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56-596: McKittrick Canyon is a scenic canyon within the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas and Eddy County, New Mexico . The steep, towering walls of McKittrick Canyon protect a rich riparian oasis in the midst of the Chihuahuan Desert . The majority of McKittrick Canyon is part of Guadalupe Mountains National Park , but is separated from the main park area and managed as a day-use only area with limited visitation hours. A large part of North McKittrick Canyon, though,

112-647: A 12,003-foot (3,659 m) mountain. It is the southernmost alpine peak in the continental United States, and is part of the Sacramento Mountains. Using the EPA's Level III Ecoregion System, derived from Omernik, this mountain is included in the Arizona/New Mexico Mountains, which are south of the Southern Rocky Mountains of northern New Mexico. Sierra Blanca Peak, located on the reservation,

168-488: A cultural museum. In 1908, Williams Ranch House was built, and it was named after one of its inhabitants, James Adolphus Williams. Judge J.C. Hunter from Van Horn consolidated most of the smaller ranches in the area into the Guadalupe Mountain Ranch. In 1921, Wallace Pratt , a geologist for Humble Oil and Refining Company , was impressed by the beauty of McKittrick Canyon and bought the land to build two homes in

224-452: A few hardy pines, junipers, and the occasional Texas madrone ( Arbutus xalapensis ), an unusual tree with red-colored bark that tends to curl up and peel off each year. As one ascends into the relatively cool and more sheltered environment farther up the canyon, a flowing stream of clear water appears and riparian vegetation becomes more abundant, including deciduous trees such as oak, ash, and bigtooth maple ( Acer grandidentatum ). During

280-632: A group, when they are there," "place where people get together") or today Mashgalé-ne bikéyaa ("Mescalero Apache Country"; "Mescalero Apache Homelands"). When many Mescalero bands were displaced by the enemy Comanche ( 'Indaa tse'-éõde or Indassene ; modern name: Gumáõchí-í) from the Southern Plains in northern and central Texas between 1700 and 1750, they took refuge in the mountains of New Mexico, western Texas, and Coahuila and Chihuahua in Mexico. Some southern Mescalero bands, together with Lipan, lived in

336-623: A robust research and development sector to their economy. The Mescalero Department of Resource Management and Land Development celebrated 60 years of success in 2022 on the 20th anniversary of their two premier tourist destination resorts. The Mescalero designed, developed and own the Inn of the Mountain Gods (IMG) Casino and Golf Resort within the Lincoln National Forest. The Mescalero designed, developed, own and operate Ski Apache Resort in

392-597: A total of 43 years, until his death on November 4, 1998. Soon after Chino's death, the late Sara Misquez was elected as president. Chino's son, Mark Chino, also has been elected and served as president. In 2022, Mr. Eddie Martinez was sworn in as the new president of the Mescalero Apache tribe. Leadership from Holloman Airforce Base attended the tribal council ceremony for the newly elected president, officers, and Tribal Council. Mr. Kelton Starr, retired Army veteran and Tribal Defense Liaison maintained coordination with

448-584: A wide number of names: Apaches de Cuartelejo, Apaches del Río Grande, Apachi, Faraones, Mezcaleros, Natage (more correctly, one of the Lipan Apache subdivisions, along with the Nahizan), Natahene, Querechos, Teyas, Tularosa Apaches, and Vaqueros. They were also distinguished as Sierra Blanca Apaches, Sacramento Mountains Apaches, Guadalupe Mountains Apaches, Limpia Mountains Apaches. according to their homelands in northern or southern Mescalero territory. Originally

504-641: Is Shis-Inday ("People of the Mountain Forests") or Mashgaléńde / Mashgaléneí ("People close to the mountains" or "Mescalero Apache People"). The Navajo (in Mescalero: ’Indaa’bixúńde / ’Indabixúńde, modern name: Chusht’a ’íízhańde), another Athabascan -speaking tribe, call the Mescalero Naashgalí Dineʼé. Like other Apache peoples they often identify simply as Ndé / Nndéí / Ndéne / Ndéńde ("The People", "Apaches"). Neighboring Apache bands called

