After leaving El Paso, I headed up to Guadalupe Mountain National Park. This mountain is the highest point in Texas at 8,749 feet. I tried to get in early enough to climb to the campsite, but it was too late and I had to park at a nearby rest stop to sleep for the evening. I met a trio of brothers traveling that had attempted to do the hike that day but had to turn back when one of them started getting hit with altitude sickness. I had forgotten to pack a spoon, so I borrowed one of theirs at camp and chatted for a while as I cooked my dinner.
The hike itself was a pretty tough 4 hour climb (though it only took half that to get back) that fortunately had me in the leeward side for most of the climb. The panoramic views were great and it was nice to have the mountain nearly to myself with only seeing one other person the whole trip. I was a bit disappointed to see some metal monument to American Airlines and stagecoaches at the top (as I prefer a Leave No Trace approach), but the view was definitely grand.
Panoramic view from the peak.
The highest bridge in Texas; just below the peak.
Marker at the top.
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