| Sierra Blanca Peak | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 11,981 ft (3,652 m) NAVD 88[1] |
| Prominence | 5,533 ft (1,686 m)[2] |
| Listing | |
| Coordinates | 33°22′28″N105°48′31″W / 33.374323178°N 105.808719667°W /33.374323178; -105.808719667[1] |
| Geography | |
  Sierra Blanca Peak Location in south-central New Mexico | |
| Location | Lincoln /Otero counties,New Mexico, U.S. |
| Topo map | USGS Sierra Blanca Peak |
| Geology | |
| Rock age | 26 to 38 million years |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano complex |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hike south from ski area |
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TheSierra Blanca (Spanish:White Mountains) is anultra-prominent range ofvolcanic mountains inLincoln andOtero counties in the south-central part of theU.S. state ofNew Mexico. The range is about 40 miles (60 km) from north to south and 20 miles (30 km) wide.
Sierra Blanca Peak (White Peak) is the highest mountain in the range at 11,981 feet (3,652 m).[1] It is southern New Mexico's highest peak, as well as the mostprominent (5,533 feet) and the 40th highest in the entire state.[3] It is also the most southerly peak and land area to exceed 11,000 feet in the continental United States (Only 19 feet shy of being the most southerly area above 12,000 feet). The peak is located on theMescalero Apache Indian Reservation, approximately 10 miles (16 km) west-northwest ofRuidoso and 30 miles (50 km) north-northeast ofAlamogordo.
The majority of the Sierra Blanca range is within theLincoln National Forest, and part of this is protected as theWhite Mountain Wilderness Area. Much of the southern half of the range, including the summit of Sierra Blanca Peak, is within theMescalero Apache Indian Reservation. The peak is sacred to theMescalero Apache, and requires a permit from the tribe for access. To the south, across the valley of theRio Tularosa, lie theSacramento Mountains. To the north isCarrizozo Mountain, and to the northeast lie theCapitan Mountains. On the west side, the range rises high above theTularosa Basin.
The range serves as the headwaters for theRio Ruidoso, Rio Tularosa, andRio Bonito, as well as numerousarroyos draining into the Tularosa Basin, including Nogal Arroyo at the north end of the range.
Sierra Blanca Peak dominates the range and can be seen for many miles, particularly within the Tularosa Basin. It is visible from as far away asSandia Crest nearAlbuquerque. It is one of the southernmost points at whichalpine ecosystems occur in theUnited States. Rising more than 5,500 feet (1,700 m) above the adjacent Tularosa Basin, it has the highesttopographic prominence in the state.[4]
The eastern foothills of the Sierra Blanca range include the town ofRuidoso. The area has a number of popular hiking and camping destinations. Sierra Blanca Peak is the towering backdrop and snow-maker forSki Apache, the southernmost majorski resort in North America.Ski Apache is located mostly on land within theLincoln National Forest and is operated as a concession under contract to the U.S. Forest Service by the Mescalero Apache Tribe's Inn of the Mountain Gods.[5]
| Climate data for Sierra Blanca 33.3750 N, 105.8118 W, Elevation: 11,467 ft (3,495 m) (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 35.2 (1.8) | 36.2 (2.3) | 42.0 (5.6) | 47.1 (8.4) | 55.3 (12.9) | 64.6 (18.1) | 63.9 (17.7) | 61.7 (16.5) | 57.9 (14.4) | 51.5 (10.8) | 44.6 (7.0) | 35.9 (2.2) | 49.7 (9.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 25.0 (−3.9) | 25.5 (−3.6) | 30.5 (−0.8) | 35.0 (1.7) | 43.2 (6.2) | 51.8 (11.0) | 52.3 (11.3) | 50.9 (10.5) | 46.9 (8.3) | 40.0 (4.4) | 33.6 (0.9) | 25.7 (−3.5) | 38.4 (3.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 14.8 (−9.6) | 14.9 (−9.5) | 18.9 (−7.3) | 23.0 (−5.0) | 31.1 (−0.5) | 39.0 (3.9) | 40.7 (4.8) | 40.2 (4.6) | 35.9 (2.2) | 28.6 (−1.9) | 22.5 (−5.3) | 15.4 (−9.2) | 27.1 (−2.7) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.08 (78) | 2.58 (66) | 2.42 (61) | 1.64 (42) | 1.81 (46) | 2.62 (67) | 6.28 (160) | 5.61 (142) | 4.03 (102) | 2.77 (70) | 2.28 (58) | 3.82 (97) | 38.94 (989) |
| Source: PRISM Climate Group[6] | |||||||||||||
Sierra Blanca is a massive complex of volcanic rocks, includingpyroclastic materials,lava flows, andintrusions. An ancient and heavily eroded volcanic pile, it is the largest mid-Tertiary volcanic complex east of theRio Grande, with an estimated volume of erupted products of 185 cubic miles (770 km3). Eruptions began about 38 million years ago, and extended over a twelve-million-year period. Most of the eruptions produced voluminous lava flows andbreccias, with numerous intrusivedikes emplaced throughout the complex. The final activity produced the intrusions which form the present-day Sierra Blanca Peak. Following the volcanic period, the range's topography was modified byPleistoceneglaciation,block faulting, and erosion.[7]
Between 2007 and 2014, the Sierra Blanca complex was geologically mapped, and the followingstratigraphy was adopted:[8]
These rest on theSanders Canyon Formation, anEocenesedimentary rock unit.[9] They are intruded by the Three Rivers, Rialto, and Bonito Lake stocks. The Three Rivers Stock, which underlies Sierra Blanca Peak itself, is the largest of these and consists of multiple intrusions, and is composed mostly ofsyenite toalkali feldspar granite. It was emplaced 29 to 28 million years ago and is interpreted as the shallowmagma chamber below a deeply erodedcaldera.[10]
The volcanic complex is part of the High Plains alkaline province, which lies along the boundary between thetectonically stableHigh Plains and the tectonically active western United States. It formed in the Sierra Blanca Basin, a northeast extension of theTularosa Basin, during the time when theRio Grande rift first began to open.[11]
To find the table data on the PRISM website, start by clickingCoordinates (underLocation); copyLatitude andLongitude figures from top of table; clickZoom to location; clickPrecipitation, Minimum temp, Mean temp, Maximum temp; click30-year normals, 1991-2020; click800m; clickRetrieve Time Series button.
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