Acorn To Arabellavideo

Carving Out A Path, The Organ Mountains - Episode 285 - Acorn to Arabella: Journey of a Wooden Boat

October 20, 2023 · 26 min · 37K views

What this video covers

Steve and Robin travel from Maine to New Mexico to attempt a traverse of the Organ Mountains.0:14 After failing to find detailed climbing information at local gear shops, they consult a 1960s guidebook and speak with a first ascensionist to identify safe bailout points and gully routes through the range.7:59 The terrain features steep, third-class scrambling, knife-edge ridges, and dense, thorny vegetation that requires careful navigation. During their multi-day scouting trips, they encounter significant elevation gain, including 3,800 feet of vertical over three miles, and navigate sections with fixed lines tied to brush.11:31 Following their time in the Organs, the pair splits up for separate excursions: Steve attends the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and hunts for elk in the Carson National Forest, while Robin travels to Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas for sport climbing and scrambling.18:10 Researching obscure, rarely documented routes requires local knowledge and multiple sources to safely navigate complex mountain terrain.

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