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| Rough and Ready trail, Organs in the distance |
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| Cairn on top of Good Sight Peak |
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| Cooke's Peak |
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| On top of Good Sight, looking southeast |
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| Rough and Ready cliffs |
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| Good Sight Peak on the left |
I climbed Good Sight Peak (5,600') and the unnamed high point (5,400') of the Rough and Ready Hills in the Spring.Both peaks are in the expansive landscape of grass lands and volcanic hills that lie between Deming and Las Cruces. Good Sight Peak has no trail, but I started off on a high point of the road that parallels the old Butterfield Stage Route( get a topo map) and headed mostly due north. I stayed on the ridge, to not lose elevation, but eventually a cliff had to be circumnavigated just before the large saddle at the base of the peak.The last half mile or so just below the peak is very rough and steep.There is a sign in jar in a cairn on the western edge of the large flat-topped "peak." I took in the views all around: to the Uvas Mountains, Cookes Peak, the Rough and Readies and Sleeping Ladies, Nutt Mountain and on to the Black Range. It's a " big country " out here like they say in the movies. I took a different route through some arroyos on the way back. The country is totally open so there are lots of possibilities. It is mostly BLM and state land out here,once you turn west out of the Uvas Valley farming area. There are scattered veins of carnelian looking agate throughout this area. Just look down, you'll probably see some. I lost a jacket on the way back. I returned the next day to retrace my steps to hopefully find it,but was unsuccessful. I did find more carnelian though, and an intact Pearl Beer bottle that was about 50 years old.
Note: Good Sight Peak itself is on New Mexico State Trust Land, a recreation permit from the state land commissioner or valid hunting license may be needed to visit there.
The Rough and Readies are closer to Las Cruces and accessed by the Corralitos Road. I parked and started out on a crest of a hill where there are roads( private) branching off both sides.I went cross country around the base of the cliffs on the south side up to a saddle where I discovered a rock climbers trail coming in from the north. The trail leads to the base of cliffs, though, not to the peak. I then cutback to the southwest to the peak. I returned on the trail and met a couple of rock climbers I had seen on the cliffs earlier. It was a nice afternoon getaway, a short drive from my house.
Labels: hiking, Organ Mountains/Desert Peaks National Monument, rockhounding
4 Comments:
Thanks for the photos. I worked on the Goodsight Ranch in the early 70s and rode or drove by this peak and the Butterfield Stage site everyday for 3 months. I got to thinking about it and googled it. It was good to see it again. I hope you were wearing snake resistant boots while you were hiking. It was the first place I saw rattlesnakes in the wild. And there were plenty to see. If you have more shots of that area, I'd love to see them. Thanks again
Stan McElrath
San Antonio, Tx
Stan, I put a few more photos of the goodsight peak hike on the blog. I've been to quite a few nearby places so if there's some particular spot you remember- I may have a picture of it.
I also worked opn this ranch in 74 Climbed to the top and shot my first deer.I arrived on the ranch a long haired hippy and ask for a job. Mr Sonny Brownfield smiled and puffed his pipe. Asked me if I could ride a horse, I answered no. And he gave me a job. Roy Fraley
I to worked on the ranch for awhile @ 1974. Good to see the great views . takes you back in time to early Butterfield days with the apaches .Thanks , Roy Fraley.
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