Guadalupe County High Point Trip Report

Date: August 27, 2000
Author: Walt O'Neil

I went Vaughn and followed Jobe's trip report to Guadelupe's Mesa Leon. This was more of a hike than I anticipated as I took a left after passing through the gate; it appeared that the other road dead ended. I thought I was on the right path as the mileage coordinated with the directions. After going through 2 more gates, I took left up the hill to a red water tank and reassessed and realized that the higher area was across the road. I parked and hiked up the higher area and wound up walking the whole mesa to the highpoint. It was a great hike and I realized that there are many ways to get up on top.

Some comments:

1. The turnoff for De Baca off Rt. 60 is one-tenth of a mile east of mile marker 293.
2. The mesas are visible from each other-a distance of approx. 25 miles.
3. Don't get fooled in Vaughn by E. Main St., which you come to first (which also has an RV park).
There is no connection between East and West Main Streets -- a first in my book.
4. Because of the maze of roads in the area and having a topo that didn't extend to the 6.3 area in Jobe Wymore's description, it was easy to get disoriented. On the way out I noticed that you could take a jeep road straight at the 6.3 point and head right up the mesa and save some driving.