Holsti97 - May 24, 2009 10:50 pm Date Climbed: May 22, 2009
You're OK Oklahoma!!
Had lunch at the Kenton Mercantile in Kenton. Started our hike at 12:40 PM. Hiked to the summit. Met some other Highpointers from Wisconsin and Florida. Spent a lot of time talking to them and lingered at the summit. Returned to our vehicle at 4:30 and then got ice cream and certificates at the Kenton Merc. HP #40.
Pedaldance - Mar 30, 2009 11:45 am Date Climbed: Mar 21, 2009
HP #3
No sign of rattle snakes or the warned of scorpions from the nice people at Merc. Warm and windy while dodging what appeared to be a large storm, which ultimately added to clouds, producing amazing sunset views. A wonderful day for hiking and the introduction of Highpointing to my friend, Casie, from Colorado.
McCannster - Mar 8, 2009 7:08 pm Date Climbed: Mar 8, 2009
5th HP!
Drove from Boulder to La Junta Saturday night, slept in the back of borrowed friend's car on some random street in LJ, drove to Black Mesa in the morning. This is a looooong drive from anywhere, but a really beautiful one. Something about those open, vast plains really gets me. Stayed on the highpoint for about 15 minutes, then booked it back. Now I have studying to do :(
jeffh25 - Feb 10, 2009 2:41 pm Date Climbed: Nov 8, 2008
Black Mesa
Highpoint #7. Camped in Black Mesa State Park then drove up and climbed the next morning. Kinda cold start (25 degrees) but it warmed up nice by midday. The Merc was closed so no burgers for us. Does anyone know what the old west town set up around the corner at the base of the mesa is? Movie set, maybe?
A businessman from Tuscon, AZ decided to build a hotel, restaurant, resort without getting the necessary building permits. The local government has put the project on hold and there is a lot of political wrangling going on. I was told that he plans on completing the project this summer with or without permission.
sgb02d - Feb 9, 2009 4:25 pm Date Climbed: Jan 3, 2009
Incredible
I felt like I was walking through the dinosaur age. I had my camera out and ready in case a Stegosaurus walked by.
Definitely one of the most unique places I have ever been too.
Flew into Denver and rented a car with Zscapes for 2 days of highpointing. We visited Mt Sunflower on Sept 27th and Black Mesa on Sept 28th. We had perfect weather and both "summits" to ourselves.
I like it on top - Sep 12, 2008 1:40 am Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2008
Black Mesa
Very nice weather. Also ran into a couple of horned toads and large wolf spider. Completed on 09-11 in memory of that tragic day on behalf of Cops on Top. Ice cream at the Merc.
psquier - Aug 5, 2008 10:00 pm Date Climbed: Aug 3, 2008
Black Mesa
Got up in Ogallala, NE, did Panorama Point by 10:00, off to Mt Sunflower in KS, and then off to Black Mesa arriving at 7:00pm. My GPS had us come through the back side and we found ourselves on some long dirt roads going through some rough but pretty country. We wondered if we were lost but then saw the dinosaur tracks sign and ended up right at the Trailhead. Quick pace to the top, pictures with the horny toad we caught, and back down by 9:20 just as it got dark. It's about 2.7 miles to the mesa ascent, and then at least another mile on top, which was very flat. We then left for Texas via New Mexico. We could not find a hotel until Dalhart, Texas and we couldn't find a place to eat that was open after 10:30. Don't get stranded in this remote area. Cell phones didn't work either. The Garmin Nuvi 600 GPS had us going 24 miles through very rough corn fields. We decided to head back to the main roads and follow the map. Had to swerve to miss hitting cows, deer and did run over a skunk on the main roads!
mlandau3 - Jul 21, 2008 2:03 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2008
What An Updraft
A hot hike. We didn't see any rattlesnakes, but did see a few horned toads. Walked to the south rim from the "summit" and the updraft was incredible. We also hope the family emergency at the "Merc" was not serious.
mlandau3 - Jul 21, 2008 2:02 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2008
What An Updraft
A hot hike. We didn't see any rattlesnakes, but did see a few horned toads. Walked to the south rim from the "summit" and the updraft was incredible. We also hope the family emergency at the "Merc" was not serious.
