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!

Burnt Mesa Windy Day

Thursday's hike with the Ad Hoc group was on Burnt Mesa. The trail was nicely dried out. I have to admit that even though I don't like tripping over the logs embedded across the trail at frequent intervals, they do a superb job of keeping the trail from getting cupped.  Walking on a flat trail surface instead of in a ditch is so much easier.

It was a very windy day - blowing at our back on the way out. When the group decided to turn around about 1 1/2 miles in, they realized the wind would be in their face. I continued another mile or so to the trail's end where you can look over into Frijoles Canyon and see the Long Trail in Bandelier National Monument. It was truly a hat-brim-flipping wind on the return journey.  I saw three other hikers. Bet they also had read on the Los Alamos Trails Facebook page that the Burnt Mesa Trail was in fine condition and we all went for it!

San Miguel Mountains, which include Boundary Peak and St. Peter's Dome, from Burnt Mesa.

Snowy, south side of Pajarito Mountain from Burnt Mesa Trail.

Ancho Springs Trail to Red Dot

Group hiked Ancho Springs Trail to Red Dot (via River Trail) on Wednesday. It's a 7.5 mile, one-way hike per the leader.  I thought about just hiking down to Ancho Rapids and right back up because I wasn't sure of my ability to keep up with the group on the full hike but when we got to the River Trail turnoff, I decided to go for the full hike. Several times the group stopped to look at petroglyphs but I continued on so I wouldn't fall too far behind. When they stopped for lunch, I continued, eating my LaraBars while walking. The trail to follow was clear and the group always caught up with me.

On the group's last petroglyph stop, near the bottom of the Red Dot Trail, I and some others started up the very steep Red Dot. I had a brief, scary spell of "stupid feet" near the top - where your feet get "tangled-up" with a not-very brilliant mind of their own. I waited a little at the top for a ride back to the Powerline Point/Ancho Springs Trailhead where my car was. Really grateful for the ride and the chance to do this great hike. The trail is in wonderful condition. Someone has "white-dotted" the River Trail from the turnoff in Ancho Canyon to where the trail crosses Water Canyon. Guess white dots are appropriate since it's in White Rock Canyon.

A slice of the Rio Grande River, probably not too distant from the River Trail turnoff.

Where the River Trail crosses Water Canyon, with wonderful, columnar basalt cliffs.

Beanfield Mesa

On walk this morning with the Ad Hoc Hikers. This is Beanfield Mesa. We had just walked on the Pajarito Trail beneath those picturesque cliffs, far below Beanfield's rim.

Ponderosa Campground-Frijoles Canyon

Wednesday, on Upper Crossing Trail, starting from Ponderosa Campground, looking upward at cleft in Apache Spring Mesa (my made-up name). Five fast hikers are ahead of me. They have a big task - go all the way to Bandelier Headquarters in Frijoles Canyon. Mine is only to amble down into Frijoles Canyon and right back up.

And amble I did, stopping to look at these pretty, snowy woods. The trail was snow-covered in places and trending to frozen mud in others.

Alas, whilst in Frijoles Canyon, I took no photos but saw these quirky turkey tracks on the mesa top while walking back. These are apparently very hardy turkeys as their tracks wandered everywhere! Oh, digress for a moment back to Frijoles Canyon: At the second crossing of the Rito de los Frijoles, for one brief, wild moment, I envisioned continuing downstream to Bandelier Headquarters and hitching a ride back to Ponderosa Campground but instead, lazily walked back up to the mesa top. The Rito, though, was running finely after our Monday snowfall.

Red Dot to River Trail to Water Canyon Crossing

So happy to have gone down the Red Dot Trail today with the Wednesday group! I'm the slowest on that steep, rocky downhill but I made it intact to the bottom. The group planned to look at petroglyphs along the Rio but I was mainly interested in going further downstream on the River Trail so I checked out of the hike. I walked as far as the Water Canyon crossing of the River Trail. I especially enjoyed the section just before and above the Rio Grande. The Rio is looking beautiful! On the way back, I ran into the group. They asked what was ahead and I told them about the beautiful section above the Rio which encouraged them to keep going. I kept going too, back along the River Trail and then up the tough "stair climb" on the Red Dot and didn't eat lunch until I was back at the car. Lots of beautiful views of the Sangres and the Rio sustained me on the way up. Every year I tell myself that this will be the last year I go down the Red Dot. I am so painfully slow on the downhill, carefully planting my feet, trying not to torque my knees. Each year, though, I can't resist and do it again!

Fall Hiking Wrap Up

Upper Frijoles XC Ski Trail, with hiking group:

End of October, Cerro Grande meadow from long, orange Upper Frijoles XC Ski Trail, Bandelier National Monument. It had lots of deadfall to step over. The Bandelier trail maintenance staff consists of one-lone-ranger so trail may not be cleared in time for cross country skiing. The short, blue Upper Frijoles XC Ski Trail was in fine condition as of late summer so maybe that will be OK for skiing.

Last of fall color seen along FR181/American Spring Road, end of October. Soon after, all the leaves flew:

Ski Hill to Pipeline Road to Guaje Ridge to Mitchell Trail, November 1, with hiking group:

Left to right, Chicoma and Caballo mountains, north from Pipeline Road overlook.

Looking northeast, down canyon, into Guaje Canyon. I think we were now on the Guaje Ridge Trail. I haven't been on the Guaje Ridge Trail for such a long time and I have missed it! Walking through the tall trees, the remnants spared by the wildfires, was enchanting. Less so were the thorny locust bushes which grow back despite volunteers' best efforts.

More or less northwest, looking up canyon into Guaje Canyon with Caballo Mountain on right. The wildfires left both live trees and charcoal sticks.

A piece of Guaje Ridge Trail in a well-toasted area. This peak is part of the unofficially named Quemazon/Rendija Mountain which is the distinctive mountain with "two peaks" seen from Los Alamos Townsite that has the very steep front with a V-shaped "bowl". It's the highest-looking one between Caballo and Pajarito mountains. Guaje Ridge Trail and Guaje Canyon are on this north side of the mountain while on its south side are Pipeline Road and Quemazon Canyon. If you study this mountain from the south at the Burnt Mesa Trailhead, the effect of the "two peaks" as seen from Los Alamos Townsite is created by two prominences that have a saddle-ridge between them. The rear one is just a little offset from the near one and thus they seem juxtaposed as double peaks from the Townsite.

Second week of November, waning days of autumn on Pajarito Mountain Ski Area jeep road:

The corner of Zero Road East and West Confusion. We all find ourselves here at some time!

A few days before Thanksgiving, FR181/American Spring Road on a drizzly Monday. We were to have a group hike but it was cancelled due to doubtfulness about weather at 7:30 am decision time:

Play of light and shadow on far hillside, beyond upper Water Canyon. Glad I got to see all the fall color here the end of October because it's all gone now!

When I was here the week before, there was a fallen log down below that someone has since, witness the sawdust, cut away from the Armstead Spring piping.

Last week, I walked here on a very windy day. As I got back, I saw this little tree fall  near my car. Then when I headed down NM 4, I had to wait a bit as firemen and policemen worked to clear away a big tree, newly felled by the wind. A small fire truck used a winch to move the tree to one side. I was amazed by the selflessness of the policemen and firemen risking life and limb in the windstorm to clear the road!

Next day, on Camp May Road Trail, aka The Route:

First snow on The Route. I liked the way the trees still had frozen snow caked on the west/northwest facing trunks.