Foggy One Morning - Crystal Clear Next

Hiked to Cañada Bonita meadow both Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tuesday was a "misty, moisty morning" (that phrase from a Mother Goose rhyme that I loved as a child). We all enjoyed the moisture in the air and the lushness of the forest undergrowth on our way to the meadow.

On Wednesday, the moisture was gone and the sky above was crystal clear New Mexico blue! Different group but we enjoyed this day too!

Tuesday, June 18, Cañada Bonita Meadow

Wednesday, June 19, Cañada Bonita Meadow

Coyote Call Wildflowers Surprised Us

Walked with senior group last Friday on Alamo Boundary Trail and Coyote Call Trail. Below  burnt hillside, along Coyote Call Trail, we were surprised to see wildflowers blooming. It's been a dry winter and spring. Along some trails and forest roads, the grass is mostly winter golden, deep into May. This spring, there have been far more moisture sucking winds than raindrops. Yet, the wildflowers are blooming below the charcoal stick forest. (And, yes, I've included dandelions!)

Red columbine - we saw lots

Dandelions - we were captivated

Clematis or virgin's bower - many had a "hanging garden" effect

Burnt hillside above Coyote Call Trail - young aspens are sprouting forth

More red columbine - striking a "shy" pose

Sad Treatment of FR181

Walked on FR181/American Spring Road today. Dismayed by scenes below:

First two photos are a little over two miles in from NM 4:

Pretty little meadow along FR181/American Spring Road. Now an unofficial mud fest  proving ground for vehicles.

Same meadow - wish these shell casings were wildflowers. They are scattered all about the meadow. The meadow is being used as a shooting range.

These photos are where Water Canyon crosses FR181, approximately 1.5 miles in from NM 4:

Another unofficial shooting range on FR181, right above Water Canyon Trail. This area has been severely damaged by post-Las Conchas wildfire flooding and is due to be repaired by the forest service. Just because it's damaged gives no one an excuse to further mistreat it. Four photos below give details of the scene (the numerous, scattered, brass shell casings are not pictured):

Cardboard target (not shown in photo above)

Spray painted rocks and discarded container

  

Another target 

Discarded paint containers?

Snowy Ponderosas

Wednesday morning, woke to snow-transformed world.

Snowy ponderosas along Los Alamos Mesa Trail

Mitchell Trail-Guaje Ridge Trail Quest

Hiking buddies and I keep scheduling this hike: go up the Mitchell Trail and down the Guaje Ridge Trail to Guaje Pines Cemetery.  So far,  we've not been able to do it because it snows (or threatens to) each time it's scheduled. (Daughter says keep scheduling it and we'll break the drought!!)  This past Monday, the weather seemed good enough that we actually attempted it. 

That morning, we optimistically left a car at Guaje Pines Cemetery and drove over to the Mitchell Trail trailhead and began hiking.  When we got to the top of the very steep Mitchell Trail, 1,500' up, and only encountered one slippery, snowy section, we were encouraged.  We were sure we'd finally succeed in completing the hike!

At the top, we intersected the Guaje Ridge Trail and began descending the north-facing trail.  The two other hikers forged bravely ahead, breaking trail through the snowy patches - some of which were 3' deep in spots. When we got to a dead end cliff, we reconnoitered and determined that the snowy trail continued downhill. Just to be sure, we took out our maps.  At some point, the weather had changed and the wind was blowing so hard, accompanied by light snow flurries, that reading the maps, let alone folding them back up, was frustrating.  Since none of us had been on the Guaje Ridge Trail in recent memory and we couldn't really see the trace of the trail as it continued in the distance, we turned around and retraced our steps back down the Mitchell Trail.    First, though, we had to go back uphill, plowing through the snow banks again, forging upward against the wind and tiny, swirling snow pellets. During this, we felt rather like we were in an epic battle against the weather that had once again foiled our plans!

Before the fires, I could see occasional, stunning glimpses of the mountains and canyons from the Guaje Ridge Trail. Now that most of the trees are sadly burnt, there is the compensation of being able to completely see the astoundingly beautiful and wild country all around!  I fell in love with the view of Caballo Mountain from the Guaje Ridge Trail!  We must go back!!

