I went up Zero Road East from the Pajarito Mountain Ski Area Lodge to the top of the Lone Spruce Lift to check out a hike I'll do with a group next week starting from Valle Canyon and going up to Pajarito Mountain along the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) fence line. This group doesn't want to trespass on VCNP property which is why we will skirt along the VCNP fence. That will work out good because the climb up Pajarito Mountain is shallower the further east you go. Going on the VCNP property forces you to go more west up a steeper ridge.
From the road on the south side of Pajarito Mountain, I went downhill a short distance to a meadow above Pajarito Canyon to take a few waypoints to plot on TOPO! so I could understand the lay of the land. Landmarks are Pajarito Canyon, the tower between Lone Spruce Lift and Aspen Lift (incidentally, TOPO! shows that the Pajarito Canyon Trail, which was destroyed in 2000 by the Cerro Grande Fire, ended in the vicinity of the hill which that tower sits on. I need to study the waypoints I plotted further so I have a good idea of how to go up from Valle Canyon and pop out at the right place on the backside of Pajarito Mountain.
Going back uphill in the meadow, I blundered across a faint trail that went along the edge of Pajarito Canyon over to the picnic deck at the top of Lone Spruce Lift. If we can blunder upon that again, that would be a nice way to go back to Zero Road East.
Aspens haven't started turning yet on Pajarito Mountain but down below there is a good display starting on the hillside south of Pajarito Canyon. Disappointingly, many of the small aspens on Pajarito Mountain won't change color this year as some disease or pest has turned the leaves brown and full of holes.
At the corner going downhill where Zero Road East makes a sharp hairpin turn to the east, I went down the Dogpatch bike trail to check it out as a possible shortcut back to the Lodge. It worked well except for one nastily steep downhill section. I saw a grouse on this section. Grouse look like small chickens and don't look anything like wild turkeys with their long, bobbing necks. Based on my experience today, I wouldn't mind just taking Zero Road East all the way back to the Lodge but I will defer to others who may know better shortcuts than the Dogpatch Bike Trail. If there is any precipitation, though, the jeep trail would be the safest.
The other major jeep road up Pajarito Mountain, the one on the left just uphill from the Townsite Lift, would put us too far to the east. Going down Zero Road East to the Lodge will work out nicely.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Mitchell Trail
The Los Alamos YMCA is giving a series of hikes to showcase Los Alamos County Open Space Trails and the trail work that the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) did this summer.
The first one was last Friday to Deer Trap Mesa. A hiker on today's hike, who used to hike with the Lemon Lot group, said that last week, she was the only member of the public attending and the rest were all with the Y or the YCC.
I had gotten up early too many days last week and used last Friday to try to sleep later. I was going to do the same thing today but in the middle of the night, I set my alarm. I felt so tired last night (because of flu shot Monday?) that I went to bed around 10pm and actually fell asleep.
There were nine of us on the hike and I think that once again, the public was outnumbered by the people putting on the hike but we all enjoyed it. We walked on the Mitchell Trail to the bottom of where it starts switch backing up to Guaje Ridge. I continued on up to Guaje Ridge but everyone else went back. I wasn't carrying a backpack or water so the 1500' elevation gain was easy. I was plenty hydrated from breakfast. I reported back to the county open space director on two fallen trees and an incipient drainage problem. He asked me to report anything I saw.
The first one was last Friday to Deer Trap Mesa. A hiker on today's hike, who used to hike with the Lemon Lot group, said that last week, she was the only member of the public attending and the rest were all with the Y or the YCC.
I had gotten up early too many days last week and used last Friday to try to sleep later. I was going to do the same thing today but in the middle of the night, I set my alarm. I felt so tired last night (because of flu shot Monday?) that I went to bed around 10pm and actually fell asleep.
