As anyone hiked up Bush Trail to the Bush Mt, Guadalupe Mt Nat Pk 8,637' summit from the New Mexico side from camp grounds at Dog Canyon? I have hike Guadlupe Peak at the park and have tried twice to go up Bush Trail from the TX/south side, Pine Springs, but the knees gave up about 2 miles from the summit last week. I checked the topo map and found the route from the north. Little information on the net about this hike from Dog Canyon.

The hike up from Pine Springs the more traditional route is 6.7 miles, change in elevation 2,815' thus a 8.0 grade, if my calculation is correct. Going up NM side it is 8.1 miles one way, change in elevation 2,430, thus a grade of 5.6, about 2.4 less. The distance or the steepness wasn\t the problem going up fromt he TX side, I trained on more severe and longer, it was the rocky trail, covered with rocks ranging from foot across to 1/2", constant turing of the ankles/knees with torque even with poles. The route from NM is longer but less steep, has no switchbacks which were numerous in more traditional trail, from a video I found it looks more like meadows or trails of dirt and rock? I just took up mountain hiking a couple years ago at 73 and have done Grand Canyon, Mt around Arrow Head and others in TX with my heroic goal to do Whitney before the knees totally go.

I checked the board for previous posts, no luck. Anyone have an info on this hike. Thanks.

Bad Knees