Did this 9 mile hike today with 7 other hikers. We got to the Bandelier boundary amazingly fast but I was one of the slower ones because when I got to the lunch stop, I only had time to eat a muffin that a friend gave to me. I got a lot of miles out of that muffin though!
Craig Martin's Los Alamos Trails says the trail that continues from Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) into Bandelier National Monument, jumping off from Sawyer Mesa FR 187, is faint but it isn't anymore. It's well cairned and has had some work done on it to make it easy to follow. The trail is called the Alamo Springs Trail 114.
I was unable to find it just now in the list of SFNF trails and the sitewide search function for their website wasn't working right. Searching Bandelier's website turned up no information either.
I felt like storming up out of Frijoles Canyon today because I wanted to go my own speed. I did but then I came back and walked with the last hiker.
Going down Upper Crossing, we met a lone woman hiker who had gone all the way to Stone Lions that morning from Ponderosa Campground. She looked like a very fit hiker.
I had to hurry back to town after the hike to drop off and pick up materials at the library, return a borrowed Ortho book about flooring options to Finishing Touch, pack up my supper at home and take it over to daughter's so she could go into work around 3pm to finish up some tasks.
Grandson had a relapse. At 3am this morning, his 101 degree fever came back. Daughter took him to doctor's office today and they prescribed antibiotics because of his croupy cough. His oxygenation was good so no chest x-ray was needed. Swine flu is going around and he can't seem to shake the fever but otherwise seems in great spirits! We'll reschedule the Rancho de Chimayo lunch for next weekend.
I left daughter's after 6pm and on the way home, I dropped off some items at Casa Mesita for daughter and am now finishing up two loads of laundry and running the dishwasher - busy day!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Mini Explore Off North Bayo Bench Trail
I went to the North Bayo Bench Trail because I wanted to check afterwards if grandson had bounced back home from school with a fever. He's getting over the flu.
The mini explore was a trail off the main trail that led me up to Barranca Road near the intersection with El Rayo. I've always wondered where that side path off the North Bayo Bench Trail led to!
I continued on past that side trail explore to Barranca Crossing, took that up to Barranca Road and down into Rendija Canyon. I took the Rendija Canyon Trail back to the Guaje Pines Cemetery where I picked up the Dot Grant Trail back to my vehicle. Craig Martin's Los Alamos Trails says that loop is 4.5 miles.
On my walk, I thought about the wonderful, varied trails that we enjoy here. I'm hoping that the national lab (we really do glow in the dark!) and the fire destroyed mountains keep away any large influx of people from moving here and crowding the trails! At one time I truly entertained the idea of moving to CO but their trails are much more crowded than ours so I'll stay here and appreciate what I have here.
When I drove by daughter's, no one was there so apparently grandson made it through his first day back to school this week.
The mini explore was a trail off the main trail that led me up to Barranca Road near the intersection with El Rayo. I've always wondered where that side path off the North Bayo Bench Trail led to!
I continued on past that side trail explore to Barranca Crossing, took that up to Barranca Road and down into Rendija Canyon. I took the Rendija Canyon Trail back to the Guaje Pines Cemetery where I picked up the Dot Grant Trail back to my vehicle. Craig Martin's Los Alamos Trails says that loop is 4.5 miles.
On my walk, I thought about the wonderful, varied trails that we enjoy here. I'm hoping that the national lab (we really do glow in the dark!) and the fire destroyed mountains keep away any large influx of people from moving here and crowding the trails! At one time I truly entertained the idea of moving to CO but their trails are much more crowded than ours so I'll stay here and appreciate what I have here.
When I drove by daughter's, no one was there so apparently grandson made it through his first day back to school this week.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Busy Morning
Spouse returned from business trip at just past midnight last night. He bought San Francisco sourdough bread - a loaf for him and one for daughter and family. The bread is good but whole grain is more my style.
