And the Winner Is...

This morning, the senior hiking group unanimously voted for the Powerline Point Trail. I managed to squeeze in a mere little adventure: Instead of going straight uphill to our usual overlook of the powerlines crossing high above the Rio Grande, we turned off onto the Ancho Rapids Trail. I took them to a small mesa that looks down on that steep, rough trail as it continues to Ancho Rapids, far below on the Rio Grande. On the way back, one of the hikers pointed out what he thought was an indigo bunting flying away. I'm no birder but the feathers of that bird were such a bright blue - beautiful!
 

Jemez Mountains and Los Alamos from Powerline Point Mesa

Tromping in Pueblo Canyon

Checked out the Sewer Plant Road, starting from the bottom of Main Hill Road (NM502). Intention: see if the first 2 miles have dried out enough after our recent snows to recommend it to a senior hiking group.

About a mile and a half in, I detoured to check out a side road known as the Pueblo Canyon Trail, although it's really just another dirt road. The group never takes this but always sticks to the main road, walking only as far as the Los Alamos Wastewater Treatment Facility and turning around.  I thought this could be a chance to do something different!

It was OK at first but my shoes soon collected thick mud in the shady parts so I eliminated it as an option - not their preference. Since my shoes were already muddy, I decided I may as well continue up canyon!  To do this, I'd have to cross the treated wastewater  effluent stream. In the past, this involved finding a place narrow enough to jump over or a rock to step on and then continuing on the Pueblo Canyon Trail. It's more complicated now because part of the effluent stream has jumped downhill from its bank,  eroding a steep-sided, muddy channel in the middle of the road; so now, you're leaping over onto very treacherous footing. Seems like a setup for a mud bath with bodily injury! I managed to find a place to step across further upstream, thanks to a thoughtfully placed rock, but then had to bushwhack through dry weeds and shrubs to get back to the road. Thoughts of ticks and rattlesnakes flashed through my mind but I dismissed them - too early in the season...I hope!

I continued up canyon just to where the Pueblo Canyon Trail joins the maintenance road and looped back there, following the thankfully dry road - past the wastewater treatment facility, past the composting station, past where I had first turned off onto the Pueblo Canyon Trail and back to my car. I went further than the group would but it was a fun - a mere little adventure, even the crossing of the effluent stream and tromping through mud. The Sewer Plant Road itself was fine - nice and dry! Yesterday, I walked the Powerline Point Trail and it is basically dried out as well - we'll see which the group picks!

Tent Rock Rooted in Pueblo Canyon

Rabbit Ridge Road Elk Serenade

A group of us hiked this morning up the Rabbit Ridge Road, across from the Valle Grande. The sound of the bugling elk was beautiful! The day was overcast and temps were cooler, giving a feeling of autumn. Ordinarily, a day without our intense New Mexico sunshine can make me feel "down" but not today. My spirits were buoyed after this beautiful hike.

Some hikers went all the way to Rabbit Mountain and then took a short-cut down the mountain-side and back to the cars at Coyote Call trailhead. I went as far as the first felsenmeer and then walked alone back to my car. I wasn't really alone, though, because the  bugling elk serenaded me from all around.

Gotta Remain Strong As You Can As Long As You Can

Regarding the post title, as my body ages, I find myself repeating this mantra. Half the battle is showing up, staying upright and keeping mobile!

To that end, took a walk Monday on the Pueblo Canyon Rim Trail, starting from East Park and out to the top of the Camp Hamilton Trail. Took the easy way back on what I call the "Happy Trail", aka the Canyon Rim Trail. Guess I call it that because it's almost always sunny, it's paved, it's easy and it's a nice all-weather fall-back when I don't feel like driving to a trailhead.

I was pleasantly surprised that there was not a lot of litter along the section of the Pueblo Canyon Rim Trail below the county's Pajarito Cliffs Site parking lot. I haven't been on that part of the trail for quite a while. After getting bitten by a rattlesnake in June 2012 while picking up trash there, you might say the thrill was gone. Well, now that I've been back and got reacquainted with its spectacular views of our area mountains and Pueblo Canyon, I plan to return soon!

On the wildflower front, saw a few scraggly, yellow wallflowers, Tried to take their portraits but I've never mastered close-ups - all the photos were blurry - maybe I can blame the wind! I managed to capture a nice photo of a yucca  almost ready to bloom. My success was in using the telephoto feature rather than the macro and steadying the camera on my broad-brimmed hat.

Blue Dot-River-Red Dot Trails - Dry Winter

Several weeks ago, three of us hiked down the Blue Dot, then along the River Trail and up the Red Dot. The whole trek is a little over 4 miles but going up the steep Red Dot makes it feel longer.

