TL;DNR — Salas Trail has about 50 downed trees within 1.3 miles of the top. Comanche has 0.5 miles of brush that needs lopping near the top, but few downfalls.
Having worked to improve Trigo Canyon Trail and Osha Trail this summer with the NMVFO, I decided to hike the two remaining trails that leave from the John F Kennedy campsite/trailhead and connect with Manzano Crest Trail: Comanche and Salas. I was inspired to hike both trails as a loop.
Don and his dogs joined me at Red Canyon campsite trailhead on the east side of the Manzanos at 8.1k feet, and we hiked up Red Canyon Trail 2.1 miles to reach the crest at 9.7k feet. After 0.5 miles south on Manzano Crest Trail, we reach Salas, and the intersection is signed.
Don joins me down Salas for 1.3 miles, and then turns back. We got off the correct route approaching a large rock outcropping, about the place that Don had trouble on a previous trip. We counted about 50 downed trees on the trail to this point, and few downed trees were found further down.
At 1.7 miles on Salas, oak brush becomes rather thick on the trail, and the oak clears somewhat at mile 2.1. I ran into another problem finding the trail at mile 2.4, where several game trails criss-crossed the area.
Continue reading “Salas and Comanche Trail Survey 2020”