009 10:11 pm Date Climbed: Nov 11, 2009
Standard route
Climbed with a friend who had done it before. He said the trail was easier to follow and less brushy than last time, but I still got poked plenty. Great summit, even if it was hazy.
After sitting on my back patio and staring up at Organ Needle for the past 9 months it was finally time to climb the peak. A friend from work joined me on the climb and we had a great, yet strenuous, day on the mountain. The route is not quite straightforward, but a few well written desciptions greatly helped our cause. The views were great, as expected! We spent a couple minutes looking at the class 4 section before we figured out how we wanted to attack it. One of my favorite NM climbs!
lizrdboy - Mar 17, 2007 9:33 pm Date Climbed: Mar 17, 2007
Happy St. Patty's Day
I finally climbed the mountain in my back yard. It wasn't as bad as I'd heard, but it was a very tough climb. Steep, rugged terrain. We took 3:15 up and 2:30 down. The weather was warm for March (80s), but the trail stayed in the shade a lot. I used the trip report from "Adam" at cohp.org (//cohp.org/nm/Dona_Ana_5.html) and it worked well.
bdreese2 - Nov 9, 2021 5:22 pm Date Climbed: Nov 8, 2021
Tough Hike - Beautiful DayTough hike. I typically hike alone, this is one I'd have preferred to do as a group. 8 hours total. The climb near the top was no problem going up, right at the edge of my comfort zone coming down. Would not want to do this in anything but the driest conditions. Astonishing views.
https://peakbagger.com/climber/ascent.aspx?aid=1800364
casetrain_ - Jan 3, 2021 9:40 pm Date Climbed: Jan 3, 2021
Tough, but worthwhileClimbed w/ Kevin & Chris. One of the hardest hikes I've done in a very long time. We ended up coming up the first gully to the summit, but we're all experienced technical climbers so it was fine. We could see as far as Guadalupe Mountains from the summit. Sí Señor Express after was great recovery food.
Matt McCullough - May 10, 2019 3:48 pm Date Climbed: May 3, 2019
Organ Needle failArrived at the trailhead at the La Cueva picnic area at 7:00 am. I climbed to the ridge crest on the southeast side in about 4 hours and after some difficulty found the route which leads to a rope with clip-in loops along a steep wall just below the summit. For a class 3 scramble, I had expected that the last stretch could be climbed even with my clunky hiking boots without too much trouble as numerous other such climbs. After examining the roped wall and partly making my way up, I decided that, although I could probably continue further, it would be beyond my comfort level coming down, especially with my boots and without a way to clip in. I also scouted out 3 other routes making my way up to perhaps just 50' below the summit. Oddly my altimeter said I had reached 9000'. The peak supposed to be less than than that? I decided the best decision was to give up and make my way down. I had a great beer at the brewery in Cloudcroft by 7:00pm.
jbarn46 - Nov 30, 2018 10:21 am Date Climbed: Mar 17, 2018
Organ NeedleA lot of hype about this climb. It's not extremely difficult because of its short length. However, it is very dangerous because of how steep it is. It's also easy to get on the wrong trail as there are many branch trails off the main one.
Brian Kalet - Jan 15, 2018 3:56 pm Date Climbed: May 23, 2016
2 PeaksWith 4850.
bnmchone - Feb 29, 2016 2:37 am Date Climbed: Dec 13, 2015
Climbing in Winter/SnowStarted at 4 AM, took the Modoc Mine Route, there were several inches of snow which made the upper parts of the climb miserable. We didn't have snowshoes, and even so I doubt they would have been much of a help due to the rocky nature of the mountain, but we did bring ice axes and trekking poles which were immensely helpful if only for the added security and balance. There was a rocky/icy section of the mountain which we barely got up and had to gingerly glissade down on the way back down to get back to safety. I would recommend steering clear of this mountain after receiving any snow. Also, we didn't make it all the way to the summit as getting up the class 3 section with it all iced over was impossible, but we did make it to the Dark Saddle which is so close I consider it a success given the circumstances. Open-cycle maps has a GPS route which was handy in route-finding on those occasions when we were unsure of the trail (which was often thanks to the snow). Got back to the vehicle around 2 PM, the snow slows travel down immensely. I cannot overstate to be careful in the winter and come prepared. Oh, and we saw a Javelina on the descent.