There were nine of us on the hike and I think that once again, the public was outnumbered by the people putting on the hike but we all enjoyed it. We walked on the Mitchell Trail to the bottom of where it starts switch backing up to Guaje Ridge. I continued on up to Guaje Ridge but everyone else went back. I wasn't carrying a backpack or water so the 1500' elevation gain was easy. I was plenty hydrated from breakfast. I reported back to the county open space director on two fallen trees and an incipient drainage problem. He asked me to report anything I saw.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Scraggly Little Skunk
I got started going up the the Route around 2:30pm. Thunder was rumbling and there was overcast but nothing developed.
Dispatched a fallen snag near Paintball Road. At first, I turned it into a teeter totter - the top of the snag had broken off and fallen against the bottom - but I was easily able to rectify the situation although I left the heavier end pointed up although it seemed stable.
Near FR2998, I encountered a scraggly little skunk. It was so small, I barely noticed it in time as it stood on the dirt road with its tail upraised. I skirted widely past it as it all the while swiveled around to keep it's tail aimed at me. At a good distance, I stopped and looked back at that skinny jot of a skunk and mused on how, out in the open like it was, it had more to worry about from a predator than from me. It looked so underfed that I felt sorry for it.
When I got back to the Ocean, the sun came out and the whole landscape glistened in the long, golden rays of afternoon.
Dispatched a fallen snag near Paintball Road. At first, I turned it into a teeter totter - the top of the snag had broken off and fallen against the bottom - but I was easily able to rectify the situation although I left the heavier end pointed up although it seemed stable.
Near FR2998, I encountered a scraggly little skunk. It was so small, I barely noticed it in time as it stood on the dirt road with its tail upraised. I skirted widely past it as it all the while swiveled around to keep it's tail aimed at me. At a good distance, I stopped and looked back at that skinny jot of a skunk and mused on how, out in the open like it was, it had more to worry about from a predator than from me. It looked so underfed that I felt sorry for it.
When I got back to the Ocean, the sun came out and the whole landscape glistened in the long, golden rays of afternoon.
Friday, September 11, 2009
A Walk on the Wild Ridge
On Thursday's hike up Cerro Grande, I got the idea that I wanted to go up Rabbit Mountain so I did today.
I started around 10:40am and got back to the car around 2:50pm. According to my GPS, I walked a grand total of 5.45 miles. I saw no one else on the Rabbit Ridge Road or on top of Rabbit Ridge. The weather held fantastically - no thunderstorms or threat of them for the whole trek.
I started around 10:40am and got back to the car around 2:50pm. According to my GPS, I walked a grand total of 5.45 miles. I saw no one else on the Rabbit Ridge Road or on top of Rabbit Ridge. The weather held fantastically - no thunderstorms or threat of them for the whole trek.
A few aspens are already showing the beginnings of the fall color change. Shrubs and forbs are already turning yellow and red. Autumn is the most beautiful time of year! There is such a feeling and anticipation of change in the air. It enlivens me and even somewhat saddens me. The sadness comes from knowing that nothing is permanent, including me. The enlivenment is from the joy of seeing another autumn and the beauty of the transformed landscape.
On top of Rabbit Ridge, I heard a breaking branch and saw two elk bolting downhill - hard for me to see through the trees whether cow or bull. Later, I heard a bull elk bugle - a shrill sound, almost mechanical-like. These wild occurences didn't scare me; in fact, I enjoyed them.
I did get scared, though, when I heard what sounded like soft footsteps and then a sound like the stomach makes when it has hunger pains. It could have been a bird because nothing jumped out at me. I was in an area near one of the felsenmeers that's hemmed in by bushes - this made me nervous!
I kept a steady pace, taking water and bathroom breaks and peeks at the GPS at the felsenmeers. The backside meadows on Rabbit Ridge are very golden and there are views to the south of St. Peter's Dome, Cerro Picacho, Cerro Boletas and Cochiti Lake.
On the way to Rabbit Mountain, I counted 4 felsenmeers and one bump that didn't appear to have a felsenmeer.