560-535: Is a favorable environment for photosynthetic organisms and formation of carbonate reefs. As the organisms die and are buried, calcium carbonate incorporated from sea water into shells forms Limestone rock, preserving fossils and their ecology in the rock record. Carbonate production in the Delaware Basin formed the Capitan Reef , one of the most extensive and continuous prehistoric limestone reefs now exposed at

616-594: Is filled with legends of the past. For instance, four mountains represent the direction of everyday life for the Mescalero Apache people: those being (1) Sierra Blanca Peak (White Peak) , (2) El Capitan within the Guadalupe Mountains , (3) Three Sisters Mountain (Las Tres Hermanas) and (4) Oscura Mountain Peak (sometimes the Salinas Peak within the San Andres Mountains is listed as the fourth sacred mountain instead of

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672-599: Is located in the Guadalupe Ranger District of Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico. Access to McKittrick Canyon is by a 4.2-mile (6.8-km) gated side road that leads to the mouth of McKittrick Canyon from U.S. Route 62/180 . Here, the National Park Service maintains a parking area, restroom facilities, and visitor center, which is staffed most of the year by volunteers. McKittrick Canyon Trail begins at

728-568: Is named for these mountains, and the Capitanian age within this epoch is named for the Capitan reef. For details on the area's geology, see Delaware Basin . As the range is built up almost entirely of limestone , upland areas have little or no surface water. The only significant surface water is McKittrick Creek, in McKittrick Canyon, which emerges from the eastern side of the massif, just south of

784-541: Is sacred ground for the Mescalero Apache Tribe. They do not allow access without a permit. The Mescalero Apache Tribe holds elections for the office of president every two years. The eight tribal council members also are elected for two years. Strong woman leadership is welcomed and encouraged in the Mescalero Apache Tribal Council. Election for the council is held every year, when one half of

840-495: Is the major highway through the reservation. Given that the Mescalero Tribal lands in the Lincoln National Forest are ranked as one of the most beautiful scenic locations in the world, much of the tribal economy is in hospitality and tourism. The trades and ranching also contribute to their growing economy. With a growing technology sector their Native Innovation Centers and multi state University Consortiums will soon provide

896-643: The Basin and Range province , such as the Rio Grande rift west of the Guadalupe Mountains. A mechanism similar to extension in the Rio Grande rift is thought to have generated topographic relief in the Guadalupe Mountains, and the timing of topographic relief generation has been estimated to ~20 million years ago using cave speleothem records and interpreted to reflect drainage of subsurface aquifers as topographic relief

952-729: The Bolsón de Mapimí , moving between the Nazas River , the Conchos River and the Rio Grande to the north. The Mescalero were divided into some regional bands, which were known to the Spanish/Mexican ('indantûhé-õde) and later Americans ('indaa łiga-ńne bindáa-í datł'ij-í – "white [enemy] people with blue eyes" or 'indáá-ńne – "white people"; "[white] enemies"; modern name: nndé bindáa datł'ijé-ńne – "white people"; lit. "blue-eyed people") by different names (most were transliterations or renderings of

1008-577: The 19th century, the Mescalero opened their reservation to other Apache tribes, such as the Mimbreno (Chíhéńde, Warm Springs Apaches) and the Chiricahua (Shá’i’áńde or Chidikáágu). Some Lipan Apache (Tú’édįnéńde and Túntsańde) also joined the reservation. Their descendants are enrolled in the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Originally established on May 27, 1873, by executive order of President Ulysses S. Grant ,

1064-611: The Defense Research Labs and US military bases in New Mexico. The new leadership was focused on building on past successes and accelerating economic development projects with a new focus on Native Innovation and the “Made-in-Native-America” campaign. Mr. Martinez was appointed chair of the Native American Regional Commission (comprising all 34 states with Federally recognized tribes) to accelerate economic security, development, and defense projects that benefit

