Sunday Burro Group - Chamisa to Circle via Grants/ Gabaldon Trail

I haven't hiked this route in a couple of years now, it's been on my mind as I've always liked it, just wasn't up to it until recently. Now I think I'm good to lead it & many in our Group will enjoy it. It's not well known, so we're likely to have the main segment of this route all to ourselves :)

This one is a challenging hike, with an extended steep segment. Most of us will be fine with it, but you need to be a strong, fit hiker. Even the shorter distance option includes the steep trail segment, so whichever you choose, you'll get a strenuous workout.

Full hike will be 9 miles; option for car shuttle from Chamisa to Borrego TH (same route only less than 1/2 the mileage) about 4 miles.

We'll all start out together at Chamisa TH, turn right at saddle, past the Medicine Wheel, then bear left up the steep and little traveled Grants or Gabaldon Trail, which will be the work-out segment of this hike (it IS steep!). Some may never have been on this trail, I like it, but it is not well known or traveled. And it is steep & steady steep. We climb for a while, with a couple of viewpoints until it eventually leads us to the Circle Trail, near the highest point of Circle, but not quite. We then continue to climb to the top of the Circle Trail. Once at the picnic tables atop of the Circle Trail, we'll continue straight down, not down the Circle Trail, but rather to the Borrego/Bear Wallow TH, where some will end their hike. This will require that folks determine ahead of time which distance they plan to hike, and those who want to end at Borrego TH, for a 4+ mile hike, will need to have left a car there, to shuttle drivers back to Chamisa to retrieve other cars. Those wanting to hike the full 9 miles will proceed from Borrego TH onto Bear Wallow, down to Winsor, left on Winsor and up back to Chamisa saddle and then finally to Chamisa TH (making a 9 mile loop).

Newcomers are welcome on my hikes, I do ask that everyone please test their fitness for this Group prior to their first hike with us by timing yourself hiking up and down Atalaya (steep route), which you should be able to comfortably do in 3 1/2 hours or less (from Wilderness Gate or staircase). Please feel free to text me with any questions you may have regarding Atalaya or about my hikes in general.

Ronnie 617-331-1838

Burro Hikes are considered moderate by our standards, usually 4-7 miles in distance, on designated trails, unless otherwise specified.

Non-aggressive, well mannered dogs are welcome on all my hikes.

We meet at the DeVargas Mall parking lot, back lot (behind stores); please park in a lane near the bowling alley, but not right up against the mall wall. We carpool to all THs together. Please offer your driver $2 to cover gas expense for this hike. We leave promptly, so if you're running just a bit late, text me, & we'll wait up to 5 minutes for you.

Please be considerate of those on Waiting List and sign off hike as soon as you know cannot attend, preferably 12-24 hours in advance if at all possible. PLEASE DO NOT NO SHOW! Repeated No Shows have consequences!