New Mexico Route 52

[Jim]

I need to get from the VLA west of Magdalena to Truth or Consequences late tomorrow afternoon and I'm eyeing this route as a way to avoid doubling back to Socorro on US 60 to add some variety and to become the first TM user to clinch it.  I noticed the dashed grey in my RMcN and Wikipedia indicates about half of it is a graded dirt road.

So my question for anyone who might have driven that road is whether it is a good idea in a rental car and on a day when there's a pretty good chance of some rain...

[Rothman]

Haven't been on that route, but I have been in the area and I would think you would be okay in the rental in the rain.

[Jim]

In case anyone's interested, I went ahead and made the ride this afternoon on the length of NM 52 from the VLA to Truth or Consequences.  The unpaved segment's quality varied greatly.  For much of the northern part, I was able to cruise along comfortably at 45 or 50.  Then when it was a little rainier and where the road was more hilly and curvy, it was often in pretty rough shape.  There were longer stretches where I felt it best to stay around 35, and some segments where I needed to go much slower, especially where the rain made a slick layer of mud.  Some hills were a bad washboard, and some segments had larger rocks sticking out.  I was amazed how many places the road dips down and clearly gets washed over or even washed out during more significant rain events.  Many had banks of gravel on the side of the low area where it looked like many storms worth of washovers have been pushed aside.  That was true both on the unpaved and paved sections.  I guess it happens so rarely and the road is so lightly traveled, it doesn't really matter.  With a couple of side trips to see about 10 miles of NM 163 (was hoping for some kind of Continental Divide marker but gave up when I was pretty sure I'd passed the spot) and 2 miles of NM 59, the ride took over 2 1/2 hours for a little over 100 miles total.

[US 89]

(was hoping for some kind of Continental Divide marker but gave up when I was pretty sure I'd passed the spot)

I'm not shocked in the slightest. This is NM we're talking about here.

If even US 64/84 doesn't have one, I certainly wouldn't expect it on a road like NM 163 -- which doesn't even have GSV!

[paulthemapguy]

You're in New Mexico? Isn't it supposed to snow there?

[Jim]

You're in New Mexico? Isn't it supposed to snow there?

Up north, yes.  Down here in the southern part, no.  If I had more than about 8 hours notice before I left that there was going to be enough snow for Wolf Creek in Colorado to open their ski season this weekend, I probably would have ditched this southern/western NM loop I'm doing and would have packed my ski stuff (minus the actual skis which I'd rent) and would be spending tonight in Pagosa Springs in preparation for what would have been my first-ever October ski day.  It would be most appropriate since I also had my first-ever May ski day at Killington earlier this year.

[kphoger]

I wonder if driving off-pavement was in violation of your rental agreement.

[DJStephens]

You're in New Mexico? Isn't it supposed to snow there?

Las Cruces (elevation 4000) has measurable snowfall every 3 to 5 years.  Usually melting completely within 24 hours.  An uncommon cold spell in Feb 2011 saw temperatures under 32 degrees Fahrenheit for 72 hours.  The record low was recorded in early 1962 at the state University which recorded - 10 Fahrenheit.

[Jim]

If anyone's wondering, I did end up driving in snow east of Gallup on Monday morning.  There was a coating on vegetation but no more than a little slush on the shoulders of the roads.  No disruption of my travel at all.

[aboges26]

In case anyone's interested, I went ahead and made the ride this afternoon on the length of NM 52 from the VLA to Truth or Consequences.  The unpaved segment's quality varied greatly.  For much of the northern part, I was able to cruise along comfortably at 45 or 50.  Then when it was a little rainier and where the road was more hilly and curvy, it was often in pretty rough shape.  There were longer stretches where I felt it best to stay around 35, and some segments where I needed to go much slower, especially where the rain made a slick layer of mud.  Some hills were a bad washboard, and some segments had larger rocks sticking out.  I was amazed how many places the road dips down and clearly gets washed over or even washed out during more significant rain events.  Many had banks of gravel on the side of the low area where it looked like many storms worth of washovers have been pushed aside.  That was true both on the unpaved and paved sections.  I guess it happens so rarely and the road is so lightly traveled, it doesn't really matter.  With a couple of side trips to see about 10 miles of NM 163 (was hoping for some kind of Continental Divide marker but gave up when I was pretty sure I'd passed the spot) and 2 miles of NM 59, the ride took over 2 1/2 hours for a little over 100 miles total.

If I had caught this thread in time, I would have advised you stay away from unpaved NM state highways especially with the threat of rain.  San Juan County in the northwest corner of the state has 2 unpaved state highways, 57 and 575,  and both seem to not get maintained until after the road surface has deteriorated to washboards on washboards.  I prefer to never take a vehicle that I care about down either unless I have heard that grading has been done recently enough, however, oil traffic can be so heavy and abusive that you can hardly tell within 2 days.  Also, both become impassable when it rains for non 4x4 vehicles more often than not, and I would have projected this for all unpaved NM state highways.  Glad to hear your trip was safe and that you were able to enjoy an off-the-beaten-track NM experience!

[triplemultiplex]

I had endless run-ins with New Mexico's gravel state highways over a two year period, including NM 52.  I would have advised that you hold on to your spine if I had seen this thread last month.  I was trying to drive that bastard for work with a bunch of computer equipment running, so you can imagine how much fun I had on that washboard and the chunks of bedrock sticking out. 

The VLA is pretty damn cool, though.