1120-528: The Guadalupe Mountains; he worked cattle during the 1870s. McKittrick Canyon is thought to be named after him. Frijole Ranch was the first permanent ranch house; it was constructed in 1876 by the Rader brothers. Frijole Ranch House was the only major building in the region; it served as a community center and regional post office from 1916 to 1942. Today, the Frijole Ranch House has been restored and operates as

1176-747: The Mescalero Nadahéndé ("People of the Mescal"), because the mescal agave ( Agave parryi ) (Apache: naa’da / ’inaa’da / na’da) was a staple food source for them. In times of need and hunger, they depended on stored mescal for survival. They adopted and identify today also as Naa'dahéńdé / Naa’dańde ("The People of the Mescal"). Since 1550 Spanish colonists referred to them as the Mescalero. Mescalero Apache bands were often referred to by European colonists and settlers by different names, some related to their geographic territory. They were recorded in documents by

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1232-528: The Mescalero Apache Tribal Council. The Mescalero Apache developed a cultural center near the tribal headquarters on U.S. Route 70 in the reservation's largest community of Mescalero . On display are tribal artifacts and important historical information. The tribe also operates another, larger museum on the western flank of the Sacramento Mountains in Dog Canyon, south of Alamogordo (T'iis ntsaadz-í 'úú'á). New museums and exhibits are being planned to fully capture

1288-543: The Mescalero Apache Tribe and all Native American and other Indigenous peoples. In 2024, Thora Walsh Padilla serves as Tribe's president along side Vice President Duane Duffy. The Mescalero language is a Southern Athabaskan language which is a subfamily of the Athabaskan and Dené–Yeniseian families. Mescalero is part of the southwestern branch of this subfamily; it is very closely related to Chiricahua , and more distantly related to Western Apache . These are considered

1344-726: The Mescalero Space Innovation integration capabilities through partnerships with the New Mexico Space Consortium, Spaceport America, NASA, other commercial space companies, the Intl Institute for Homeland Security Defense and US military partners (Air Force-AFRL and Space Force) the Mescalero Apache Space Innovation and Integration Centers. The ski area is situated adjacent to the massive peak of Sierra Blanca (Dziãgais'â-ní = "sacred mountain")

1400-510: The Mexican provinces of Chihuahua and Coahuila to the south. The diverse landscape of this area has high mountains up to 12,000 feet, as well as watered and sheltered valleys, surrounded by arid semi-deserts and deserts, deep canyons and open plains. The Mescalero Apache Reservation is located at geographical coordinates 33°10′42″N 105°36′44″W  /  33.17833°N 105.61222°W  / 33.17833; -105.61222 . Mescalero identity

1456-479: The National Park Service, and seven years later, on 15 October 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the act establishing Guadalupe Mountains National Park. On 30 September 1972, Guadalupe Mountains National Park was dedicated and formally opened to the public. Farther up the canyon, the path becomes quite steep as it begins to follow a series of switchbacks, climbing nearly 2,000 feet (610 m) over

1512-694: The New Mexico border. Elevations at the base of the range vary from 4,000 feet (1,200 m) above sea level on the western side to 5,000 feet (1,500 m) on the east. Several peaks on the southern end exceed 8,000 feet (2,400 m). The Guadalupe Mountains experience relatively hot summers, calm, mild autumn weather, and cool to cold weather in winter and early spring. Snow storms, freezing rain, or fog may occur in winter or early spring. Frequent high-wind warnings are issued during winter through spring. Late summer monsoons produce thunderstorms. The nights are cool, even in summer. The Guadalupe Mountains are underlain by Permian aged sedimentary rocks . Although

