Valle Grande Passport II

This was my final Passport II hike of the 16 hikes in the booklet. It was a chilly, windy day. There were teeny snowflakes nestled on wild strawberry leaves but no real snow on the trail. The real snow, a spring snowfall, came the next day, May 19, in Los Alamos. The trees along the Valle Grande Trail look like a forest waiting to fall and many, some giants, have accepted the invitation already. The trees burned in the 2011 Las Conchas fire. On my way downhill, I was amazed to meet two tree fellers coming up. I had heard their chainsaws. They cleared deadfall off the trail all the way to the bottom. I thanked them. At the meadow, there was still one small tree across the trail which could easily be gotten around.

As always, if you gaze across the Valle Grande of the Valles Caldera National Preserve, you will see Redondo in repose. Seen here through a curtain of burnt timber, framed by the colors of earth and sky.

South Mountain Passport II

To get the South Mountain Passport to the Pajarito Plateau II rubbing, I took an unconventional approach. I had read that you should call the Valles Caldera National Preserve Visitor Center ahead of time to see if South Mountain was open but I didn't want to do that nor did I want to drive my sedan on the Preserve's gravel roads. So, on Mother's Day, I drove to the Preserve entrance, parked to the side, outside the gate, completely out of the way, hung my national park pass from my rear-view mirror and started walking in on the entrance road to the Visitor Center. The entrance road is 2 miles one-way. At the Visitor Center, I told the ranger what I hoped to do, asked if that was all right and happily, got the OK to proceed. My plan was to walk from the Visitor Center just to the South Mountain trailhead, get the rubbing in my Passport II and walk back out to my car for an 8 mile round-trip hike.

East Fork of the Jemez River as seen along the entrance road. The orangish streamside vegetation looks like willows bundled together to keep the stream banks from eroding. I could see little ties holding the bundles in place. Whatever they are, they are picturesque! The pointy mountain, background left, is Las Conchas Peak, and then to the right of that is Los Griegos (and maybe that's Cerro Pelado in between the two). The green mountain, nearer and on the right, is a shoulder of South Mountain.

Victory! The rubbing plate is on the upright log below the South Mountain sign. I was almost ready to concede that I would never reach the actual trailhead. I'm glad I didn't give up. It's very green and pretty here. From the Visitor Center, I walked probably a mile on a graveled road to the cabin area where I went left onto a dirt road closed to vehicles. I must have followed that at least another mile to this trailhead. The last mile was pretty - in a valley pass between South Mountain and Redondo Peak - but seemed so long because I didn't know for sure I was following the correct road. Lots of little streamlets come down from Redondo and cross the road. Eventually, the road split. To the right, a road continued north and to the left, the road started uphill to South Mountain.

A gigantic stump next to a baby tree (spruce?), near the South Mountain sign. Would make a decent bench without the piece of rebar poking up in the middle!

Upper Crossing Trail Passport II

Second week of May, took Upper Crossing Trail, in Bandelier National Monument, to Rito de los Frijoles in Frijoles Canyon and then retraced my steps back. The stream, clouds, blue skies, burnt trees, new spring growth all looked so pretty. Frijoles Canyon was badly burnt in the 2000 Cerro Grande fire and then again in the 2011 Las Conchas fire. I've heard the trail down canyon to Bandelier Headquarters is mostly restored now except for a section in the "Narrows". This used to be the quintessential spring, summer and fall hike for groups I hiked with. There were trees and ferns and lots of greenery all along the trail. There were also stinging nettles, poison ivy and ticks! The Lemon Lot group would have lunch along the creek, always at the same convenient stopping place each year. I haven't hiked the canyon since the fires. I'm long overdue. There used to be well-placed stones to step across the stream and even some bridges but those all washed away.

On top of the wilderness sign is a rubbing plate for the Pajarito Environmental Education Center's Passport to the Pajarito Plateau II. This is along the trail, just before it goes downhill into Frijoles Canyon.

Mitchell Trail Loop Passport II

Another Pajarito Environmental Education Center Passport II hike. Didn't take a photo of the passport post but did take a plate rubbing  for my Passport II book. It was an overcast day. This is the ridgetop section of the loop and the flower here is probably Perky Sue. The background ridge is the one that travels west from LA/Burnt Mountain. The healthy confiers that speckle the hillside were planted by volunteers after the 2000 Cerro Grande fire. The Mitchell Trail Loop starts from the Mitchell Trail trailhead on Arizona Street. Part goes through Rendija Canyon. Alone in that canyon, I enthusiastically rang my homemade bear bells and yodeled or, rather, fake yodeled, "Yo duh lady who!" All self-respecting bruins immediately vacated the area. The rain didn't start until I got back to my car. As I sat in the car, eating lunch, a man and woman put on their rain gear and started up the trail.