I didn't linger on top of Rabbit Mountain's extensive felsenmeer. I had decided not to retrace my steps along Rabbit Ridge and I was going to go down through the woods right beside and east of Rabbit Mountain but as I stopped at the top, poised to start down, I heard this awful roaring ruckus down below. It sounded like an angry bear! I really don't know what it was but it was not an elk bugling.
Instead, I walked a little further on the ridge down to the grassy saddle at the base of the high hill just east of Rabbit Mountain. The woods below looked open and I saw patches of sunlight. I didn't hear any distressing sounds so I started down.
I used my compass the guide me mostly north back to NM4 where my car was parked. I picked my way down to the west side of the next felsenmeer over from Rabbit Mountain and crossed it where it was narrower.
Eventually I hit a long-abandoned logging road and then was able to follow old logging roads, past series of stumps and meadows, to Rabbit Ridge Road. Deal was, though, that I thought it was another road that turns off from Rabbit Ridge Road so I turned right but when I started going uphill, I pulled out my GPS and saw my mistake. As I went downhill to the intersection with the Coyote Call Trail, I surprised a turkey in the road and as it ran away, head bobbing, I saw there were about 6 altogether. I wonder - where do turkeys go in the winter? They don't look strong enough to over-winter and I don't think they fly.
I didn't have my Coker lunch until I was on the Coyote Call Trail and almost back to the final meadow above Valle Grande. I didn't want to attract whatever was bellowing in those woods. ; D
Thinking back on the hike, I'm happy I did it and proud that I made it to the top of Rabbit Mountain but, even though I was appreciating the beauty of the ridge and the views as I walked along, I didn't linger because since I was alone, I felt the need to keep moving along.
I would have liked to have done this hike with someone but no one was available. But, I did, after all, get in two group hikes this week so I should be happy!
Stopped by daughter's this evening to see her adorable new kitty that she adopted from the animal shelter. Grandson was busy on the computer designing a Lego jet plane with a swiveling gun turret on top. There were an empty Swizzlers and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup wrappers next to the computer. He had a cola drink that he was swigging from. He now goes to the Activity Center one day a week and as a treat, gets some money to spend.
Daughter was baking a cake for get-together tomorrow with in-laws. The cake overflowed and she made jokes about how it was out to get her. Aidan enjoyed licking the icing off the mixer beaters! I remember doing that as a kid except there were 5 of us that had to share! We loved it when our Mom made cream puffs and we were allowed to gobble up the soft dough inside the puff pastry before she stuffed it with pudding.
On top of Rabbit Ridge, I heard a breaking branch and saw two elk bolting downhill - hard for me to see through the trees whether cow or bull. Later, I heard a bull elk bugle - a shrill sound, almost mechanical-like. These wild occurences didn't scare me; in fact, I enjoyed them.
I did get scared, though, when I heard what sounded like soft footsteps and then a sound like the stomach makes when it has hunger pains. It could have been a bird because nothing jumped out at me. I was in an area near one of the felsenmeers that's hemmed in by bushes - this made me nervous!
I kept a steady pace, taking water and bathroom breaks and peeks at the GPS at the felsenmeers. The backside meadows on Rabbit Ridge are very golden and there are views to the south of St. Peter's Dome, Cerro Picacho, Cerro Boletas and Cochiti Lake.
On the way to Rabbit Mountain, I counted 4 felsenmeers and one bump that didn't appear to have a felsenmeer.
I didn't linger on top of Rabbit Mountain's extensive felsenmeer. I had decided not to retrace my steps along Rabbit Ridge and I was going to go down through the woods right beside and east of Rabbit Mountain but as I stopped at the top, poised to start down, I heard this awful roaring ruckus down below. It sounded like an angry bear! I really don't know what it was but it was not an elk bugling.
Instead, I walked a little further on the ridge down to the grassy saddle at the base of the high hill just east of Rabbit Mountain. The woods below looked open and I saw patches of sunlight. I didn't hear any distressing sounds so I started down.
I used my compass the guide me mostly north back to NM4 where my car was parked. I picked my way down to the west side of the next felsenmeer over from Rabbit Mountain and crossed it where it was narrower.
