Today, the "big tree project" crew was supposed to go to the VCNP to hug trees, including "peel" trees which I'm told are trees that American Indians peeled and ate the bark of in times of hardship.
Four of us showed up and rode up into the Jemez Mountains to the Preserve entrance but the gate was locked. We headed back toward Los Alamos until we could get a cell phone signal and then called the telephone number listed on the gate. The Preserve receptionist told us that they have now started their autumn schedule and will only be open Friday through Sunday. We were disappointed.
Back in town, I went with the crew leader to document some trees in the Western Area, off Ridgeway, and to get the UTM on another in Quemazon Community.
It was 1 pm when we got done. Since it was so close to, I decided to walk up Pipeline Road. At first, I planned to only walk my daily 4 but, instead, I walked up to the intersection of Pipeline with the Quemazon Trail and then toddled over on the Quemazon Trail to the viewpoint of Pajarito Mountain and Los Alamos Canyon. I had my lunch there and studied Loco Triangle with binoculars and took its portrait. I concluded it would be a poor idea to try to approach it from Paul's Portal Overlook. The ridge going down from there is too steep.
Exciting hiking news!! Close to where I ate lunch, I saw plastic flagging that marked a rough-in of the Knapp Trail which was destroyed in the 2000 fire. Several weeks ago, I had seen advertised a trail workshop, sponsored by the forest service, to build a bench cut trail on the Knapp Trail. I couldn't tell how far down into Los Alamos Canyon it went because I walked less than .1 mile on it from the intersection with the Quemazon Trail, marked by an impressive rock cairn, as it was very rough. I'm so glad that the Knapp Trail may be rebuilt one day! Maybe it will be better than the original which was scarily steep with a scrabbly, ball-bearing tread. I also would love it if the Pajarito Canyon Trail, burnt up in the 2000 fire, to the top of Pajarito Mountain was rebuilt some day.
Anyway, I continued downhill on the Quemazon Trail and over to the North Perimeter Trail. Unfortunately, there is no real trail connection between the two. I had to very inelegantly (read "sliding on butt") cross the South Fork of Pueblo Canyon to get on the Perimeter Trail.
I made very good time on the Perimeter Trail because the sun was setting and I didn't want to meet any wild animals that wanted to make me their supper. Got back to my car at 5:15 pm. Probably did just over 7 miles in a little over 4 hours. I was thrilled to have done this hike on such a beautiful autumn day - the young aspens in the burned area still have golden leaves and the weather was wonderful.