March 20, 2020 —
My senior year spring break trip was – in a word – memorable. COVID-19 cast a dreary shadow over the entire week, bringing my and my friends’ future into question. As we ventured west to Joshua Tree, the country fell into chaos and despair around us. As we trekked back across the United States’ deep southwest corridor towards Guadalupe Mountains National Park, we found the country locked down and isolated. We did not know what our final weeks at Purdue would look like, and none of us wanted our trip to end. Shane, Jack, Aaron, Alex, Will and I braced for our return to a life filled with uncertainty amid the pandemic.
Our stop in Guadalupe Mountains was a brief light in the darkness cast by the pandemic. After concluding our time in Joshua Tree, we drove a full day across southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. We crossed three deserts, beginning in the Mojave, passing through the Sonoran, and ending in the Chihuahuan. The views were far less interesting than our previous year’s drive through the Colorado Plateau. This – coupled with a yearning to stay in Joshua Tree for longer – made the drive a bit depressing.
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Into the Barren Desert
After a night in El Paso, we ventured further into the Chihuahuan desert on the morning of March 20th. As the sun rose, we listened to the Weeknd’s new album After Hours and observed the arid landscape. One hour later, we spotted the mountains in the distance. They grew larger until – eventually – we caught the view pictured below.
When we finally stepped into the park, the landscape around us struck awe into the naysayers of our group. In spite of the desert around the mountains, the park was surprisingly green. Pine trees dotted the peaks as they rose in elevation, and we noticed plenty of foliage still in wintertime hibernation. Similarly to Joshua Tree, we didn’t see many other visitors. The park’s isolation coupled with the ensuing pandemic likely contributed to the scarcity of park-goers.
After setting up our tent, four of us – Shane, Alex, Will and I – began our objective: summiting Guadalupe Peak. While bouldering in Joshua Tree two days earlier, Aaron had fallen and broken his ankle. There was no way he’d be able to stomach a hike with 3,000 feet of elevation gain and 8 miles of walking on one foot, so – unfortunately – he could not come along. As the saint of the group, Jack offered to stay behind with him, leaving the remaining four of us to hike. I felt vaguely guilty leaving the two of them with our tent, but my urge to reach Texas’ highest point overcame that guilt.
To Guadalupe Peak
The four of us began our hike around 1 PM, quickly learning that the trail was not for the faint-hearted. The steepness and elevation gain we experienced felt like something I’d find in Yosemite. It shocked me to discover a trail so grueling in rural Texas. But, I firmly believe that hikes grow more rewarding the more difficult they get, so I was on board.
As we ascended, we talked about a wide range of topics. We discussed our pity for Aaron and his broken ankle, the pandemic, America’s political landscape, Catholicism’s view on sex in relationships (three of us were raised Catholic), and memories of our last four years at Purdue. We discussed our next steps after graduating. Shane had accepted a job in Fort Worth with Charles Schwab, Alex a job at a consulting firm, and Will a job with Wal-Mart’s innovation team. At the time, I still thought I’d be pursuing a Masters degree at Purdue, which was seeming less and less fun in light of the pandemic. None of us wanted to accept that our time at Purdue was nearing its end.
The views steadily improved as we continued to ascend the trail, helping distract us from our negative emotions. Before long, we broke through the tree line, and pine trees flooded our peripheries. The rocky trail guided us ever-closer to the hike’s terminus as the afternoon sun began to warm us up. Eventually, the path treated us to views of El Capitan’s backside, providing a different perspective of the park’s flashy front man.
The Top of Guadalupe Mountains
At about 3:45 PM, we reached the extra-rugged climax of the trail. We trudged along this portion of the trail for about 20 minutes, finally reaching the summit of Guadalupe Peak shortly after 4 PM. As promised, we could see for nearly 50 miles in many directions. From our vantage point, we could see Blue Origin, the nearby salt flats, distant manmade structures, and lots of desert. Strong wind gusts attempted to blow away a lone tent pitched near the summit, but also cooled us down.
Guadalupe Peak’s summit features a pyramid erected by American Airlines in the 1950s. It serves as advertising for the airline while also commemorating a stagecoach mail service that operated in the area in the 1850s. It includes a summit register as well, which we of course signed.
We spent about 30 minutes absorbing the views and snapping photos of each other at various angles. While not the best summit view I’d seen, it was an excellent perch from which to view West Texas. It made me appreciate the U.S. state a bit more than I used to. Other hikers’ presence and enthusiasm at the summit gave us some hope that at least the outdoor world might remain unchanged in spite of COVID.
Descending from Guadalupe Peak
We finished enjoying our “hiker’s high” and returned down the trail as the sun began to lower. The late afternoon light cast dramatic shadows on the park as we descended to the campground. Our energetic conversations continued on the way down, and our calves enjoyed the ease of the downhill trek much more thoroughly than the burden of the uphill climb.
At about 5 PM, we reunited with Jack and Aaron at the campground. We spent our evening cooking & eating dinner, drinking Bulleit bourbon, trading stories, and sharing laughs. Long after the sun had set, we continued to enjoy each other’s company in the tent and observed the beautiful night sky.
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The day had been a roller coaster of emotions, but it culminated in an impressive summit and great times with good friends. While not the most mind-blowing national park, Guadalupe Mountains was one I quickly learned to appreciate. It’s location in remote West Texas makes it an underappreciated gem, providing the opportunity to get away from the world and appreciate the rugged Chihuahuan Desert without the crowds of more popular national parks.
We concluded our visit the next morning by packing up the tent and venturing to the park’s neighbor: Carlsbad Caverns National Park. See my blog post on the park if you want to find out how that went (let’s just say, the second time was a charm). Our early rise in Guadalupe Mountains allowed us to see some wildlife and stunning views of the foggy peaks. It felt surreal, making it even harder to leave.
In Conclusion…
Overall, I enjoyed my first visit to Guadalupe Mountains National Park. I found myself within its boundaries again in 2021, when Maria and I visited Carlsbad Caverns. I don’t have much of an urge to return, but one day I’d like to revisit the summit of Guadalupe Peak with Maria, since we didn’t have time to conquer it in 2021.
In a state that is mostly dominated by privately-owned land, Guadalupe Mountains is a pristine haven for nature. Those visiting national parks in the general vicinity – or passing through on a road trip – should certainly pay the park a visit. If you love hiking and love mountains, you won’t be disappointed.
— Paul
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