There’s nothing like summer heat and humidity in the Ozarks to prompt you to seek higher elevations. Our first thoughts were the Santa Fe area because we’ve visited the area before and enjoyed it, but finding a book that had belonged to my grandfather caused us to look elsewhere.

The Cloud-Climbing Railroad, by Dorothy Jensen Neal and illustrated by Bob Staggs, told the story of Cloudcroft, a small mountain town to the northeast of Alamogordo, New Mexico. The building of a railroad that climbed 4,200 feet from Alamogordo to Cloudcroft at an elevation of 8600 feet made the town possible.

This book was published in 1966 and my uncle, Reed Warnock, presented it to my grandfather in August of 1967. In addition to the note in the front, Reed wrote in the margins about people mentioned in the book he knew from work or socially. I thought those notes must have been of great interest to my grandfather, especially since Reed was so far from Smackover, their hometown in south Arkansas. Reed’s notes similar to the following were sprinkled throughout the book.

Reed was my father’s oldest brother. I never knew him well, but from the few times I was around him I thought he was engaging and intelligent. I was fascinated by the fact that he designed aircraft antennas and worked close to a place called White Sands. A few years ago while going through family photographs, I found this photo of my father (L) sitting with Reed (R) in the gypsum sand.

Becca saw my interest as I read The Cloud-Climbing Railroad. She asked if we might want to visit that area and our travel plans were hatched.

We camped two nights at Manzano Mountain, a stop in our travels south from I-40 toward Alamogordo, New Mexico. We were glad no one was camped on either side of us because the sites were close together.

Some nice trails circle through the campground and loop out into the woods. Between hiking, mountain biking, readings, and plucking the guitar, we stayed busy. The afternoons were warm so we were pleased to have the awning to place over our table.

The campground had pit toilets but no showers so this was our first outing with the portable shower. The storage tank held enough water for the two of us and it was warm after being left in the sun for a few hours. We’ll be using this again in the future.

Those who backpack will appreciate what a treat it is to have a gas stove and plenty of groceries without worrying about weight. I had oatmeal, eggs, spam, bagels, and coffee for breakfast. Becca planned great meals for lunch and and dinner the two days we camped here.

On our way toward Alamogordo we spent some time at Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. We could have easily stayed longer and hope to return to visit other missions in New Mexico.

After a long drive, we arrived in Alamogordo and found a nice hotel. We’ve learned that a couple of nights camping with a hotel night afterward makes for happy travelers. This rule doesn’t apply to my backpacking trips but works great for family travel.

The next morning we drove to White Sands National Park which exceeded our expectations. The visitor center was nice and the experience of walking trails in the park will linger in our memories for years.

I felt close to my father and Uncle Reed when I sat down in the gypsum sand as they had done around fifty years before. Thank you Becca for the photo.

The drive from Alamogordo to the small mountain town of Cloudcroft was a pleasure. There are several pullouts along the way where you can view the historic train tracks and trestles no longer in use.

The Pines Campground was our favorite on this trip and Big Daddy’s Diner in Cloudcroft was a hit. We ate there our first day on the mountain and at least a couple more times before we left. We’d like to return to The Pines in the future. The host kept things clean and there’s a hiking/biking trail nearby. I enjoyed riding my bike into the town of Cloudcroft as well as on the trails. From one trail overlook you could see a historic train trestle and White Sands in the distance.

Our last night in Cloudcroft was spent at The Lodge at Cloundcroft which was mentioned by my Uncle Reed in some of his book margin notes. It was quite elegant situated right next to the highest elevation golf course in the U.S. Becca and I enjoyed a nice meal to celebrate our anniversary.

We’re looking forward to more New Mexico trips in the future. There’s so much to explore!