Bottom of Mitchell Trail in Rendija Canyon with view of Jemez Mountains to southwest

Along Mitchell Trail, dead standing trees - realm of the Harpies - shrieking wind and the trembling tree tops 

First false summit on Mitchell Trail, looking east 

Serpentine meanders of Mitchell Trail

Caballo Mountain above Guaje Canyon, looking northwest from Guaje Ridge Trail

A note:  The National Weather Service prediction was for winds of 15-20 mph. The day started out calm enough but the wind got really wild on the hike back. Since the Mitchell Trail goes through a burn area (courtesy of the 2000 Cerro Grande Fire), we were fortunate that no tree fell on our heads, leaving only our feet sticking out (like when Dorothy's house fell on the Wicked Witch of the East in the Wizard of Oz).

One hiker commented that the wind howling in the trees sounded like Harpies. I looked up Harpy on Wikipedia and generally speaking, they are despicable creatures and give women (and birds) a very bad name.  Hearing the screeching of the winds in the burn area Monday, I could appreciate this quote regarding Harpies:  "They were usually seen as the personifications of the destructive nature of wind."

The article has a quote from Dante's Inferno that talks of harpies as "...they caw their lamentations in the eerie trees."  One section of the Mitchell Trail goes perilously close to the dead, standing trees and it did sound like that and we were happy to pass by unharmed.

A Little Bit of Green

Saw a little bit of green on today's walk on American Spring Road.  True, it's only evergreen but I've enjoyed watching these "baby" ponderosas "grow up" after the 2000 Cerro Grande fire.  Wonder if volunteers planted them here?  They escaped burning up in the 2011 Las Conchas fire. They are a hopeful sign.

American Spring Road is melting out.

"Lost" on Water Canyon Trail 281

Today, we walked up Water Canyon Trail 281 for the first time since the June 2011 Las Conchas wildfire. It looks so different - with less trees to block the view, you can see how rocky the south facing side of the canyon is and the canyon looks so much wider.

The canyon looked so different, in fact, that I thought, in the photo below, that I was approaching the meadow everyone calls Sawmill Meadow, below Red-tailed Hawk Point. Husband parked on a rock while I followed the obvious trail a little further up canyon, marveling at what I thought was a brand new hiking opportunity opened up by the wildfire.

Eventually, I realized I had mistaken the first (south) fork of Water Canyon for the main canyon channel. Truthfully, though, being in the throes of such a delusion is exciting!  I concocted in my mind a brand new landscape, which, when you think about it, is exactly what the wildfire did!

Approaching first (south) fork of Water Canyon 

Rio Grande in Winter from White Rock Rim Trail

On Thursday, I hiked with the Townsite senior center hiking group.  Six of us walked part of the White Rock Rim Trail from Kimberly Lane to Overlook Park.  Very brisk temperatures - our leader didn't even wear a hat but the rest of us sure did!

The walk was a revelation: Since I stopped snowshoeing this winter, I thought all trails would be icy, muddy or both so I mostly confined myself to paved surfaces.  I was so wrong and will rectify the error of my ways and get out more on real trails!  We hiked early enough, starting at 9 am, that the trail surface was either snow-packed, but not icy, or plain, old terra firma (I so love terra firma!)

After the Storm

Our little mountain town spent much of December basking in warm, sunny days.  Made for great hiking but our burnt hills are testament to what happens when we don't get moisture.  On Friday, a nice snowstorm finally brought moisture to our mountain town.

This is today from the Canyon Rim Trail.  Pajarito Mountain is to the right of the tall snag. (Neatly hidden behind the tall snag is an unsightly communications tower!)

Mountain Meadow Dream

Dreamed yesterday that I walked up Valle Canyon and ended up in this little mountain meadow on land owned by the Valles Caldera National Preserve.  It had to be a dream because ever since the United States government in 2000 purchased this land "to provide opportunities for public recreation", among other purposes, there's been no way to hike all the way up Valle Canyon without "trespassing" on this "public" land.