White Sands National Monument - May 20, 1996 - Member Trip Report
| Hike Name: | White Sands National Monument |
|---|---|
| Country: | United States |
| State: | New Mexico |
| Trip Rating: |  |
| Trip Date: | May 20, 1996 |
| Duration: | 1 day, 12 hours |
| Trail Conditions: | Excellent |
| Trail Traffic: | Light |
| Trip Weather: | Partly Sunny |
| Trip Winds: | Light |
| Trip Precipitation: | None |
| Trip Temperature: | High: 81-90, Low: 51-60 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Trip Report: | FRIDAY: We arrived at the visitors center running late as usual, and just in time to get a permit. The drive from the visitor center to the jump off point only took around 10 minutes, so we took our time getting out of the car and getting organized. The only problem with this hike was that we had to haul cooking supplies and lighting supplies, since fires are prohibited in the backcountry area. With this added weight, we struggled a little in the soft sand, but the trip was only a shade over a mile. We arrived at our space (#3) with no trouble, and began to set up camp. It took a little longer to set up, because we got interested in an earless lizard that came looking for a spot of shade. Eventually Mr. Lizard wandered off to feed in the cool of the evening, and we got down to finishing the campsite. Liquor of any kind is prohibited in the park area. That being said, we broke out the campstove and heated water for coffee so we could have some Bailey's. The daytime temps made it impractical to carry beer, and its a lot harder to hide a cooler from a park ranger than a small bottle. By just after dark, we were very relaxed, and settled down for some star gazing. I packed in my Bushnell telescope, so we set up on a high spot and looked at the moon and some star formations until we decided it was time for more Bailey's. About 11:00 we kicked on two lanterns, and settled down for some out-for-blood poker, and finally crashed out at 12:15. SATURDAY: The morning dawned cool and crisp, but it heats up rapidly in the dunes, so we made a quick breakfast on the stove and packed up the camp. 20 minutes of walking finished the backcountry loop, and we found ourselves back at the car. We drove further down the Scenic Drive in the dune area to meet some friends who just wanted to have a picnic and play some volleyball. They showed up late, so we were forced to heat some water on one of the park BBQ grills for another round of coffee and Bailey's. The rest of our party showed up about 11:30, and we finished off the day with two hours of Raider's Rules volleyball and a picnic. Departure from the park was aroound 3:00, and we arrived home 20 minutes later, only to spend 2 hours vacuuming the sand out fo the car and our gear. A nice little trip overall. |
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