1568-625: The Oscuru Mountain Peak). Moreover, their forefathers spoke of a creator giving them life on White Mountain. It was there that White Painted Woman gave birth to two sons, Child of Water and Killer of Enemies Since each band of Mescalero had the right to use the resources of deer and plants of the neighboring groups, the different bands felt at home in any area of their wide tribal territory. The Mescalero or Mashgalé-õde bands often ranged widely for hunting, gathering, warring and raiding. They called their home Indeislun Nakah ("people, forming

1624-461: The Plains joined forces with their Lipan kin ( Cuelcahen Ndé , Te'l kóndahä , Ndáwe qóhä and Shá’i’áńde ) to the east and south of them. In August 1912, by an act of the U.S. Congress, the surviving members of the Chiricahua tribe were released from their prisoner-of-war status. They were given the choice to remain at Fort Sill , Oklahoma, where they had been imprisoned since 1894, or to relocate to

1680-559: The Sacramento Mountains. The range is bounded on the north by Four Mile Canyon; on the east by the valley of the Pecos River ; and on the west by Piñon Creek, Big Dog Canyon, Valley Canyon, Middle Dog Canyon, and West Dog Canyon. Much of the range is built from the ancient Capitán Reef that formed at the margins of a shallow sea during the Permian period . The Guadalupian epoch of the Permian period

1736-956: The Sierra Blanca Mountains. This is the southern most large ski resort in North America. The Mescalero ownership and management of these facilities including all of the Alpine Sports including equestrian center and zip lines requires effective resource management. They reflect the entrepreneurial vision and resilience of the Mescalero Tribe. These resorts are premier destination tourism spots according to New Mexico, US, North American and global travel guides. Native American heritage combined with one-of-a kind resorts that features hand made cultural accessories to high tech operations. The mountains and foothills are forested with pines; resource and commercial development are managed carefully by

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1792-458: The area, and nomadic indigenous tribes of the area such as the Apaches soon found horses to be an asset for hunting and migrating. Mescalero Apaches were nomadic and followed the game and harvested the agave (or mescal) for food and fiber. Mescalero is Spanish for mescal-maker . Agave-roasting pits and other artifacts of Mescalero culture can be found in the park. The Mescalero Apaches remained in

1848-690: The bands Apache name). The Naa’dahéńdé had had a considerable influence on the decision-making of some bands of the Western Lipan in the 18th century, especially on the Tindi Ndé , Tcha shka-ózhäye , Tú’édįnéńde and Tú sis Ndé . To fight their common enemy, the Comanche, and to protect the northeastern and eastern border of the Apacheria against the Comancheria , the Mescalero ( Naa’dahéńdé and Gułgahéńde ) on

1904-580: The canyon. Both constructions were used as summer homes by Pratt and his family until 1960. Wallace Pratt donated about 6,000 acres (24 km ) of McKittrick Canyon which became part of Guadalupe Mountains National Park . In 1978, the United States Congress designated 46,850 acres (190 km ) of the Texan side of the range as a wilderness area , managed by the National Park Service . The Guadalupe Mountains reach their highest point at Guadalupe Peak,

1960-633: The different Mescalero bands and local groups ranged in an area between the Rio Grande (Tú 'ichii-dí – "the water that is the color of red ocher") in the west and the eastern and southern edge of the Llano Estacado and the southern Texas Panhandle in Texas in the east; from present-day Santa Fe (Yuutu') in the northwest and the Texas Panhandle in the northeast, down to the Big Bend of Texas and what became

2016-507: The ecology and were able to utilize their resources very effectively. The Mescalero Apache relied on hunting and gathering for subsistence. Men led the hunting parties for buffalo, antelope, and deer. Women accompanied men and dressed the meat and skins and would also participate in the hunting of small game such as rabbits. Women would gather Mescal Agave in groups of 4–10 people, mainly consisting of female friends and family members and usually several men. Men would also take an active role in

2072-524: The fall, McKittrick Canyon comes alive with color from the turning foliage of maple and hardwood trees. The bright colors stand in stark contrast to the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert. After a distance of 2.4 miles (3.9 km), the path reaches the Wallace Pratt Lodge that was built by Wallace Everette Pratt (1885–1981), a petroleum geologist who once owned most of McKittrick Canyon. In 1959, Pratt donated 4,988 acres (2,019 ha) of his ranch to

