Go back to US.
Sandias.
After weeks of lockdown, we found ourselves looking for a place to go that’s a bit further afield and where public lands were again open for business. We stumbled onto the Sandias (worthless) guidebook, booked a cabin, and off we went on a quick road trip. On the first day, we drove up to the trailhead (>10K feet of elevation) and then hiked down to the base of Muralla Grande and climbed its easy classic called The Second Coming (5.8, 5ish pitches). Thanks to the (worthless) guidebook, we messed up and did some chossy variation on the upper part. Anyway, as we had left Benny down at the base I had to run down to get him before we hiked back. Well, the down part went well but somehow the altitude hit me on the way back up. In fact, both Shirley and I were suffering a lot on the almost trivial hike back to the car. Somewhere on the drive back to the cabin, the altitude caught up to Benny and he had some explosive diarrhea. We had an eventful night in our nice, rented cabin where I slept on the floor next to Benny and would quickly take him out (for more explosive diarrhea) at any sign of him stirring. Benny felt like shit the next day and frankly so did I after a sleepless night. We tried to cheer him up with a swim in the Rio Grande but he was not into it. We drove home the next day.
Photos
Navajo Nation (May 2020).
Navajo Nation sights on the drive south (May 2020).
Sandia Crest Trailhead (May 2020).
Views towards Albuquerque from the approach hike to Muralla Grande (May 2020).
Shirley in the approach gully to the base of Muralla Grande (May 2020).
In the gully (May 2020).
Benny downward bound in the steep approach gully (May 2020).
Starting up The Second Coming (May 2020).
Shirley arriving at the first belay (May 2020).
Leading pitch 2 of The Second Coming (May 2020).
Shirley topping out on pitch 2 (probably; May 2020).
Views from the route (May 2020).
Shirley on our (off-route) pitch 3 (August 2020).
Leading the off-route pitch 4 (May 2020).
Leading the pitch 4 choss (May 2020).
Looking back at Shirley from the lead of pitch 4 (May 2020).
A bird and a choss crack (May 2020).
Shirley on pitch 4 (May 2020).
View up towards the rim and the trailhead (May 2020).
Shirley topping out on pitch 4 (May 2020).
A scrabbly final pitch (May 2020).
Looking back at Shirley from the lead of (the off route) pitch 5 (May 2020).
Think we missed the more spectacular headwall pitch in favor of some 5.8/9 choss crack (May 2020).
Shirley topping out on the route (May 2020).
Hiking back to the car (all of us suffering from altitude; May 2020).
Benny still feeling fine apparently (May 2020).
Resting on the hike back (May 2020).
Hiking back to the car (all of us suffering from altitude; May 2020).
Benny at our rented cabin in the Sandias (May 2020).
A rice diet to firm things up (May 2020).
Trying to entice Benny to take a dip in the Rio Grande outside of Albuquerque (May 2020).
Somebody must’ve been still feeling shitty since he showed no interest in water (May 2020).
BIA road on Navajo Nation (May 2020).
Navajo Nation. Paws off…
Shirley and Benny admiring Shiprock on Navajo Nation lands (May 2020).
Shiprock (May 2020).
A closer look (May 2020).
Benny and Shiprock (May 2020).
Up close (May 2020).
Utah – Colorado state line on the drive home (May 2020).
Go back to US.