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Black Mesa HikeJune 24, 2000 Black
Mesa Located just outside the town of Kenton, OK…Only Oklahoma city on
Mountain Time! (Editor’s note: To locate Kenton on an Oklahoma map, look in
the upper left hand corner of the panhandle, almost to New Mexico)
Wonderful Bed and Breakfast (Black Mesa B&B).
Only one general store in Kenton. Very
isolated area. Driving time to
Kenton is approximately 7.5 hours from Tulsa.
Black Mesa is 4,973 feet above sea level (Editor’s note: This is the
tallest point in Oklahoma) The
hiking trail to the top of the mesa is maintained by
The
Nature Conservancy. No facilities. (Editor’s note: Black Mesa State Park is a
few miles to the Southeast) In June
you must prepare for the Heat and take extra precautions. We
are both in our Late 50’s so we just took our time and rested and rehydrated
constantly. Our experience was a
positive one. It was exhilarating to
out among the elements and relying only on ourselves.
We are members of the Sierra Club and have taken their backpacking course
and done some backpacking with the club. This experience was certainly a plus for a Black Mesa hike. We
started our hike around 10:00 A.M. There
was a wonderful breeze blowing and we did not have to deal with the humidity
factor, although it was quite warm at 10:00 A.M.
It is a 2.5 mile walk before one reaches the switchbacks to take you to
the top of the Mesa. We made
friends with any trees both coming and going.
It was the only way to get out of the direct effects of the sun. When one reaches to top of the Mesa there is a trail out to
the Obelisk representing the highest point in Oklahoma. One may also leave a note in the ammunition box at the base
of the Obelisk. We made a decision
no to try to make it to the Obelisk because of the heat factor and our water
situation. There are not trees on
top of the Mesa and one cannot get out of the sun.
We did leave our notes at the beginning of the trail across the top of
the Mesa and a wonderful hiker for Tahlequah, Oklahoma called and left a message
for us that he found the notes and took them on to the Obelisk
J
How Kind!! Our
trek back down and to the trailhead took longer than our hike up.
The heat at mid-afternoon was grueling….packing sufficient water is
life-saving! We found hiking for
20-25 minutes and resting for 40-45 minutes under a tree was a necessity for us.
We reach the trailhead approximately 6.5 hours after we started.
We are sure that in cooler weather one could easily do the trail in half
the time. It
is a beautiful area and a real jewel for a hiker for adventure. We
have found out since our hike that Cimmaron county does not have helicopter to
help people out if they become stranded on the Mesa.
One must hike with a buddy and if a situation arises one hiker will have
to hike out to the Balck Mesa Bed and Breakfast or to the Kenton General Store
and have them notify the Nature Conservancy Ranger.
Monty Jo Roberts, owner of the Black Mesa Bed and Breakfast, has had to
make numerous rescues over the years using his ATV. The rangers will call him and he will go out and find and
bring in the hiker. This
is not a walk-in-the-park kind of hike. One
must be aware of the survival aspect of this area and most of all treat it with
respect. We
are looking forward to doing the hike in cooler weather, especially since we
love that part of the state and the high desert. Mike
and Susan Little, Tulsa, Oklahoma |
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