Eventually I hit a long-abandoned logging road and then was able to follow old logging roads, past series of stumps and meadows, to Rabbit Ridge Road. Deal was, though, that I thought it was another road that turns off from Rabbit Ridge Road so I turned right but when I started going uphill, I pulled out my GPS and saw my mistake. As I went downhill to the intersection with the Coyote Call Trail, I surprised a turkey in the road and as it ran away, head bobbing, I saw there were about 6 altogether. I wonder - where do turkeys go in the winter? They don't look strong enough to over-winter and I don't think they fly.
I didn't have my Coker lunch until I was on the Coyote Call Trail and almost back to the final meadow above Valle Grande. I didn't want to attract whatever was bellowing in those woods. ; D
Thinking back on the hike, I'm happy I did it and proud that I made it to the top of Rabbit Mountain but, even though I was appreciating the beauty of the ridge and the views as I walked along, I didn't linger because since I was alone, I felt the need to keep moving along.
I would have liked to have done this hike with someone but no one was available. But, I did, after all, get in two group hikes this week so I should be happy!
Stopped by daughter's this evening to see her adorable new kitty that she adopted from the animal shelter. Grandson was busy on the computer designing a Lego jet plane with a swiveling gun turret on top. There were an empty Swizzlers and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup wrappers next to the computer. He had a cola drink that he was swigging from. He now goes to the Activity Center one day a week and as a treat, gets some money to spend.
Daughter was baking a cake for get-together tomorrow with in-laws. The cake overflowed and she made jokes about how it was out to get her. Aidan enjoyed licking the icing off the mixer beaters! I remember doing that as a kid except there were 5 of us that had to share! We loved it when our Mom made cream puffs and we were allowed to gobble up the soft dough inside the puff pastry before she stuffed it with pudding.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Whole Body Exercise and a Note on the White Rock Rim Trail
I've figured out a new way to keep in shape: Go out in the woods and rip NM locusts out of the ground. I have sore muscles that indicate this is a good, whole body exercise. Something about the combination of bending over and pulling up as hard as you can is what does it!
Maybe I could go in the backyard and pickup cinder blocks? They are a little bulky though and I'd probably drop one on my toes. Another idea is to lay a piece of clothesline under some heavy weights and pull up. The weights would have to be really heavy or this might have unintended consequences like the weight flying up into my face. If all else fails, there are some good, whole body weightlifting moves that involve bending over and pulling up like Deadlifts.
Walked with spouse on White Rock Rim Trail today. Went to bench overlooking Pajarito Canyon and turned around but on the way back, took short side trip down to bench trail below the White Rock Rim Trail. Saw lots of coyote scat, including a bright red pile. Prickly pear is fruiting now which that explains the technicolor. Maybe the trail could be called Coyote Gordo because the wild canines using it are certainly well-fed!
I only followed the trail to where it goes past piles of huge basalt boulders and than the trail tread crosses directly on top of torturously rough basalt. I've followed it further in the past to where it looks like there could be a way down to the next bench level above the Rio Grande.
On the way back to where spouse waited, I noticed an area with willows and denser shrubbery that looked almost oasis-like compared to the sparse vegetation around. On top, I noted a corresponding area directly above the lusher area that also had willows and less arid-looking vegetation than the usual piñons and junipers. I couldn't really see any water but there has to be a spring that's making those willows thrive.
Maybe I could go in the backyard and pickup cinder blocks? They are a little bulky though and I'd probably drop one on my toes. Another idea is to lay a piece of clothesline under some heavy weights and pull up. The weights would have to be really heavy or this might have unintended consequences like the weight flying up into my face. If all else fails, there are some good, whole body weightlifting moves that involve bending over and pulling up like Deadlifts.
Walked with spouse on White Rock Rim Trail today. Went to bench overlooking Pajarito Canyon and turned around but on the way back, took short side trip down to bench trail below the White Rock Rim Trail. Saw lots of coyote scat, including a bright red pile. Prickly pear is fruiting now which that explains the technicolor. Maybe the trail could be called Coyote Gordo because the wild canines using it are certainly well-fed!