2128-536: The highest point in Texas, with an elevation of 8,751 feet (2,667 m). The range lies southeast of the Sacramento Mountains and east of the Brokeoff Mountains. The mountain range extends north-northwest and northeast from Guadalupe Peak in Texas into New Mexico. The northeastern extension ends about 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Carlsbad , near White's City and Carlsbad Caverns National Park ;

2184-646: The land surface. Buried organic matter formed oil and natural gas resources, and ~250,000 wells have been drilled in the surrounding region. Bedrock that formed in shallow oceans of the Delaware Basin were likely uplifted during the Cenozoic period. Subduction of the Farallon Plate underneath the Western United States thickened buoyant continental crust and uplifted the Colorado Plateau across much of

2240-476: The many caves and alcoves . The first humans to live here were hunter-gatherers who followed large game and collected edible vegetation. Artifacts that support this include projectile points, baskets, pottery, and rock art. The first Europeans to arrive in the area were the Spaniards in the 16th century, but they did not make serious attempts to settle in the Guadalupe Mountains. The Spanish introduced horses into

2296-494: The members are up for re-election. The Apache nation of over 64,000 coordinate with each other through tribal meetings. The tribe comprised over 12,468 with 8,652 according to the United States Census . In 1959, the tribe elected Virginia Klinekole as its first woman president. She later was elected to the tribal council, serving on it until 1986. The tribe repeatedly re-elected Wendell Chino as president; he served

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2352-669: The most superior military aircraft i.e. the Boeing Manufactured Apache helicopter, the Sikorsky Blackhawk etc. after the Native Americans. They traveled east on the arid plains to hunt the buffalo and south into the desert for gathering Mescal Agave . Spanish colonists associated them with this plant and named them Mescalero Apache. The Mescalero Apache, along with the other Apache groups, lived by traditional hunting and gathering. The Mescalero Apache culture protected

2408-567: The mountains through the mid-19th century, but they were challenged by an American transportation route at the end of the American Civil War . During the 1840s and 1850s, many people immigrating west crossed the area. In 1858, Pinery station was constructed near Pine Springs for the Butterfield Overland Mail . The Butterfield Overland Mail traveled over Guadalupe Pass located at 5,534 ft (1,687 m) above sea level. A cavalry

2464-606: The next 2 miles (3.2 km), eventually reaching "the Notch" at an altitude around 7,200 feet (2,200 m). From this high point, one can view McKittrick Canyon and the distant desert to the east and South McKittrick Canyon to the west. A portion of the canyon was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its archeological importance on 26 September 1991. Guadalupe Mountains Archaeological evidence has shown that people lived over 10,000 years ago in and among

2520-594: The park. Groundwater circulating through deep fractures dissolves limestone and forms extensive cave networks, including the Carlsbad Caverns . Three major ecosystems are contained within the mountain range. First, deserts exhibit salt flats on the western side of the national park and creosote desert , with low elevations on the east covered with grassland , pinyon pine , and junipers such as alligator juniper and one-seeded juniper . Secondly, canyon interiors such as McKittrick, Bear, and Pine Springs Canyon on

2576-492: The processing of mescal. Family descent was matrilineal , but men's heritage would be remembered especially if there was a famous warrior in his lineage. Extended families consisted of grandparents, unmarried children, and their remarried daughters' nuclear families. The Mescalero also practiced matrilocal residence patterns. When a woman married, the couple would move into a new tipi or wickiup close to her parents' home. The Mescalero's autonym, or name for themselves,

2632-657: The range includes occupation by ancient Pueblo and Mogollon peoples, and by the Apache and various Anglo outlaws in the 19th century. Mescalero Apaches Mescalero or Mescalero Apache ( Mescalero-Chiricahua : Naa'dahéńdé ) is an Apache tribe of Southern Athabaskan –speaking Native Americans . The tribe is federally recognized as the Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Apache Reservation , located in south-central New Mexico . In

