August 13, 2020
by David Ryan
3 Comments

Wandering Around Galena’s Washington Street Steps

Topping out at 252 steps, the Washington Street Steps is Galena’s tallest stairway. It is also the same stairway that Ulysses S. Grant climbed (in its prior wooden form) to get from his family’s leather business in the heart of Galena up to his home at the top of the bluff high above downtown Galena.

During the 1840s and 1850s, Galena in the far northwest corner of Illinois was a prosperous lead mining center and the commercial hub for the upper Midwest. When the mines played out and its river port silted up, Galena declined in importance and became a much smaller community. With its smaller role, there was no pressure to tear down buildings and replace them with larger and more modern structures. As a result, Galena has the finest collection of 1840s and 1850s architecture in the country. And it is because of its unique architecture and gorgeous setting that Galena has become a popular visitor destination.

Galena’s Washington Street steps are in the distance.

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July 8, 2020
by David Ryan
6 Comments

Wandering Around the World Famous “Mystery Stone” at Hidden Mountain, New Mexico

UPDATE – April 6, 2025

The dogs and revisited Hidden Mountain today and noticed that the vandalism is starting to fade away.

We also noticed that the State Land Office has installed No Trespassing signs. Trespass is not an issue if you have a State Land Office Recreation Access Permit. To purchase a permit, click on https://www.nmstatelands.org/ .

 

UPDATE – February 5, 2024

The dogs and I were at Hidden Mountain yesterday and discovered that the “World Famous” Mystery Stone has been vandalized with a coating of dark stain. The inscriptions are now difficult to see with your naked eye but can still be seen in a photograph. The State Land Office that manages the site is aware of the vandalism and is looking into how to fix the problem. In the meantime, you are still welcome to visit the Mystery Stone as long as you have a State Land Office Recreation Access Permit. Here’s a picture of the Mystery Stone that I took yesterday:

The original Blog Post begins below:

Hidden Mountain, the home of the world famous “mystery stone,” is a basalt covered uplift about 35 miles southwest of Albuquerque in the high desert grasslands west of Los Lunas, New Mexico. It is not very well hidden as it is readily visible from NM Highway 6 and is less than a mile from one of the busiest trans-continental rail lines (BNSF) in the country. Hiking at Hidden Mountain is featured in the 3rd edition of 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Albuquerque (Hike 53). (More information on the 60 Hikes book is under the “60 Hikes” tab of this website.)

The world famous “mystery stone” is a nine-row inscription of ancient lettering carved into the face of a large basalt boulder near the base of the mountain. If you query Hidden Mountain, or Los Lunas Mystery Stone, or Decalogue Stone on the Internet you’ll find an amazing array of articles and YouTube videos with fantastic explanations on the meaning of the inscription.

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May 9, 2020
by David Ryan
33 Comments

Looking for Medallion Trees on the Faulty Trail

The Sandia Mountains, immediately east of Albuquerque, have several dozen if not over 100 Medallion Trees. They are very large trees that have a round metal medallion (smaller than a silver dollar) mounted on them about chest high from the ground. Each medallion is named for an event that occurred on or around the tree’s germination date. The medallions are briefly mentioned on page 100 of The Gentle Art of Wandering.

The medallion’s creator (or creators) has not been made public. Whoever did make the medallions had the patience to locate very large trees in the Sandias, drill core samples, carefully count the rings, make the medallions, and then return to the tree to mount them.

What an incredible pastime for the medallion creator. And for us, what an incredible way to enhance a hike by spotting one while walking through the mountains. Many of them can be found along or near the Faulty Trail on the east side of the Sandias. The Faulty Trail is featured in Hikes 2 and 14 in the 3rd Edition of 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Albuquerque. Continue Reading →