Green and Enchanting - Graduation Canyon

End of April, 2017:

Pajarito Environmental Education Center Passport II post at Graduation Canyon point overlook.

When I saw this, I thought how much my 4 year old grandson would enjoy it. To him, it would be huge forest! Graduation Canyon is a tiny, green canyon very close to the heart of downtown Los Alamos, accessed either from East Park/Los Alamos Mesa Trail or from Pine Street Playlot.

I hadn't been here for a long time so had forgotten the towering rock formations. Hidden up above are "mansions" on Rim Road. Understand that my definition of a mansion is colored by the fact that I live in a 50 year old government built Group 18 house.

A man-made wonder reposes in the canyon. Wonder the year, make and model? Doesn't look driveable!

Clematis

A very new-looking bridge!

Fruit tree in blossom along Graduation Canyon creek.

Cliffs of Graduation Canyon point overlook. Looking north.

Pipeline-Perimeter Off-Trail

When you walk up Pipeline Road in Los Alamos, NM, starting from Quemazon and Torreon in Quemazon Community, after about a mile you come to a saddle that separates the north Pueblo Canyon drainage from the south and a ridge that trends south from the saddle. Follow the ridge and at first there's a distinct trail which soon ends at the top of a  rough, steep downhill to the Perimeter Trail on the hillside above Quemazon Community.
I've always wondered what happens if you continue further south on the ridge, into the trailless Cerro Grande burn area. I usually quash these off-trail explores with inner warnings to not go it alone because there could be mountain lions, bears, coyotes, rabid bunnies, I could break ankle. Or, I chide that I really need to get back home soon because there are chores to do. But this time, the end of March, I took the bait and diverted from an easy, familiar downhill on Pipeline Road to instead follow the ridge into the burn area to see what I could see.  Pipeline Road is the road cut on the mountainside.

These young trees were planted by volunteers after the 2000 Cerro Grande wildfire. It's wonderful how much they have grown since then! To avoid falling, I walked very slowly over all the downed wood from the forest here before the fire. I followed wherever it seemed most open and least full of tripping hazards. Purposely placed rocks here and there showed that others had been here too.

Looking across a south branch of Pueblo Canyon toward Pajarito Mountain, a veritable forest is growing back. The green patch, lower left, is kinnikinnick. It was still early spring and I saw very few flowers.

I would have chosen it to be less windy for my walk here.  Some of the snags are so fearsomely massive that I waited until the wind stopped gusting  to walk by. I knew this to be a largely ineffectual strategy since snags fall when and where they want but it made me feel better! On the way downhill, I stuck close to Pueblo Canyon and eventually intersected the Perimeter Trail which I followed back to my car.

One of many "last looks" back to appreciate the scenery. The cairn was built by someone before me. Even though walking over and around all the obstacles made for very slow travel and the wind speeds got too high, this area has a raw, unforgettable beauty. And even though the forests that used to thickly cover the Jemez mountains west of town are gone forever in my lifetime, I feel joy in having traveled through this transformed landscape. The thick forests before the wildfire were mysterious because in them, I couldn't always see where I was. The off-trail sections of the Cerro Grande burn area beckon me all the time but mostly remain mysterious because I'm less likely to be patient enough to walk within. Trails are, of course, easier! When I do go there, though, it is worth it.

Ad Hoc Hikers: American Spring Road/Forest Road 181

The Ad Hoc Hikers decided to check out American Spring Road/Forest Road 181 this morning. We were pushing the season as there was still some snow on the road. The hikers thought it would be more dried out and it is somewhat in places. Overall, though, it's mostly a mix of snow, ice and mud. We were lucky to go early (the group starts at 8:30 am) before everything thawed.

The group gamely went as far as the turnoff to Red-Tailed Hawk Point where they turned back. I continued to the meadow near where the road swings south and downhill to West Jemez Road. I avoided the muddiest portions by going off the road onto a little trail that goes over to one of the broken down elk exclosures (left over from after the 2000 Cerro Grande Fire) and then parallels Forest Road 181 almost over to the meadow. This avoided three mini-lake-sized puddles. The portion of the forest road that faces south has terrible drainage problems, all made worse by the vehicles that drive in when the road is snow-covered. Too bad someone doesn't discover a threatened species so the road can be closed for "resource protection" from January to April like Dome Road is. The deep tire ruts in the mud only worsen the drainage. I saw today where a vehicle had pulled off onto the grassy shoulder and created deep ruts which now direct runoff into one of the mini-lake-sized puddles.

On a happier note, Armstead Spring is gushing like crazy - lots of water running out of the old, rusty water pipes!