Tracy - Oct 30, 2015 8:51 pm Date Climbed: Oct 26, 2015
Modoc Mine routeI hiked/climbed this one from just below the green gate with fellow summitpost members cp0915 and moapapk. I was willing to drive to the end of the road but my hiking partners preferred hiking the road rather than me driving it. The summit was exhilarating and we summited the more technical peaklet to the northeast just for kicks.
jherring - Mar 18, 2015 1:36 am Date Climbed: Mar 14, 2015
What a trekWe drove up to the Modoc Mines and started climbing around 745 we got to the top around 1115 and had lunch and enjoyed the view till noon and we were back at the trucks around 1500. Trail was good, lost it a few times and had a few oh there you are moments. When we got close to the tops we made the mistake of following another hiker (not In our group who said he knew which way was the right way for the final climb. If we had literally walked 10 more feet we would have seen the correct way up. The way we went up was scary. I'm a pretty active person and consider myself an adrenaline junky and I was terrified. But once we got to the top it was worth the skid mark in my shorts. We did find the right way up/down and they way down was, in my opinion, tougher than the way up. My bug toes didn't enjoy the pounding against my shoe. Plan on going again with another group to camp around the Juniper Pass area. Fun hike, definitely glad I did it after having lived in this town for 23 years.
Pewma - Oct 15, 2013 12:52 pm Date Climbed: Mar 11, 2013
Organ NeedleA fun route to the summit and a great view of Sierra Blanca across the Tularosa Basin
eric-griz - Mar 12, 2013 3:35 pm Date Climbed: Mar 11, 2013
Tough hikeI was under the impression that the route would be difficult to follow, but my group had no problems following the distinct user trail up to the summit. It looks more intimidating than it actually is.
JustDSM - Mar 24, 2012 4:37 pm Date Climbed: Mar 23, 2012
3rd Time's a charm!Took another friend of mine and my dog again. Took some alternate trails and found an interesting cave around the Grey Eminence area.
JustDSM - Nov 1, 2011 7:44 pm Date Climbed: Oct 22, 2011
2nd Summit AttemptMy 2nd successful summit. This time it I took my German Shepherd (Kadin) and a friend who'd never done any climbing. Once we got to the Class 3 section I learned he was actually scared of heights! He dug deep and over came his fears. Good man. Rigged up a harness for my dog, and just used the ropes to belay her. She had no issues ascending or decending the Class 3 section. But she's not your average pooch.
JustDSM - Nov 1, 2011 7:41 pm Date Climbed: Sep 17, 2011
Good hike/climb!!My first trip to the top of the Needle. Lead the El Paso Hiking Group up there. 13 members in total, 11 made the summit.
benwood - Aug 23, 2011 10:18 am Date Climbed: Apr 1, 2010
Modoc mine routeJust guessing on the date climbed. I went with someone who had done this peak many times so he was able to show the way. At times to trail was hard to follow, but very rewarding. One of my favorite things about the hike is the cement plaque giving the final directions to the summit. Whoever put that there was determined.
twilly - Aug 8, 2011 11:27 pm Date Climbed: Mar 23, 2009
quick climbStarted from Baylor canyon road. We didn't have the whole day to climb so we booked it. We ended up getting to the top in 2 hrs 45 minutes. It took us quicker than we expected so we stayed on top for over an hour enjoying the view.
strudolyubov - Jan 24, 2011 1:18 pm Date Climbed: Jan 23, 2011
Modoc Mine RouteClimbed Organ Needle from Modoc Mine TH. The trail was relatively easy to follow with lots of cairns. Climbed the wall (low Class 5) to the left of the standard crux pitch. After visiting the main summit, climbed the eastern sub-summit. Nice hike/climb, great weather, gorgeous views!
Farmdog - Aug 19, 2010 8:10 pm Date Climbed: Aug 14, 2010
Hot HikeStarted at Fillmore Canyon trail, followed that over to Modoc Mine trail, then up to Needles trail. Lots of new growth on trail. Started at 7:54 and go to log book at 12:28. We had been planning on overcast skies like the previous weekend, but it was sunny the entire day. Clouds didn't move in until we got back to the vehicles. Good hike though.
seano - Nov 12, 2009 10:11 pm Date Climbed: Nov 11, 2009
Standard routeClimbed with a friend who had done it before. He said the trail was easier to follow and less brushy than last time, but I still got poked plenty. Great summit, even if it was hazy.
weeds19 - Apr 16, 2007 9:30 pm Date Climbed: Apr 15, 2007
Looking out my backdoorAfter sitting on my back patio and staring up at Organ Needle for the past 9 months it was finally time to climb the peak. A friend from work joined me on the climb and we had a great, yet strenuous, day on the mountain. The route is not quite straightforward, but a few well written desciptions greatly helped our cause. The views were great, as expected! We spent a couple minutes looking at the class 4 section before we figured out how we wanted to attack it. One of my favorite NM climbs!
lizrdboy - Mar 17, 2007 9:33 pm Date Climbed: Mar 17, 2007
Happy St. Patty's DayI finally climbed the mountain in my back yard. It wasn't as bad as I'd heard, but it was a very tough climb. Steep, rugged terrain. We took 3:15 up and 2:30 down. The weather was warm for March (80s), but the trail stayed in the shade a lot. I used the trip report from "Adam" at cohp.org (//cohp.org/nm/Dona_Ana_5.html) and it worked well.