Hiking McKittrick Canyon to Dog Canyon, Guadalupe Mountains National Park 

Hi Rick, you're welcome, and I'm glad the video helped. It would be a beautiful place to work!

Hi Albert, thank you and thanks for watching! Hopefully any information/views I provide will help you or others out.

FDG, you're welcome. Once you pass the busier areas of McKittrick Canyon you should have solitude and awesome scenery.

Hi Jan, I can see why you would like it! Thanks for watching.

Hi pbostler, you're welcome. It is a fun and beautiful hike. You will enjoy it.

Hi Lee, thank you. I have no desire to put the camera on me and have never filmed myself. On my next hike, I may film myself doing the climbing portion since I will most likely have to climb up first then haul my pack up. It would give people an idea of what the climb is like, but we'll see. But otherwise, the camera will always be on the scenery, not my face.

Hi Tom, you're welcome, and thanks for watching. If you take your time and know your limits you can do it, and it helps to have some company too. Some say this is the toughest trail in the park, especially if you go all the way to the campsite. There are a lot of easier trails in the park, and even the first half of this one is easy, so it might be a good idea to start with some of those. Alaska but be awesome, I'm sure. I hope your health continues to improve so you can get out to the Guadalupe Mountains. They really are beautiful, and still relatively lightly visited.

Hi Gail, you're welcome, and thanks for watching. I hope you still get to hike and enjoy the outdoors somewhat though. I have a respiratory disease too, but I'm trying to figure it out.

It would be interesting to find out how the canyon got its name. I think I'll look it up now. You're welcome for the time, and thanks for your story. Have a Blessed Christmas!

Here's what I just found: "McKittrick Canyon was named for one of those settlers - Captain Felix McKittrick, a rancher who moved to the mouth of that canyon in 1869. In 1921, a young geologist named Wallace E. Pratt came to McKittrick Canyon. He was captivated by its beauty and geology and began buying land in the canyon."

Bluecollar Backcountry, that would be rough doing that hike in the rain, and then having to camp in that cold and wind. Thankfully for us it wasn't windy at least. I needed a better sleeping bag or and extra pair of pants and I would've been ok. You probably didn't see too many people on New Year's eve? We saw a few people before the cabin, and only one person after.

@@ZacharyTeich-HikingTrainer haha, yeah that was one of my trips out there when I didn't see anyone. Guadalupe Ridge trail is another trail you won't see anyone. ATB, Tony

It is nice that you can have so much of it to yourself, especially when you want to get away from people.

Hi lostinpark, it's definitely a great place, and we had a great day there. You will enjoy it!

Hi Mary, yes the views there were awesome! Thanks for watching.

dogofthedesert, thanks! I'm glad I can show people some new places. If you ever get a chance to go there I would do it. I'm not sure how far it is from Albuquerque, but it will be worth it.

Hi Allen, yes there is definitely a big difference. Maybe west Texas being further south makes a difference. Also, maybe the San Francisco peaks help induce more rain in the Flagstaff area. At the Guadalupe Mts. (and Big Bend also), it is neat to see how the trees will grow on one slope, and then another slope with a different sun angle will have no or very few trees. It's also neat lower down in the desert, seeing how certain types of vegetation will grow in one area and then just a mile or so later there will be a much higher concentration of something else. I always am amazed at that. Yes, either way it's beautiful. You're welcome and thanks for watching!

Hi Garrett, thank you and thanks for watching. I think it was about a mile to Lost Peak from that junction. It may have been a little more or less though. It's been awhile now.

Hi Crush Mandible, you're welcome, and thank you for watching. We were there on the 28th and 29th. I haven't camped at any of the backcountry sites yet. Hopefully you had some warmer weather in March. It wasn't bad, but I just didn't have enough layers for the night temperatures. Did you see a lot of people on the trails? After the popular section of McKittrick canyon, we only saw one person.

