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Bryan K - Oct 21, 2009 6:03 pm Date Climbed: Aug 10, 1989
First highpointMy first state highpoint when I Was 15 years old. It was a great trip with my Dad and his friend. A marmot came up to me and licked my boots too!!
Adam Doc Fox - Feb 11, 2015 9:01 am
Re: First highpointMy first state highpoint as well. Sadly, I was 31.
ncst - Oct 21, 2009 3:48 pm Date Climbed: Oct 16, 2009
Nice hikeUp and down on the Bull of the woods trail, but going up I summitted Frazier mountain and then stayed on the rim. Snow in some parts.
dabailey - Oct 19, 2009 2:34 am Date Climbed: Oct 17, 2009
Bull of the WoodsGood trail. Ice in tree-covered parts was really slick. No animals. Great views. Pics
BranchWhitney - Oct 6, 2009 10:23 am Date Climbed: Oct 2, 2009
Fun hikeVery scenic hike with a very well marked trail. It was extremely wind and cold along the ridge and at the summit. With the wind chill it was about zero degrees! Saw a herd of Big Horns!
We hiked the Bull of the Woods trail.
Epica - Sep 22, 2009 8:00 pm Date Climbed: Dec 5, 2008
Wheeler Peak via Williams LakeTaos and the surrounding mountains are beautiful. Had a great hike to the top on a cold clear day, and got back to the trailhead under an amazing sunset.
TJ311 - Sep 13, 2009 9:07 pm Date Climbed: Sep 9, 2009
09/09/09 Summit via Bull Of The Woods TrailMy climbing partner and I were first to summit. The morning was gorgeous but storms quickly moved in by noon. We got hailed on when we were two miles from the trailhead.
Buckaroo - Sep 10, 2009 1:49 pm Date Climbed: Dec 3, 1990
Bull of the WoodsNice weather, not too cold, not too cloudy. While on the summit an eagle flew over from Taos Mtn.
DukeJH - Sep 8, 2009 6:19 pm Date Climbed: Sep 6, 2009
3rd Summit, 1st by Bull of the WoodsAscended via Bull of the Woods. It rained from the TH to La Cal Basin. The summit was windy and in and out of the clouds. I had planned to descend Williams Lake but thought better of it.
Foxy Long Bottoms - Sep 6, 2009 11:32 pm Date Climbed: Sep 5, 2009
RainyClimbed Jemez Valley, Walter and Wheeler Peaks.
Moth - Sep 3, 2009 8:03 am Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2009
Signs and Maps neededClimbed Wheeler Peak on a September Tuesday. Never saw another hiker. SummitPost said trails were well marked. Links to printing maps weren't working, so I took off up from Williams Trailhead (no map on the sign) without a map. Mistake.
There is parking at the trailhead but the signs say not to park overnight. I parked along the road and slept in the car since it poured in the afternoon. Didn't feel like dealing with soggy everything in the morning.
The trail is beautiful, never lost it in spite of a talent for losing the trail. The scree slope isn't as bad going up as it sounds like it would be going down.
Beautiful weather at the top, mountain sheep, lots of time to climb and read the cool placques. Brought what I thought was too heavy rain gear but ended up using all of it because...
There are three trails at the top. The sign at the intersection lost its paint decades ago. One goes from peak to peak. Bull in the Woods angles off. There is a no trespassing sign to continue in one direction but there are trails along the West side of that mountain and no sign to say where they lead.
Since there was plenty of time I took what seemed like Bull-of-the-Woods trail down. It is probably is easy to follow going up but going down well-maintained trails split off with little indication of what goes where. I'll assume the cairns marked the Bull-of-the-Woods trail but I don't know.
A sign at Horseshoe Lake would be helpful. You know you have to go down to get back to TSV, so down it was. Mistake. The cairns go up.
The woods were beautiful. The marmots weren't begging. No snakes. Trail was clear.
First sign. East Fork Red River, by a river. Hand done sign says HE, Higher Elevation? Third direction says nothing. Red River is a river and a town. I don't know the name of the river that runs along Taos Ski Valley, but the trail is well-maintained so I follow it. Mistake.
Long trail. Mostly heading North and East. Sometimes South. I don't know where the heck it's going. Historic markers. Entering Wheeler Peak Wilderness. That's right. Elizabethtown Ditch. Um. Where's Elizabethtown? Never heard of it. Rain and Hail.