I slept until 8:30am and then hit the ground rolling, tackling 3 loads of laundry. At least it wasn't as cold this morning. I'm afraid to do laundry on really cold days because the laundry drain has backed up before when it's really cold. The former owners of this housee who made an unheated laundry room were nuts! There is a wall unit space heater in there which I turned on as a precaution.
I turned a frozen bag of vegetable trimmings that I had been collecting into vegetable broth. I'm using the broth to reconstitute bulgur which I'll turn into a bulgur pilaf tonight.
Next door neighbor's daughter needed to borrow eggs. Her husband is making a birthday cake with and for their oldest daughter. We gave them a check to buy their 3 kids a present. I'm glad to hear that when they buy their house, it will be close to where daughter and family live.
Spouse is at the movies - Where the Wild Things Are - with grandson. Grandson no longer needs booster seat - yay!!
While I was making veggie broth, steam somehow shorted out a switch on the back of the oven. I got a mild shock when I flipped the switch to attempt to turn off the timed oven indicator light but the light still seems to be dimly on. The gas oven is almost 19 years old and we really need to buy a new one (for more reasons than the shorted switch). When the burners are first turned on, we are treated to a whiff of gas. We'll look for a new one next soon.
The idea that I would get out on the trail this weekend seems laughable now. I'll walk my 4 miles this evening with all the Halloweeners that will be out and about. Tomorrow, we go shopping in Española after spouse meets daughter and family for pancake breakfast. Maybe, just maybe, spouse and I will get a walk in tomorrow afternoon.
In view of my limited outdoor activities today, I'm so grateful for yesterday's life affirming, lung huffing, heart pounding, uphill workout on the Quemazon Trail!
I've emailed hiking pal to suggest that because of the time change, we start at 8am this Monday on ambitious hike to Rio.
I slept until 8:30am and then hit the ground rolling, tackling 3 loads of laundry. At least it wasn't as cold this morning. I'm afraid to do laundry on really cold days because the laundry drain has backed up before when it's really cold. The former owners of this housee who made an unheated laundry room were nuts! There is a wall unit space heater in there which I turned on as a precaution.
I turned a frozen bag of vegetable trimmings that I had been collecting into vegetable broth. I'm using the broth to reconstitute bulgur which I'll turn into a bulgur pilaf tonight.
Next door neighbor's daughter needed to borrow eggs. Her husband is making a birthday cake with and for their oldest daughter. We gave them a check to buy their 3 kids a present. I'm glad to hear that when they buy their house, it will be close to where daughter and family live.
Spouse is at the movies - Where the Wild Things Are - with grandson. Grandson no longer needs booster seat - yay!!
While I was making veggie broth, steam somehow shorted out a switch on the back of the oven. I got a mild shock when I flipped the switch to attempt to turn off the timed oven indicator light but the light still seems to be dimly on. The gas oven is almost 19 years old and we really need to buy a new one (for more reasons than the shorted switch). When the burners are first turned on, we are treated to a whiff of gas. We'll look for a new one next soon.
The idea that I would get out on the trail this weekend seems laughable now. I'll walk my 4 miles this evening with all the Halloweeners that will be out and about. Tomorrow, we go shopping in Española after spouse meets daughter and family for pancake breakfast. Maybe, just maybe, spouse and I will get a walk in tomorrow afternoon.
In view of my limited outdoor activities today, I'm so grateful for yesterday's life affirming, lung huffing, heart pounding, uphill workout on the Quemazon Trail!
I've emailed hiking pal to suggest that because of the time change, we start at 8am this Monday on ambitious hike to Rio.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
A Change in the Weather
Today I felt like a road walk so I went up Camp May Road to the first chain turnout. I studied the Quemazon Trail across Los Alamos Canyon as I walked up and wondered if anyone was on that trail. When I got across from the general area of the fire-destroyed Knapp Trail that climbs out of Los Alamos Canyon to the Quemazon Trail, I studied it also and wondered if anyone would ever try to rehabilitate the destroyed trail. The burnt hillside it went up is now a formidable obstacle course of oak and locust thickets and heavy downed timber. It's not something that anyone can count on the bicycling community to bring back because according to Craig Martin the trail was so steep and erosion such a problem that bicyclists were advised not to use it. As I recall the trail, I always felt in danger of falling off it so steep it was in places and with such a scrabbly tread.