2688-630: The reservation was first located near Fort Stanton (Zhúuníidu). The present reservation was established in 1883. It has a land area of 1,862.463 km (719.101 sq mi), almost entirely in Otero County . The 463,000-acre reservation lies on the eastern flank of the Sacramento Mountains and borders the Lincoln National Forest . A small, unpopulated section is in Lincoln County just southwest of Ruidoso (Tsé tághe' si'â-yá). U.S. Route 70

2744-412: The rocks are now thousands of feet above sea level, sediments that form the rock were deposited in the Delaware Basin , which was a shallow marine coastal setting at the southern edge of what was then the North American craton . Sediments were deposited in an environment that is thought to be similar to present day environments in the Bahamas or southern Florida (U.S.), where warm climate and clear water

2800-562: The southeast end exhibit maple , ash , chinquapin oak , and other deciduous trees. These trees are able to grow in the desert due to springs of water recharged by wet uplands. Finally, alpine uplands known as "the Bowl" exceeding elevations of 7,000 ft (2,100 m) are covered with denser forests of ponderosa pine , southwestern white pine , and douglas-fir , with small stands of aspen . The range contains many world-class caves , including Carlsbad Caverns (the best known) and Lechuguilla Cave , discovered in 1986. The history of

2856-478: The southwest tip ends with El Capitan about 90 miles (140 km) east of El Paso. The mountains rise more than 3,000 feet (910 m) above the arid floor of the Chihuahuan Desert . The Guadalupe Mountains are surrounded by the South Plains to the east and north, Delaware Mountains to the south, and Sacramento Mountains to the west. The northwestern extension, bounded by a dramatic escarpment known as "The Rim", extends much further into New Mexico, to near

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2912-460: The southwestern United States. Following complete subduction of the Farallon plate in the mid-late Cenozoic, lateral compression was released along the western margin of the North American tectonic plate, and a transform plate boundary formed on the western United States along the San Andreas Fault . Lateral extension of the Colorado Plateau occurred as a result, forming topographic relief and mountainous features along crustal extension features in

2968-471: The three dialects of Apachean. Although Navajo is a related Southern Athabaskan language, its language and culture are considered distinct from those of the Apache. The Mescalero Apache were primarily a nomadic mountain people . They were innovative warriors, stealth, fierce, precise and tactical. Their capabilities are forever recognized as superior military tactics. Modern defense industrial base utilizes this irregular warfare precision and “brand” in naming

3024-574: The visitor center and initially follows a dry stream, crossing the stream bed several times as it works its way up the canyon. At first, the vegetation is more typical of the Chihuahuan Desert with various species of yucca , agave , and cacti , such as Spanish dagger ( Yucca faxoniana ), sotol ( Dasylirion leiophyllum ), ocotillo ( Fouquieria splendens ), lechuguilla ( Agave lechuguilla ), century plants ( Agave americana ), prickly pear ( Opuntia spp.), and claret cup cacti ( Echinocereus triglochidiatus ). Scattered among these desert plants are

3080-407: Was generated along the margin of the mountain range. The Guadalupe Mountains are mainly carved by a series of NW-SE trending canyons leading to exposure of marine rocks at their current elevation. In the dry, semi-arid environment, continuous limestone bedrock of the Capitan Reef forms large prominent cliffs traceable across the landscape. These cliffs are typically exposed along the eastern edge of

3136-405: Was known as the Buffalo Soldiers was ordered to the area to stop Indian raids on settlements and mail stage routes. During the winter of 1869, Lt. H.B. Cushing led his troops into the Guadalupe Mountains and destroyed two Mescalero Apache camps. The Mescalero Apache were eventually driven out of the area and into US Indian reservations . Felix McKittrick was one of the first European settlers in

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