Deron and Meredith’s 2012-01-06 Hike to the Summit of San Felipe Peak

(San Felipe del Agua, Etla, and Huayapam), Mexico.

Summary:

Starting Location:

 5638ft / 1718m, San Felipe del Agua

San Felipe Peak Summit:

 10159ft / 3096m

Highest elevation obtained:

 10575ft / 3223m

  (explanation in the ramblings below)

Hike End Location:

 5685ft / 1732m, Huayapam

 (i.e. returned to SFdA via taxi)

Total Mileage Hiked:

 16.5miles

Total Hours of Hiking:

 9 hours, 35 minutes

Total Ascent: 6126ft / 1867m

Total Descent: 6089ft / 1856m

Note: click on pictures to view larger image.

Elevation Profile (Hiking part of route only):

Route of D & M on San Felipe Peak Hike 

 (Red is route hiked, pink is taxi ride home):

View Larger Map

Use GoogleMaps to see most of this hike data in full-view, as well as details of waypoints, visit: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zB2kha2APj7g.kQotupOJnzA0&usp=sharing

Or better yet, use (free) GoogleEarth and download the KMZ file for use of ALL the hike data. Click here for the KMZ data file.

Also available on WikiLoc.com: http://en.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=2386694

Meredith and Deron at the San Pablo Etla sign:

(at junction of Duende Tierra trail & Juarez Ridge (dirt) Road

(see map waypoint “DT + JRR Jct”))

                                                             

 

After we came across the dirt road (JRR) and this sign, we (mistakenly?) went east on the road until the road died out.  At that point we began bushwacking to try to get back to the top of the ridge (to our north).  Once we did, there we found a singletrack trail right on the ridge.  We probably missed a singletrack cutoff to the northeast as we walked along the road.

But at least we got to see the first of the many large (then later, HUGE) maguey plants:

Map close-up of our bushwacking section you should avoid.  It is just west of the area we think is Jeff and Oliver’s Duende Tierra.  Blue is probably the actual route one should take.

Here is Mer  after we finally cleared the bushwacking and made it to the strangely-vegetated saddle on the ridge just west of the steep climb up to the false summit of San Felipe Peak.  If we have the right location, this is Jeff and Oliver’s “Duende Tierra.”

Here is Mer (looking sooooo happy) as we struggle up the steepest part of the climb – the western approach to the false summit of San Felipe Peak. Note the amount of fallen pine needles and leaves covering the “trail.”

The “headstone” at the top of the (west) false summit of San Felipe peak:

Deron at the best viewing spot on San Felipe peak, the cross of yellow pipe, east of the true summit.

Same location (Cruz de la Tuberia Amarilla),looking south over Oaxaca de Juarez:

After we left the peak, we headed east as we decided we’d prefer to take the Upper Hauyapam Access Road (Road UHAR) down into town instead of trying to go down the slippery, steep slope we'd taken up to the peak.  While heading east we entered a four-way intersection (i.e. our trail from the west, three fire roads on the other compass points).  As we were now beyond San Felipe del Agua and mostly north of Huayapam we were surprised to find another Etla community sign at this intersection.  It would seem the Juarez Ridge Road (Road JRR) has an offshoot that comes around the San Felipe peak on the north and connects in here.

After following the east fire road (and then a slight shortcut up a trail henceforth known as Cava Cagarruta (Trail CC) we connected with the UHAR.  Seven miles (down!) and 2.5 hours later we made it to the center of Huayapam.  From there we grabbed a taxi home to San Felipe del Agua.  Here is a picture of the church in Huyapam (taken on a previous visit):

Explanation of how maximum elevation is higher than the San Felipe Peak summit.

Our maximum elevation reached was 10575ft / 3223, reached NOT at the SF peak summit but instead 0.1 miles east of the CC + UHAR junction.  This is because there is a higher peak to the north east of this intersection.  That peak is 10803ft at its summit and the UHAR appears to go straight to it (to service the towers on top of it, probably).

Suggested alternate route for getting to Duende Tierra with children.

To get to the Duende Tierra area as easy as reasonably possible, I suggest skipping going up Martillada trail (Trail Ma) to get to Duende Tierra trail (Trail DT) and instead drive up the Libramiento Norte road (Road LNR) to its summit to the west.  From there use High Flyer Ridge trail (Trail HFR) to connect to the top of the Ma trail and then over to DT trail before heading up to JRR and then on east to the Duenda Tierra area. It is probably possible to stay on the ridge on HFR trail  and go past the Ma trail turnoff, instead climbing straight uphill to connect with the DT trail.   See GoogleMaps/GoogleEarth satellite views for a peek at the vegetation/path you’d be going through.  Here is elevation data for using HFR versus straight up Ma.

Comparison of trail elevations between going up Martillada (950ft elevation over 1.6 mi) versus driving up Libramiento Norte Road and then using High Flyer Ridge trail (500 ft elevation gain over 1.7 miles):

Suggestions: 

I would recommend NOT using the route we used to get to the SF Peak summit.  Instead I would do it in reverse, i.e. starting in Huayapam and using the UHAR to get up to the top before heading west over to the summit of SF Peak.  This would mean you’d miss seeing Duende Tierra area but you will see much of the same strange vegetation as you head up the UHAR and the road, though very steep, is still better than the west approach.  If it was earlier in the dry season when perhaps there is less dropped leaves/needles, the west approach may be more reasonable (though it will be damn steep still).  Good luck.