SUMMARY: 8.9k feet to 10.7k feet, 1.7 miles
DESCRIPTION: The Lower Nambe Trail, known as the “Elevator Shaft”, is a brief steep trail connecting Winsor and Rio Nambe Trails. The intersection of Winsor and Lower Nambe is about 1.15 miles from the Winsor Trailhead, so these three trails make a challenging day trip loop of 8.4 miles. Alternately, Winsor -> Upper Nambe -> Rio Nambe -> Lower Nambe also make a worthy loop hike.
The trail has several short steep-graded switchbacks, very unlike the carefully controlled grade trails of nearby Winsor or Skyline. Midway the route passes through a recovering burn area.
GETTING THERE: Drive to the eastern Winsor Trailhead, and hike 1.15 miles east on Winsor, crossing into the Pecos Wilderness.
CONDITIONS: As of June 2020 66 deadfalls are across the trail, a mixture of spruce and aspen, mostly all small diameter. In spite of the steepness and apparent lack of erosion control features, the trail is in decent shape, not damaged significantly by water flow.
We know that other crews have worked on the trail due to a recent blowdown event.
Rio Nambe Trail Backpack (Santa Fe NF)
A three-day backpacking project to clear downed trees along Rio Nambe Trail #160 and the Lower Nambe Trail #403.