White Rock Canyon, where all 3 trails are located, is a world of rocks. We admired jumbles of dark basalt,  decorated with bright blotches of lichen. We were amazed at the placement of river rock so far uphill from the Rio Grande.

We tried to find a petroglyph that the Salzmans in Hiking Adventures in Northern New Mexico describe as a woman wearing a crown. We turned in at the correct place but a tree hides the rock it's on and the petroglyph faces south toward the Rio so we somehow missed seeing it. Reason to go back one day! 

We had lunch at Pajarito Springs which, even in this very dry winter, was pouring forth an never-ending freshet. While eating, I couldn't resist petting the streamside pussy willow catkins, irresistible in their velvety-soft, gray furriness.

Ascending the staircase-like Red Dot Trail, we decided to save for another day the search for Newspaper Rock. We admired the petroglyphs of the serpents and cougar on the way up. Close to the top of the Red Dot, we watched in awe as a jogger below easily galloped up the trail. He said a friendly hello as he passed.  We felt very slow in comparison! Regardless, we all enjoyed the hike immensely.

Near top of Blue Dot Trail, looking toward Buckman Road

Best Laid Plans and Fall Colors

OK -  my plan was to hike everywhere I could to enjoy the fall colors. I was keeping an especial eye on lower Pipeline Road because there is potential for massive color in the luxuriant oak and aspen regrowth since the 2000 Cerro Grande fire. Thankfully, the area wasn't re-burnt in the 2011 Las Conchas conflagration.

I hiked lower Pipeline Road last week and and went back yesterday to see how the color was developing. Yesterday's hike featured blue skies, sunshine and light winds. I saw six other hikers with the same idea - get out in the beautiful fall weather and admire autumn colors.

Today, though, the wind blustered all day; it rained and even sleeted. Our ash tree, which was gloriously yellow, had a lot of leaves torn off and looks bedraggled. It's obvious from town that Pajarito Mountain had it's first snowfall of the season.

The temperatures have turned frigid tonight and the wind is rattling our screen door. Have all the fall colors blown away? We'll see tomorrow.

The photos below are from yesterday's Pipeline Road walk.

Grand Walk: Pajarito Mountain via Camp May

Today I did a grand walk up Pajarito Mountain. I've wanted to do this particular walk for several weeks but each morning, the mountain was wreathed in clouds and looked like it would rain. Today, there were blue skies overhead so I went for it! 

I started by going up the jeep road toward the Camp May saddle from Camp May Community Park. At the Valles Caldera National Preserve fence line, which bars all travel further west, there was a glistening pile of bear scat - quite copious! Maybe the bear was as frustrated as me by the fence and wished to show its disdain! From there, I followed a bicycle trail (maybe also called the Ma Bell ski trail) over to the Rim Run ski trail/jeep road which I took to the top of Rim Run, which is situated along the Pajarito Mountain Ski Area's westernmost boundary. While huffing and puffing uphill, I stopped often to enjoy the quintessential sound of autumn - elk bugling from below in the Preserve. 

At the top of Rim Run, I headed through the burnt woods to the south meadow on the back of Pajarito Mountain and worked my way over to the blue Yeamans memorial bench. Along the way, I heard a large animal crashing through the woods to escape me. 

From the Yeamans bench, I walked downhill to the trail west of the snow-making retention pond. The trail goes over the gravel berm at the back of the fenced pond. I could see deer prints in the mud.  The trail continued up to the Zero Road East jeep road at the back of the mountain. I took that road to just downhill from the 4 way intersection (at the antenna farm) where I decided to instead cut across the mountain, passing under Lone Spruce Lift, on a ski trail/jeep road. On the way to Mother Lift, I saw the merest beginning of aspen color, quite appropriately near Aspen Lift.  

Almost back to the Ski Lodge, I spotted two grouse. They saw me and very judiciously minced across a side road to hide in the tall grass. I had to laugh because it looked like they thought that if they walked slowly enough, they were invisible!

The whole hike is close to 5 miles (could be more, depending on how often my GPS unit "lost" the signal). The uphill parts, Camp May saddle and Rim Run, are very steep and rocky in places but there are plenty of splendid views to admire along the way. The first half of the hike goes through the burned area on the western side of the Pajarito Mountain Ski Area.

On the way to the south side meadow on Pajarito Mountain, these "purple daisies" (probably asters) lured me over. This is in the forest burned by Las Conchas wildfire, June 2011.

I hadn't noticed this memorial sign before. The tree it's attached to looks like a dead spruce.

The memorial sign and Ballance Bench.

Interesting cloud forming at top of Lone Spruce Lift.

