Cancelled New Mexico BDR Trip!

[Desmo900]

Plan to start in Dell City, TX and finish in Antonito, CO. Time on BDR will be approx 7 days.

View Rally Point

 

[zgfiredude]

I'll jump in here for the planning and discussion. I'd love to do this and May seems like a great time of year. Thanks for starting this!!

 

[OkieDavid]

NM is always a winner. Got another trip on my calendar with Dos Tacos' May trip to Big Bend but if something happens with that trip I'll keep an eye on your trip to see if there's still space.

 

[Desmo900]

I'll jump in here for the planning and discussion. I'd love to do this and May seems like a great time of year. Thanks for starting this!!

Hey, thanks for chiming in. Stay tuned - we’ll how much traction this gets. I did a trip to the Arctic Circle this way and it worked out great. Where are you based out of?

 

[Desmo900]

NM is always a winner. Got another trip on my calendar with Dos Tacos' May trip to Big Bend but if something happens with that trip I'll keep an eye on your trip to see if there's still space.

Sounds good. I’m hoping we can pull a group together here. Depending on interest, you may be able to jump in. BB is awesome too!

 

[zgfiredude]

I'll jump in here for the planning and discussion. I'd love to do this and May seems like a great time of year. Thanks for starting this!!

Hey, thanks for chiming in. Stay tuned - we’ll how much traction this gets. I did a trip to the Arctic Circle this way and it worked out great. Where are you based out of?

Colorado, near Glenwood Springs

 

[velo47]

Colorado, near Glenwood Springs

Down valley

 

[velo47]

For some background on the NM BDR, here's my trip report from a couple years ago. I had a great time.

New Mexico Backcountry Discovery Route

The entire route: Day 1 I met up with Jimmy and Suzie from Prescott, AZ, and their pup, Luna, in Las Cruces. The plan was to motel it there that night (Monday), and then slab it to Dell City, TX in the morning to start the offroad route. When I got the motel, they were already there...

www.overlandbound.com

 

[Desmo900]

For some background on the NM BDR, here's my trip report from a couple years ago. I had a great time.

New Mexico Backcountry Discovery Route

The entire route: Day 1 I met up with Jimmy and Suzie from Prescott, AZ, and their pup, Luna, in Las Cruces. The plan was to motel it there that night (Monday), and then slab it to Dell City, TX in the morning to start the offroad route. When I got the motel, they were already there...

www.overlandbound.com

Great - thank you! Any advice? How many days did you take? TIA

 

[velo47]

We took 6 days, including the drive from Las Cruces, NM to Dell City, TX. Our run through the Mescalero Apache Reservation around Ruidoso was quicker than usual because the reservation roads were all closed so we stayed on pavement.
If I was doing it again I would probably add a day. We hit the Jemez Mountains on a weekend so it was jam-packed with campers and we pushed through all the way into the Tusas mountains past El Rito. I would spend more time in the Jemez, and also around Reserve.

 

[zgfiredude]

We took 6 days, including the drive from Las Cruces, NM to Dell City, TX. Our run through the Mescalero Apache Reservation around Ruidoso was quicker than usual because the reservation roads were all closed so we stayed on pavement.
If I was doing it again I would probably add a day. We hit the Jemez Mountains on a weekend so it was jam-packed with campers and we pushed through all the way into the Tusas mountains past El Rito. I would spend more time in the Jemez, and also around Reserve.

In your opinion......aside from wet weather and mud, is this doable with an off road teardrop?

 

[Desmo900]

We took 6 days, including the drive from Las Cruces, NM to Dell City, TX. Our run through the Mescalero Apache Reservation around Ruidoso was quicker than usual because the reservation roads were all closed so we stayed on pavement.
If I was doing it again I would probably add a day. We hit the Jemez Mountains on a weekend so it was jam-packed with campers and we pushed through all the way into the Tusas mountains past El Rito. I would spend more time in the Jemez, and also around Reserve.

Great - thanks for the feedback. I wasn’t sure how many days to allocate but it sounds like a week should be fine for the BDR portion.

 

[velo47]

In your opinion......aside from wet weather and mud, is this doable with an off road teardrop?

I don't think you'd have any problems. Chloride canyon is a little twisty but I think a small offroad trailer would be fine. There is a hairpin at the exit that you might need to 3 point. There's a narrow section with banks on both sides dropping out of Cloudcroft that would be tight if you have to back up for oncoming traffic. And there was one washed out section above Vallecitos that was deeply rutted from the rains. May have been fixed and there was a bypass. We did it in 4wd Sprinters and had no prob.s

 

[Dr_rer_nat_Dan]

I am interested in this trip. Keep me informed and I will check back in. Thanks for the planning.

 

[Sparksalot]

In your opinion......aside from wet weather and mud, is this doable with an off road teardrop?

I took mine east to west through Chloride Canyon and much of segments 1-3.

 

[Sparksalot]

I don't think you'd have any problems. Chloride canyon is a little twisty but I think a small offroad trailer would be fine. There is a hairpin at the exit that you might need to 3 point. There's a narrow section with banks on both sides dropping out of Cloudcroft that would be tight if you have to back up for oncoming traffic. And there was one washed out section above Vallecitos that was deeply rutted from the rains. May have been fixed and there was a bypass. We did it in 4wd Sprinters and had no prob.s

I went up at that point. I did as much of a running start as possible with 2wd.

 

[DosTacos]

I'm definitely interested in doing the NM BDR but leading a Big Bend trip the same month and not sure I can get away with both. I may have to wait until the fall.

 

[Desmo900]

I am interested in this trip. Keep me informed and I will check back in. Thanks for the planning.

Sounds good, for now still seeing how much interest there is. If you have questions, drop a note. Looking at mid May for now and about a week to do the route itself.

 

[GOXPLRE]

Interested in joining you guys if calendars align

 

[Gloriaib]

I am also interested. May is a good time for me, we will be coming from ND if everything aligns.