I felt like a road walk for several reasons. The weather is changing - a snowstorm is coming in to the mountains tonight and tomorrow - and also because I needed to get back early to watch our grandson tonight while daughter finishes cleaning up the apartment they've moved out of. Last night grandson enjoyed watching a library DVD about traveling with kids in the Big Island of Hawaii. A couple and their 3 and 5 year old sons produce and star in it. It's a whole series and I checked out all of the ones the library has in its collection. The really entrancing thing about it is the kids seem surprisingly adept on-camera providing spot narration of the tourist attractions the family visits.
The road walk was pleasant. The ski hill cafe is closes and since skiing season has not started yet, traffic was sparse. At Memorial Corner, the winds did not disappoint. I wonder if they are coming from both the low area beneath the heights of Pajarito Mountain and also the Santo Domingo basin. I can clearly see all the way to Albuquerque from that area so it could be a confluence of winds.
On the curve below the Ocean, nasty Siberian elm trees are hanging over the guardrail forcing walkers further into the road's travel lane. I broke some of the offending limbs to prune them back.
I'm listening to a CD from the library - Diana Ross and the Supremes - The Definitive Collection. I like it!
This morning on Terry Gross's Fresh Air, Bob Dylan's Christmas CD was reviewed. All proceeds from it go to charity which is charitable of Bob! His voice is raspier than ever but I think the songs would probably grow on me. I've loved Bob Dylan's music from back when I was in high school. Listening to him as a teenager made me feel like such a rebel!
I'm stewing Black Mission Figs right now. I buy them dried and then decide that they not moist enough. Stewing should solve that! The stemless Turkish figs are much sweeter and moister.
I felt like a road walk for several reasons. The weather is changing - a snowstorm is coming in to the mountains tonight and tomorrow - and also because I needed to get back early to watch our grandson tonight while daughter finishes cleaning up the apartment they've moved out of. Last night grandson enjoyed watching a library DVD about traveling with kids in the Big Island of Hawaii. A couple and their 3 and 5 year old sons produce and star in it. It's a whole series and I checked out all of the ones the library has in its collection. The really entrancing thing about it is the kids seem surprisingly adept on-camera providing spot narration of the tourist attractions the family visits.
The road walk was pleasant. The ski hill cafe is closes and since skiing season has not started yet, traffic was sparse. At Memorial Corner, the winds did not disappoint. I wonder if they are coming from both the low area beneath the heights of Pajarito Mountain and also the Santo Domingo basin. I can clearly see all the way to Albuquerque from that area so it could be a confluence of winds.
On the curve below the Ocean, nasty Siberian elm trees are hanging over the guardrail forcing walkers further into the road's travel lane. I broke some of the offending limbs to prune them back.
I'm listening to a CD from the library - Diana Ross and the Supremes - The Definitive Collection. I like it!
This morning on Terry Gross's Fresh Air, Bob Dylan's Christmas CD was reviewed. All proceeds from it go to charity which is charitable of Bob! His voice is raspier than ever but I think the songs would probably grow on me. I've loved Bob Dylan's music from back when I was in high school. Listening to him as a teenager made me feel like such a rebel!
I'm stewing Black Mission Figs right now. I buy them dried and then decide that they not moist enough. Stewing should solve that! The stemless Turkish figs are much sweeter and moister.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Inside Jobs
We went on the Bayo Canyon Bench Trail hike this morning with the WRSC group. They also went a tiny distance on the Gonzales Road which intersects the bench trail. No one could understand why we could hear gunfire that sounded so close on the Gonzales Road since the Sportsmen's Club was a mesa and canyon north of us.
Afterwards, picked up Vornado space heater at daughter's to exchange in SF tomorrow and stopped at senior center (to exchange magazines) and library (to browse non-return shelves) and then was inside the rest of the day.