It was "brisk" when we were there in March, but I thought it was perfect. On average, we had highs in the low 70s, and lows in the mid to high 40s. The second day we had snow flurries heading from Tejas to Dog Canyon. It warmed up slightly after the second day. I had no problem keeping warm with a 20F bag, but my buddy was slightly chilled with his 40F bag. Here's a short clip of the flurries, near Lost Peak I believe: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-aZn0bBEQKvU.html The March trip was during spring break, and I was worried that the park was going to be full of people. We arrived about an hour before the Pine Springs visitors center opened to get our backcountry permits, thinking we would certainly be the first ones there. To our surprise, there were about a dozen people ahead of us! After making the intial 2000 ft climb, we didn't see anyone. We had the Tejas campground to ourselves. Dog Canyon had two other groups come in besides us, and Mescalero had one.

Yeah, I think my sleeping bag is only rated for 40 degrees. It seems like the park is getting more popular since I've been going. Once you get out further though, you usually don't see too many people. We were the only ones at Dog Canyon, but that was when the road was closed.

Hi herodotus7, yes as long as the air is clear. I have a view of Sierra Blanca on my Hunter Peak/Guad. Peak video too. It's a fun hike up there with lots of great views. Especially when you get higher up, it is neat to see the canyon from different angles and also be able to look out further east. It was cold, but it was probably just my sleeping bag wasn't good enough for those temperatures. We actually didn't have too much wind. Enjoy your next trip!

Hi Cameron, it was a fun trip and I'm glad we got to do it as well. Dog Canyon does feel different, and it is a neat area. It is interesting how much things change in just a few miles. I talked about exploring up McKittrick canyon in one of the clips I filmed, but I didn't put it in the video. It doesn't look like there are any impassable cliffs, so as long as that's really the case, you could probably make it up the creek pretty far. If I would've really thought better about this trip, we would've done something totally different. Oh well, it was still really fun, and we had great weather and awesome views. I still have to work on an OML recap video, and also a video about what I carry for off trail hikes. Then hopefully I will be back at Big Bend in less than 3 weeks.

Zachary Teich did you walk to the Hunter Line Shack? I can't remember if it's there or nearer to the Grotto but there is a sign that discourages people from going on up the creek. However I've read a blog of someone going farther up trail. There is supposed to be a narrows section of the creek with huge cliffs on both sides. I looked it up on Google maps and I'm pretty sure I cam see the section. That would be an amazing section to check out.

We didn't go all the way to the shack, just the grotto. There is a sign further up from devil's hall that says the area (canyon) is closed I think April - October or something like that. We passed it on the way back from Shumard peak, but we were good anyway since it was November. I wonder if that sign says the same thing by the Hunter shack, or if it's all year? Yes, that would be neat to check out. Maybe just go further up the trail, and then go into the canyon, and then you didn't see the sign, right? I don't know if I will make it back to the Guads, but I may try to depending on weather, time, etc. Otherwise I know I will just go to Big Bend for the next few trips since it does save an hour overall.

Zachary Teich the Hunter Line Shack is about 3 minutes from the Grotto. That may be where the sign is. Yeah I totally know what you mean about "accidentally" missing the sign. I'm normally a big time rule follower but ... we'll see.

Hi Cameron, I hope that you have fun there next week. Your sons should like it, and hopefully the weather is nice. We've been pronouncing it "teach" for awhile, maybe 3-4 generations, but it really should be a more Europeanized version. I'm not sure who changed it, but they Americanized it. I think they also changed the spelling too, since there are some people where I'm from in PA that have the last name Tajc. I think some people changed the spelling to Teich, and then the different pronunciation followed. I say Pedernales the way you did. I think that's the correct way. This may be a rumor, but I've heard Lyndon Johnson always said Perd.... and that's why everyone says it that way. It makes sense - everyone follows the dumb politician, even though he's wrong.

Oh yeah - Pt. 7625, Pt. 7301, Coyote Peak, Cutoff Mt. and Pt. 6950 are all within striking distance of Dog Canyon. If you summit two of these on your trip, I will do an overnight on my next trip (when I am able to stay for two days). I'm trying to motivate people to climb more mountains! Pt. 7625 and 7301 are just east of Dog Canyon, and shouldn't be too long of a round trip.