You have two identical entries in the climbers log for Black Mesa OK
StumblingBear - May 19, 2008 10:18 am Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2007
Off Route
Didn't park at the trailhead and didn't take the trail cause I didn't think I wanted to hike an old road to the summit. What I did do is park on the other side of the mesa at a stock tank. From there headed cross country and picked my way up the mesa then it was easy finding the marker. All this took less than an hour, pretty good for an old guy. Coming down I stepped on a large boulder which gave way, rolled over my leg and sent me rolling down the slope. No real damage done. Climb On!
jimegan - Feb 7, 2008 12:16 pm Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2004
BLACK MESA
HIKED TO SUMMIT AFTER CLIMBING WHEELER PK IN THE AM
I'm planning the same trip. Any recomendations on which roads to use from Wheeler to Black Mesa? Any to avoid?
wildfam - Jan 26, 2008 2:14 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2006
Great Highpoint
HP #7. Great hike; beautiful place. Biggest obstacle wasn't snakes or heat or the mountain: it was the herd of cows blocking the trail near the parking lot. They didn't seem to like hikers much.
highlandvillager - Jan 6, 2008 12:37 am Date Climbed: May 26, 2007
Great view of the stars
We drove through the night from DFW to Black Mesa and enjoyed the night sky for a bit, then napped in the truck until sunrise. The rising sun provided a striking first view of the area. We were the first ones to the highoint that day and met two other groups on the way back. We missed visiting the famous Merc in Kenton as we did not return to the highway, but continued west along backroads into New Mexico on our way to Wheeler Peak.
eric-griz - Nov 9, 2007 9:12 pm Date Climbed: Apr 16, 2003
Mesa Negra
An enjoyable hike.
weeds19 - Sep 27, 2007 12:42 am Date Climbed: Sep 21, 2001
Very nice spot
I hit the summit near dusk and enjoyed the a wonderful sunset. The hike down was uneventful and I arrive at the car after dark.
Redwic - Sep 10, 2007 12:02 am Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2007
Two State Highpoints, One Day!!!
After climbing New Mexico's state highpoint (Wheeler Peak) in the morning, I drove to Oklahoma so that I could complete a summit hike at it's state highpoint (Black Mesa) before sunset. This was an easy hike (more like a very long walk), which I completed within 2-1/2 hours roundtrip (including photo breaks, especially a lengthy one at the summit). I enjoyed beautiful weather, as well as great views from the edges of Black Mesa. I really liked & appreciated the construction of the summit's Monument. I encountered, and repeatedly got pelted by, the largest grasshoppers that I have ever seen. Roundtail horned lizards were also along the trail.
Holsti97 - May 24, 2009 10:50 pm Date Climbed: May 22, 2009
You're OK Oklahoma!!Had lunch at the Kenton Mercantile in Kenton. Started our hike at 12:40 PM. Hiked to the summit. Met some other Highpointers from Wisconsin and Florida. Spent a lot of time talking to them and lingered at the summit. Returned to our vehicle at 4:30 and then got ice cream and certificates at the Kenton Merc. HP #40.
Pedaldance - Mar 30, 2009 11:45 am Date Climbed: Mar 21, 2009
HP #3No sign of rattle snakes or the warned of scorpions from the nice people at Merc. Warm and windy while dodging what appeared to be a large storm, which ultimately added to clouds, producing amazing sunset views. A wonderful day for hiking and the introduction of Highpointing to my friend, Casie, from Colorado.
McCannster - Mar 8, 2009 7:08 pm Date Climbed: Mar 8, 2009
5th HP!Drove from Boulder to La Junta Saturday night, slept in the back of borrowed friend's car on some random street in LJ, drove to Black Mesa in the morning. This is a looooong drive from anywhere, but a really beautiful one. Something about those open, vast plains really gets me. Stayed on the highpoint for about 15 minutes, then booked it back. Now I have studying to do :(
jeffh25 - Feb 10, 2009 2:41 pm Date Climbed: Nov 8, 2008
Black MesaHighpoint #7. Camped in Black Mesa State Park then drove up and climbed the next morning. Kinda cold start (25 degrees) but it warmed up nice by midday. The Merc was closed so no burgers for us. Does anyone know what the old west town set up around the corner at the base of the mesa is? Movie set, maybe?
Holsti97 - May 27, 2009 10:19 pm
Re: Old West TownA businessman from Tuscon, AZ decided to build a hotel, restaurant, resort without getting the necessary building permits. The local government has put the project on hold and there is a lot of political wrangling going on. I was told that he plans on completing the project this summer with or without permission.
sgb02d - Feb 9, 2009 4:25 pm Date Climbed: Jan 3, 2009
IncredibleI felt like I was walking through the dinosaur age. I had my camera out and ready in case a Stegosaurus walked by.
Definitely one of the most unique places I have ever been too.
Alpinist - Sep 28, 2008 11:10 pm Date Climbed: Sep 28, 2008
#26Flew into Denver and rented a car with Zscapes for 2 days of highpointing. We visited Mt Sunflower on Sept 27th and Black Mesa on Sept 28th. We had perfect weather and both "summits" to ourselves.