Ate lunch, did two loads laundry, fixed massive vegetable soup (froze some), toasted and ground seeds - fennel, coriander, mustard. I've always read that toasting spices brings out their fragrance and flavor. They taste good. Made amaranth to go with the vegetable soup. Tonight's supper was the soup with amaranth and pinto beans. It was delicious!
Haven't heard from car dealer about loose bumper. I'll call next week to check on what's happening.
Tomorrow is SF trip and eating out at La Plazuela. Sunday, I drop spouse off early in SF, then eat breakfast at Whole Foods and come back home.
I enjoyed yesterday seeing the inner workings of Los Alamos Canyon where it splits off into Quemazon Canyon. I would like to know that country better - both the vertical as well as horizontal topographic aspects. We live in an amazing place!
Afterwards, picked up Vornado space heater at daughter's to exchange in SF tomorrow and stopped at senior center (to exchange magazines) and library (to browse non-return shelves) and then was inside the rest of the day.
Ate lunch, did two loads laundry, fixed massive vegetable soup (froze some), toasted and ground seeds - fennel, coriander, mustard. I've always read that toasting spices brings out their fragrance and flavor. They taste good. Made amaranth to go with the vegetable soup. Tonight's supper was the soup with amaranth and pinto beans. It was delicious!
Haven't heard from car dealer about loose bumper. I'll call next week to check on what's happening.
Tomorrow is SF trip and eating out at La Plazuela. Sunday, I drop spouse off early in SF, then eat breakfast at Whole Foods and come back home.
I enjoyed yesterday seeing the inner workings of Los Alamos Canyon where it splits off into Quemazon Canyon. I would like to know that country better - both the vertical as well as horizontal topographic aspects. We live in an amazing place!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Ancho Rapids Hike
I haven't done this hike for years and I'm really glad I found some people willing to do it - one of the WI hikers and her long-time friend. The WI hiker was scouting it to put on her Tuesday group's schedule. They were both good company and good hikers. We had a lot of fun talking and laughing. We all feel lucky to live in northern NM.
On the way out to the turnoff for Ancho Rapids, we were treated to the sight of a tarantula scurrying along the Powerline Road. I rarely see tarantulas so that was exciting!
It's a tough hike - 1000' elevation gain and loss to the Rio Grande and back. It's steep and therefore not a hike you'd want to do in summer unless you're training for Death Valley! I've gone with the LL group in springtime and it's really pretty then. There is a spring that runs year-around and its banks are edged by watercress. This time of year is lovely too because of the autumn colors - red gambel oak and bright yellow cottonwood. I saw small animal tracks in some mud along the creek.
Ancho Rapids was a refreshing sight and I enjoyed closing my eyes to listen to the rapids. The banks of the Rio are lined by basalt boulders blackened by desert varnish and worn very smooth over the aeons. We enjoyed lunch on the riverbank, listening to the rush of the rapids and warmed by the boulders we sat on.
On the way out to the turnoff for Ancho Rapids, we were treated to the sight of a tarantula scurrying along the Powerline Road. I rarely see tarantulas so that was exciting!
It's a tough hike - 1000' elevation gain and loss to the Rio Grande and back. It's steep and therefore not a hike you'd want to do in summer unless you're training for Death Valley! I've gone with the LL group in springtime and it's really pretty then. There is a spring that runs year-around and its banks are edged by watercress. This time of year is lovely too because of the autumn colors - red gambel oak and bright yellow cottonwood. I saw small animal tracks in some mud along the creek.
Ancho Rapids was a refreshing sight and I enjoyed closing my eyes to listen to the rapids. The banks of the Rio are lined by basalt boulders blackened by desert varnish and worn very smooth over the aeons. We enjoyed lunch on the riverbank, listening to the rush of the rapids and warmed by the boulders we sat on.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Dilated Pupils
Both spouse and I got eye exams today in Santa Fe. My retina checked out perfectly.