I only followed the trail to where it goes past piles of huge basalt boulders and than the trail tread crosses directly on top of torturously rough basalt. I've followed it further in the past to where it looks like there could be a way down to the next bench level above the Rio Grande.
On the way back to where spouse waited, I noticed an area with willows and denser shrubbery that looked almost oasis-like compared to the sparse vegetation around. On top, I noted a corresponding area directly above the lusher area that also had willows and less arid-looking vegetation than the usual piñons and junipers. I couldn't really see any water but there has to be a spring that's making those willows thrive.
Friday, September 4, 2009
I've Been Working on the the Route
All the live long day! I've been working on the the Route just to pass the time away!
Yesterday and today, I put in hours pulling out NM locust by the roots and sawing off what I couldn't pull it out. Those plants are tough!
Picture me bending over, holding the trunk of the prickly locust with one hand and furiously hacking at it with my tiny saw, all the while worrying a mountain lion will pounce. Chances of that are probably pretty slim, especially since today's work was within sight of a paved road but it pays to be aware! ; D I much preferred the ones I could yank out of the ground but, boy, it was back-breaking work even then because some of them required heavy-duty pulling and always with both hands!
My wonderful work gloves from Walmart have holes in the left-hand fingers so I got lots of thorns that will work themselves out over the next week (that is, the microscopic ones I couldn't see well enough to dig out). In the meantime, my fingertips are sore! I threw out the Walmart gloves and have an unused pair that Los Alamos County gave away Earth Day 2008 for picking up trash.
Yesterday, I picked up a large Bed, Bath and Beyond bag full of trash from a beer party at a road near the Ocean. Today's trash was minor but the locusts were much more numerous. Anyway, this ought to hold it until next fall when I'll pillage the locusts again. There are still loads more but they aren't growing in the middle of the trail or overlapping the sides.
It was so strangely quiet up there today. It was cloudy which was great because it kept the temps down. Maybe clouds muffle the sound. I didn't get started until a little after 1pm and didn't get back to the car until a little after 5pm. No rain at all today even though it looked like it could rain a lot. I only walked two miles total because I only had half of the four mile roundtrip Route to clean up. I more than made up the mileage earlier in the week! Besides, it was pretty strenuous tangling with those locusts!
Yesterday and today, I put in hours pulling out NM locust by the roots and sawing off what I couldn't pull it out. Those plants are tough!
Picture me bending over, holding the trunk of the prickly locust with one hand and furiously hacking at it with my tiny saw, all the while worrying a mountain lion will pounce. Chances of that are probably pretty slim, especially since today's work was within sight of a paved road but it pays to be aware! ; D I much preferred the ones I could yank out of the ground but, boy, it was back-breaking work even then because some of them required heavy-duty pulling and always with both hands!
My wonderful work gloves from Walmart have holes in the left-hand fingers so I got lots of thorns that will work themselves out over the next week (that is, the microscopic ones I couldn't see well enough to dig out). In the meantime, my fingertips are sore! I threw out the Walmart gloves and have an unused pair that Los Alamos County gave away Earth Day 2008 for picking up trash.
Yesterday, I picked up a large Bed, Bath and Beyond bag full of trash from a beer party at a road near the Ocean. Today's trash was minor but the locusts were much more numerous. Anyway, this ought to hold it until next fall when I'll pillage the locusts again. There are still loads more but they aren't growing in the middle of the trail or overlapping the sides.
It was so strangely quiet up there today. It was cloudy which was great because it kept the temps down. Maybe clouds muffle the sound. I didn't get started until a little after 1pm and didn't get back to the car until a little after 5pm. No rain at all today even though it looked like it could rain a lot. I only walked two miles total because I only had half of the four mile roundtrip Route to clean up. I more than made up the mileage earlier in the week! Besides, it was pretty strenuous tangling with those locusts!
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