I like it on top - Sep 12, 2008 1:40 am Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2008
Black MesaVery nice weather. Also ran into a couple of horned toads and large wolf spider. Completed on 09-11 in memory of that tragic day on behalf of Cops on Top. Ice cream at the Merc.
psquier - Aug 5, 2008 10:00 pm Date Climbed: Aug 3, 2008
Black MesaGot up in Ogallala, NE, did Panorama Point by 10:00, off to Mt Sunflower in KS, and then off to Black Mesa arriving at 7:00pm. My GPS had us come through the back side and we found ourselves on some long dirt roads going through some rough but pretty country. We wondered if we were lost but then saw the dinosaur tracks sign and ended up right at the Trailhead. Quick pace to the top, pictures with the horny toad we caught, and back down by 9:20 just as it got dark. It's about 2.7 miles to the mesa ascent, and then at least another mile on top, which was very flat. We then left for Texas via New Mexico. We could not find a hotel until Dalhart, Texas and we couldn't find a place to eat that was open after 10:30. Don't get stranded in this remote area. Cell phones didn't work either. The Garmin Nuvi 600 GPS had us going 24 miles through very rough corn fields. We decided to head back to the main roads and follow the map. Had to swerve to miss hitting cows, deer and did run over a skunk on the main roads!
mlandau3 - Jul 21, 2008 2:03 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2008
What An UpdraftA hot hike. We didn't see any rattlesnakes, but did see a few horned toads. Walked to the south rim from the "summit" and the updraft was incredible. We also hope the family emergency at the "Merc" was not serious.
mlandau3 - Jul 21, 2008 2:02 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2008
What An UpdraftA hot hike. We didn't see any rattlesnakes, but did see a few horned toads. Walked to the south rim from the "summit" and the updraft was incredible. We also hope the family emergency at the "Merc" was not serious.
osatrik - Jul 19, 2009 10:32 pm
Re: What An UpdraftYou have two identical entries in the climbers log for Black Mesa OK
StumblingBear - May 19, 2008 10:18 am Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2007
Off RouteDidn't park at the trailhead and didn't take the trail cause I didn't think I wanted to hike an old road to the summit. What I did do is park on the other side of the mesa at a stock tank. From there headed cross country and picked my way up the mesa then it was easy finding the marker. All this took less than an hour, pretty good for an old guy. Coming down I stepped on a large boulder which gave way, rolled over my leg and sent me rolling down the slope. No real damage done. Climb On!
jimegan - Feb 7, 2008 12:16 pm Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2004
BLACK MESAHIKED TO SUMMIT AFTER CLIMBING WHEELER PK IN THE AM
jeremyjsnow - Jan 6, 2010 5:10 pm
Re: BLACK MESAI'm planning the same trip. Any recomendations on which roads to use from Wheeler to Black Mesa? Any to avoid?
wildfam - Jan 26, 2008 2:14 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2006
Great HighpointHP #7. Great hike; beautiful place. Biggest obstacle wasn't snakes or heat or the mountain: it was the herd of cows blocking the trail near the parking lot. They didn't seem to like hikers much.
highlandvillager - Jan 6, 2008 12:37 am Date Climbed: May 26, 2007
Great view of the starsWe drove through the night from DFW to Black Mesa and enjoyed the night sky for a bit, then napped in the truck until sunrise. The rising sun provided a striking first view of the area. We were the first ones to the highoint that day and met two other groups on the way back. We missed visiting the famous Merc in Kenton as we did not return to the highway, but continued west along backroads into New Mexico on our way to Wheeler Peak.
eric-griz - Nov 9, 2007 9:12 pm Date Climbed: Apr 16, 2003
Mesa NegraAn enjoyable hike.
weeds19 - Sep 27, 2007 12:42 am Date Climbed: Sep 21, 2001
Very nice spotI hit the summit near dusk and enjoyed the a wonderful sunset. The hike down was uneventful and I arrive at the car after dark.
Redwic - Sep 10, 2007 12:02 am Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2007
Two State Highpoints, One Day!!!After climbing New Mexico's state highpoint (Wheeler Peak) in the morning, I drove to Oklahoma so that I could complete a summit hike at it's state highpoint (Black Mesa) before sunset. This was an easy hike (more like a very long walk), which I completed within 2-1/2 hours roundtrip (including photo breaks, especially a lengthy one at the summit). I enjoyed beautiful weather, as well as great views from the edges of Black Mesa. I really liked & appreciated the construction of the summit's Monument. I encountered, and repeatedly got pelted by, the largest grasshoppers that I have ever seen. Roundtail horned lizards were also along the trail.