Forging My Own Route Up The Cliffs || MESA ALTA || Chama River Canyon Wilderness

The Chama River Canyon Wilderness was formed in 1978 to protect over 50,000 acres of the Santa Fe and Carson National Forests along the Rio Chama in northern New Mexico. The Wilderness does not actually include much of the Rio Chama itself, which is protected as a Wild and Scenic River and has a vehicle road running beside it, nor does it include much of the high mesa tops that surround the river, which are lined with old forest roads in varying states of (dis)repair. Rather, it protects the canyon itself, hence the name. The canyon is cut through a formation that can be generalized as three masses - Mesa de los Viejos on the northeast banks of the Rio Chama, which is relatively flat and lower than the other two masses, Mesa Golondrina/Gallina Peak on the southwest banks of the Rio Chama and north banks of the Rio Gallina, and the collection of mesas on the southwest banks of the Rio Chama and south banks of the Rio Gallina, of which Mesa Alta is one. Capulin Peak is the highest of the entire surrounding high country.
The Continental Divide Trail (CDT) climbs west of Mesa Alta and descends into the Rio Chama Valley via Ojitos Canyon where reliable springs exist (Rio Chama water is not considered potable even after filtering). It briefly leaves the Wilderness, crossing Scull (Skull) Bridge and FR 151 only a few miles from the Monastery of Christ in the Desert, and immediately reenters the Wilderness as it heads up Joaquin Canyon north of the Rio Chama. After ascending Mesa de los Viejos, it hugs the Wilderness boundary until it reaches the Rim Vista viewpoint, where it descends the eastern slopes of the widening canyon as it heads towards Ghost Ranch. An alternate route instead keeps the canyon rim, passing over the soon-to-be-reopened Echo Amphitheater (site of a 1966 protest for Hispano Land Grant causes), bypassing Ghost Ranch.
Other videos from the area:
• Life as a Monk in the ...
• Bosque Brewing Co. Fre...
• Driving Up Capulin Pea...
• Off-Trail Hiking a Rem...
Music by me - "Erstwhile"

[@hikingwithjackieboy]

Beautiful scenery

[@melindacash1268]

Beautiful view!!!!❤

[@hikingwithjackieboy]

Beautiful place

[@ManzanoMan_Adventures]

Awesome video! I love the views from the Mesa all across the Chama Canyon Wilderness. West of you about 2 miles is a cool ruin to check out. It appeared to be of a lookout point the way it was crafted. The scramble you took to get there is by far more adventurous over taking a vehicle to trim time off. Thanks for the video. It is such a pretty part of New Mexico.

[@BeerBrackets]

I speak for everybody who got their hopes up for a beer review! 🤣 Beautiful video as always Nate.

[@OneMansOdyssey]

Maybe I'll have to make it a point to bring a beer up more often ;)

[@Chantsandchisels]

nice, how far north from us is this - lol, just looked it up, south of us :)

[@OneMansOdyssey]

Unfortunately, there is no easy way for your side of the mesa to access this area without a lot of hiking! Like I mentioned in the video, it is a fairly trivial drive technically and a short hike to the mesa top, but I imagine, despite your minimal straight-line proximity, you'd be looking at a fairly substantial drive to get here!