- You Loathe the Color Yellow
This is often cited by many local hiking groups as the principal reason they avoid Aspen Vista. For the nation’s many haters of the color, it is reputed to be a terrible experience, with many complaining of having seen virtually nothing but yellow until they climbed above 10,500 feet, and some even vowing to report the offense to the county. Even those who have covered their eyes for the first 1,000 vertical feet have complained that when in the higher elevations of Spruce and Fir, the vast groves of revolting yellow Aspens were visible from the top. Some of those hikers even reported seeing orange, which they hold to be an affront.
2. You Prefer a Grade of 23% and Piercing Back Pain
If you’re up for a difficult, painful, rocky climb with scary scrambles, annoying climbers with ropes yelling annoying things to each other in Greek, and debilitating knee and back pain, Aspen Vista is not optimal. The trail, a maintenance road for vehicles to reach the antennas atop the 12,200-foot Tesuque Peak, has a gentle grade. If you must suffer, it’s likely that Aspen Vista’s relative ease means a barefoot sprint up Baldy with no food or water is best for you.
3. You Want Your Dog to Have a Horrible Day
If you are committed to the idea of leaving your dog at home to stare at the fireplace, you may want to avoid this, one of the best doggie trails in the Santa Fe area, and instead sit in a climate-controlled chamber at 7,000 feet. Several local canines (male and female) interviewed for this article have stated that the many conversations they have had up and down Aspen Vista’s 7-mile length constitute the finest doggie social hour in New Mexico.
4. Lunch at the Lunch Rocks Seems Ridiculous
If your hiking party would prefer not to have the perfect place, approximately four miles up the trail, to divert a bit and enjoy a nice picnic lunch or snack on the way to the top, this should be stricken from your lists. Other hikes, such as Lake Peak, may make it harder to find an easy, beautiful, airy, open place for a break, and if you’d prefer to be dehydrated because you can’t find a place for a decent break, those are better options.
5. You Loathe the Idea of Achieving a Goal and Can’t Stand Strolling around atop 12,200-foot Tesuque Peak
Since Aspen Aspen Vista leads gently to the top of 12,200-foot Tesuque Peak, it is highly unpopular with New Mexicans (and even some Texans) who can’t stand the idea the amazing views and the feel of the brisk Alpine breeze at the top. If you are a member of this group, you may indeed prefer to stare at the fireplace, and let your friends show you summit videos and photos from their phones upon their return.
To reach the Aspen Vista trailhead, head up Ski Valley Road 12.6 miles from the stoplight, and drive past the Big Tesuque trailhead on your right. Shortly after Big Tesuque, you’ll reach the Aspen Vista trailhead, where there’s a decent sized parking area and restrooms. The trail departs from the far side of the metal auto gate. For an extra treat, park at Big Tesuque and hike up that streamside trail, which is a bit steep in spots but which intersects with Aspen Vista after about ½ mile. Note that Aspen Vista has no water along its stretch after it crosses Tesuque creek, so you’ll need to pack a liter or two and some snacks for the 11.6-mile round trip.
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