That is, if your wife is going too and can watch the kids while you do it.

That is, if your wife is going too and can watch the kids while you do it.

@@ZacharyTeich-HikingTrainer I honestly have been wanting to do Cutoff Mt and Coyote Peak for a while. But only really considered them on a loop while camping at the Marcus Backcountry Campsite. My wife is going on this trip too. We have several things planned. Half day trip to Carlsbad Caverns, afternoon swimming trip to Sitting Bull Falls, Marcus Overlook hike, etc. I have already scheduled a morning solo hike one day. But I'm just planning on the Lost Peak/Manzanita Ridge Loop. But hey, at least thatll be a little off trail. I have a really big trip coming up out there at the end of September. I'm actually tagging along with someone on their trip but itll be the longest one I've ever done out that way. Maybe later in fall or early winter I can take you up on your challenge.

That's an interesting connection, thank you for sharing. I hope to hike these canyons. I'm 53 as well. 😁

Well, before I get some blowback, I looked at the video again, and you are right. That is the correct line to Sierra Blanca. The peak I was referring to is more to the north (line of sight crossing the escarpment north of the park). Your line of sight does follow the valley and toward SB. My apologies. Your were right on concerning the distance. About 100+ miles as the crow flies. Btw, about the same distance to the Capitan Mtns.

Hi Anthony, you too! I didn't think to ask when it will open up again, but at least there was water there. This was the first time I backpacked, and my brother's first time too. I wish I had a better sleeping bag! I'm not sure how much I was carrying but it felt pretty heavy. However, I was a little fatigued from the day before. Yes, it was definitely Sierra Blanca peak. Nothing else would be that big in that area. We could see the Capitan Mts. too. They were a little further east. You can see Sierra Blanca from the summit of Guadalupe Peak when it is clear enough. I have it on my Hunter Peak/ Guad. Peak video. Well, I hope you get to make it out there soon!

Hi Zach. Thanks for the reply. I am not sure why it is taking so long for them to reopen the highway. Concerning Sierra Blanca. On the day I was on Lost Peak, the sky was primarily clear, however, I only saw Capitan mtns that day. As I mentioned in my first comment, I had mistaken it for Sierra Blanca because it was the only peak I saw in that general direction. SB must have been obscured that day. Anyway, concerning you backpacking equipment, I use a Thermarest Neoair xlite pad with a down quilt called Revelation from a company called Enlightened Equipment. You may want to check them out. The quilt is so much lighter, and compact than a bag. Plus, it keeps me warm. My quilt us rated for 20F.

You're welcome. It probably takes them so long to drive there and back everyday that it cuts in on the time they actually work on repairing the road. I would think there has to be another route, probably just a dirt road, that they aren't going to tell anyone about. Yes, Sierra Blanca was probably covered in clouds. When my brother and I climbed Anthony's Nose in El Paso, Sierra Blanca was highly visible at first, then gradually became obscured by the clouds. Thanks for the info about the quilt. I will have to check that out for the future. I know I won't be doing any overnight trips for awhile now. Hopefully I will be living in AZ in about a year, and even for awhile after that I won't be doing anything overnight.

Leaving for Arizona? Austin traffic too crazy? LOL! Just kidding. I am assuming you want to be closer to family. If you decide to pursue backpacking again, youtube is your best-friend. I have learned a lot from watching videos. They helped me to decide what works and what doesn’t.

Hi Jeff, thanks again! It is a 40 degree rating. I definitely needed something warmer, or an extra pair of pants. But it was a good learning experience.

Hi Robert, my camera is a Sony FDR AX-100 4K camera. Thanks for viewing!

Zachary Teich thanks. Image quality is outstanding. Love your videos.

You're welcome, and thank you!

Hi Mary, I don't know the history of McKittrick canyon, or how it got its name. Is your father's name just a coincidence, or is he related to the person it is named after? Thanks!