Before you sign up for the Northern New Mexico Peak Challenge or head out to hike, check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Is the Challenge free to participate in? How do I sign up?
It costs $10 per person to participate in the Northern New Mexico Peak Challenge. After you sign up as a participant, you can go on all of our guided hikes for free. PEEC and Los Alamos Mountaineers members can also attend the guided hikes for free. Non-members can go on these hikes for $5 per individual or $10 per family. Register for the Challenge here.
I’m signed up! Now what!?
Awesome! Now you can get hiking! You can either take on this peaks on your own or join PEEC and the Los Alamos Mountaineers for a guided group hike. We’ll be offering hikes regularly, so keep an eye on our Events Page to see what’s coming up. These hikes have been filling up quickly, so we recommend signing up early!
If you’re taking the Challenge on your own, take a selfie at the summits or use a GPS tracker to verify your achievements. If you’re joining us for a group hike, just sign in on the trip roster and you’re good to go. Submit your photos for verification to challenge@peecnature.org or bring them in to the Los Alamos Nature Center and speak with a staff member.
We’ll also give everyone that’s taking the Challenge a special postcard. If you live in Los Alamos County, stop by the nature center to pick it up. If you’re from out of town, we’ll mail it to you. Once you’ve completed the Challenge, bring your card and verification to the Los Alamos Nature Center to get your prize.
If you started going on these hikes after April 27, 2019, but didn’t sign up for the Peak Challenge your hikes will still count as long as you have proof and eventually register for the Challenge to claim your prize.
I’ve already hiked some of these summits. Do I have to do them again?
Yes! If you’d like your hikes to count toward the Peak Challenge, you’ll need to hike them again after you’ve signed up.
Do I need to be an experienced hiker to participate in the Peak Challenge? How strenuous are the hikes?
The Northern New Mexico Peak Challenge is designed for advanced hikers. Participants should be in good shape and have the ability and experience needed to climb steep and rough trails. Please read the hike descriptions in advance so you know what to expect for mileage and elevation gain. Challenge participants should also have good, sturdy hiking shoes, food, a first-aid kit, maps, and plenty of water when climbing these peaks. If you are newer to hiking, the Passport to the Pajarito Plateau is a great way to gain experience as a hiker before starting the Peak Challenge.
If you choose to sign up for one of our guided hikes, you will be asked about your experience with climbs of this nature. Cerro Grande Peak and Pajarito Mountain are both good training hikes for the Peak Challenge.
Do you still have questions? Email publicity@peecnature.org or call the Los Alamos Nature Center at 505-662-0460. We’ll keep updating this page as we hear from more participants.