Rabbit Ridge Road Trek

Last week, I went by myself to check out Rabbit Ridge Road for a hiking group that I hoped to take there in August. I hiked all the way to the first felsenmeer (German for sea of rock) on top of Rabbit Ridge. The first 1/2 mile or so of the road is all right, if somewhat overgrown with aspen shoots. But the middle section of the road has taken a beating from the post-Las Conchas wildfire monsoon flooding and is quite rocky and rutted, A group of us hiked the road last year to the top of Rabbit Ridge and, to my eyes, the erosion damage has worsened this year. Even in the less eroded parts of the road, there is much vegetation overgrowth to wade through.

On my solitary hike, as I rounded corners and approached overgrown areas, I kept a patter going - some examples were, in a deep voice, "Yo, bear - I'm big and I'm bad!" and, in a lilting voice, "Mr. Bear, Mrs. Bear, Ms. Bear, Baby Bear and Bayer Aspirin!" I wasn't taking any chances at surprising a bear. Recently, a small, blond bear on the Cerro Grande Route ran fearlessly at us. I imagine the bear was unnerved by 9 hikers, standing enthralled, quietly watching as it foraged in the meadow. It's better to make noise to warn the bear you're there, especially if you're alone and have no companions to outrun! Well, whether because of my bear ditties or not, I encountered no bear - only saw a lone deer on top of Rabbit Ridge which made a rapid getaway from the crazed hiker chattering out loud!

When I got home, I left a message with the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) to ask what the long range plans are for Rabbit Ridge Road. I know they have their hands full in the aftermath of this year's Thompson Ridge wildfire but I am curious if the road will be abandoned entirely. Before the Las Conchas wildfire, it provided a beautiful walk to the top of Rabbit Ridge. In contrast to the early days of the Preserve when Rabbit Ridge Road was a paid hike, the VCNP now allows free access to the public on all the Rabbit Mountain area, which includes Rabbit Ridge, and it would be a shame if the road was not maintained in some manner.  There are very few parts of the Preserve that offer free access to the public and this is one of them and it would be sad to lose the road to neglect.

Rabbit Ridge Road is accessed from the Coyote Call trailhead. This is flooding damage in the Coyote Call meadow. Deep ruts and holes have been gouged by the force of the water runoff.

On top of Rabbit Ridge (that was quick!) - the burnt forest, courtesy of the 2011 Las Conchas wildfire, greets you. Good place to look for tracks in the bare spots. Saw elk and deer tracks.

View of my favorite peak, Redondo, from first felsenmeer. When I started the hike, around 10:30 am, the sky was practically cloudless.

On the way down, an overgrown area of Rabbit Ridge Road. The tall, green plants, sprouting small, yellow, composite flowers, look, from their rank growth, to be on steroids!

A section of rocky, rutted Rabbit Ridge Road. The fire denuded hillside above funnels rain runoff across the road. There is an even worse area, just downhill, which looks like a small canyon is forming across the width of the road.

This pastoral scene belies the dramatic events that shaped this landscape, both in the past and now - volcanism and wildfire. The brownish colored splotches on Redondo are burnt areas from this spring's Thompson Ridge wildfire. This is from the Coyote Call meadow, just above the Coyote Call trailhead.

After the hike, I sat by the side of NM4, outside of the Valles Caldera National Preserve's barbed wire fence, meant to keep people out. Wistfully looking north across the Valle Grande, I ate my lunch and drank deeply of the view.

Little Sorcerer Point

Reading Craig Martin's Los Alamos Place Names, 2nd Edition, I'm intrigued by mention that the Tewa Indians knew the end of Kwage Mesa (aka, Horse Mesa) as Little Sorcerer Point. This photo is taken from the end of the trail on Kwage Mesa. It overlooks the confluence of Bayo (left) and Pueblo (right) canyons. The unnaturally green vegetation in the Pueblo Canyon drainage is from treated runoff from the Los Alamos Wastewater Plant.

There are at least two Pueblo Indian Ruins visible in the photo. On a ridge to the left of the green vegetation, is a large, bare area. This is Big Otowi Ruins, now on
San Ildefonso Pueblo land (off-limits to recreationists). To the far right of the green vegetation and the road is a ridge with a much smaller bare area, Little Otowi Ruins, now protected by a fenced Department of Energy easement (also off-limits).

From the canyons below, the Tewa dwellers could look up at the point of Kwage Mesa, which they knew as Little Sorcerer Point. In my limited understanding, to the Pueblo Indians, sorcerers were powerful and did not always use their power for good. The intriguing part is that no one knows how the name was acquired. It is supposed to be an ancient name. (I wonder - was there a Big Sorcerer Point?) Now, every time when I go to the end of Kwage Mesa or see it from the Bayo or Pueblo canyons trails below, I study it and wonder how it got its name. It will remain a mystery!

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