East Fork Trailhead sign map has almost no correlation to the names on the roads you come to. Like it says you come to 503 but that road says 579. Hunter gives me a ride to Red River (the town, yeah). Hot Shots Firefighter gives me a ride to Questa. Artist gives me a ride back to TSV before dark, so see, it all worked out fine. But lessons learned. Always bring a map. A sign in crucial spots or even at the top, and a trail map at the Trailhead sure would have been helpful.
BadgerSummitSeeker - Sep 2, 2009 1:07 pm Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2009
State HP # 15Had an unsuccessful attempt around Memorial day due to a snow/ice storm above La Cal basin and losing the trail numerous times. This time in August had no trouble though. Didn't see too many people out on the trail today. Went up BOTW trail and descended via Williams Lake trail (which I regret). The Williams Lake trail was an awful descent down a scree slope. Slow going! Maybe it wouldn't have been as bad going up as it is coming down. Overall it was a great hike with awesome scenery and was my first 13er and highest elevation so far. Loved it!
tdawson - Aug 17, 2009 9:50 pm Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2009
We Made It!My husband and I climbed to the summit last year early in August. It was our first "real" hike. It was warm and beautiful. This year we decided that our kids (7, 15) could make it. They did great, but the weather was very cold. We weren't well prepared. We should have had gloves and jackets. Youngest said at Williams Lake, looking up, I am going to catch a cloud. He did it, but catching a cloud wasn't as fun since it was so cold and windy! I was proud of my kids!
Bark Eater - Aug 17, 2009 12:41 pm Date Climbed: Aug 14, 2009
Cold, rainy dayRound trip via Williams Lake with old TOC buddies Linda, Fernando, and Paul. The weather left a bit to be desired. Light to moderate rain in the woods turned to a wind-driven gale above tree line with wind chills in the 20s on the ridge. The trek up from the lake was easier than I expected..it's really a pretty good trail, not a scree climb. Made it to the top in 2h30m without a lot of effort.
Stuck around the next day for the Taos Mtn. Music Festival at the ski area....perfect weather for that. Hope to come back some time and enjoy the views from the top.
SDR - Aug 10, 2009 4:28 pm Date Climbed: Aug 3, 2009
First major climbMy plan was to wait at Williams lake with our 6 yr old son while dad went to the summit. It didn't work out that way, we decided that all three of us would give it a try. Our son and myself in our sneakers, made it to the top. A few times I wanted to quit but perseverance prevailed. It took a lot longer than it should of, but for the toughest hike I have ever done I really didn't care. My son was a real trooper and was congratulated on the way down, I am so proud of him. No regrets it was magnificent and I would do it again in a heart beat (as long as I have better footwear) We saw 4 big horn sheep and a few other critters that my son was amazed by. Bring on the next one!
truth111711 - Aug 8, 2009 11:59 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2009
1st 13K+Started solo at Base of Taos Ski Area about 7:30. Funny thing is that when I got to the trail head and map there were 2 different couples analyzing what way they'd take according to the map. After listening to them a couple minutes and watching them backtrack in a lost fashion, I just started walking. Went up Bull of the Woods trail to Wheeler Peak trail and arrived at peak about 10:30. Great climb up. Met a few people on ascent. Very windy and chilly at top. Spent 15-20 at top before starting back down. Passed and talked to a lot more people on descent, but that 8 miles down about ruined the knees. Would I do it again??? Maybe. But now I'm setting my sights on some 14ers in my home state of CO. Enjoy!
395guy - Aug 6, 2009 10:57 pm Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2009
second state highpoint with my sonMy 10yo son and I hiked the Bull of the Woods trail to the summit. He did awesome. I was very proud of him for doing his longest hike yet. I let him set the pace and I followed. He was upbeat and positive all the way up and down. Second of three state highpoints in a 6-day span (also AZ & CO).
sgb02d - Jul 18, 2009 9:44 pm
UniqueStraight from sea level to wheeler peak via williams lake in bad weather. Never again.
Dennis Poulin - Jul 15, 2009 12:49 pm Date Climbed: Sep 29, 2008
Standard RouteNice climb on a beautiful day. Saw a few sheep on distant ridges.
osatrik - Jul 13, 2009 7:23 pm Date Climbed: Apr 14, 1993
My 40th SHP, in 1993Daughter Vanessa and I hiked up through the ski area. We were glad that some backcountry skiiers had kicked steps up to the top of the ridge, but when we got there we found ourselves in a whiteout. Pulled out the compass and made our way out the ridge. Weather cleared a bit before we got to the top, making finding the summit marker easier.