I did 3 miles on the Route. I didn't do 4 miles because I couldn't see well. My pupils were still dilated and I protected them with from the late afternoon sunlight by several layers - clip-on sunglasses, prescription sunglasses and the disposable sunglasses that the eye doctor gives out. The world was blurry and colorless. It made me feel empathetic to people who have eye problems that, while they are not blind, greatly impair their eyesight. The world's visual beauty is so diminished if it's all a muted blur. Plus, it's a hazard trying to walk on uneven ground when you can't see clearly. Be grateful for good eyesight!
I did 3 miles on the Route. I didn't do 4 miles because I couldn't see well. My pupils were still dilated and I protected them with from the late afternoon sunlight by several layers - clip-on sunglasses, prescription sunglasses and the disposable sunglasses that the eye doctor gives out. The world was blurry and colorless. It made me feel empathetic to people who have eye problems that, while they are not blind, greatly impair their eyesight. The world's visual beauty is so diminished if it's all a muted blur. Plus, it's a hazard trying to walk on uneven ground when you can't see clearly. Be grateful for good eyesight!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Feeling Better and MVD Overcome!
Today was the WI hike on the Bland-Frijoles Trail 113. There were only 12 of us and no Santa Fe people came along. We parked and started walking about 3 miles in on the north side of Dome Road, FR289, from its intersection with FR36.
Some pre-hike excitement was afforded me when my ride started driving away just as I had opened the back door and was attempting to get into the vehicle but fortunately I was able to step away from the moving car and wasn't hurt. The other passengers warned the driver and she stopped. She thought I was already in the car. I wasn't hurt and didn't dwell on it but it gave me some elevated heart rate when it happened and I was standing still!
Everyone enjoyed photographing the brilliant yellow aspens. The skies were bright New Mexico blue with occasional white clouds floating here and there. It was the quintessential autumn day in northern New Mexico that makes you want to just melt into the landscape and never leave!
We had lunch at the base of Rabbit Hill but didn't go up it. Instead, after lunch, we walked on a ridge between Capulin and Alamo Canyon which gave us good views into Alamo Canyon and of Pajarito Mountain and Cerro Grande. I saw lots of brilliant red barberry bushes on the ridge - very pretty!
On the way back, some of us bushwhacked straight up the ridge but I took the trail and got a ride back to my car with different hikers. It had nothing to do with the earlier mishap but I could see that the hikers who were going off-trail were going to take much longer to get back and I had to meet our daughter at 3:30pm at the Motor Vehicle Division - this time with the notarized gift affidavit in hand - to give her our old car. I got back in plenty of time and the wait was much shorter today and the transaction was successfully done - yippee!!
Today, my muscles felt fine and so did my knee. In the last two weeks, I finished the last two 50,000IU Vitamin D2 capsules and I theorize that they caused the unusual sluggishness.
Some pre-hike excitement was afforded me when my ride started driving away just as I had opened the back door and was attempting to get into the vehicle but fortunately I was able to step away from the moving car and wasn't hurt. The other passengers warned the driver and she stopped. She thought I was already in the car. I wasn't hurt and didn't dwell on it but it gave me some elevated heart rate when it happened and I was standing still!
Everyone enjoyed photographing the brilliant yellow aspens. The skies were bright New Mexico blue with occasional white clouds floating here and there. It was the quintessential autumn day in northern New Mexico that makes you want to just melt into the landscape and never leave!
We had lunch at the base of Rabbit Hill but didn't go up it. Instead, after lunch, we walked on a ridge between Capulin and Alamo Canyon which gave us good views into Alamo Canyon and of Pajarito Mountain and Cerro Grande. I saw lots of brilliant red barberry bushes on the ridge - very pretty!
On the way back, some of us bushwhacked straight up the ridge but I took the trail and got a ride back to my car with different hikers. It had nothing to do with the earlier mishap but I could see that the hikers who were going off-trail were going to take much longer to get back and I had to meet our daughter at 3:30pm at the Motor Vehicle Division - this time with the notarized gift affidavit in hand - to give her our old car. I got back in plenty of time and the wait was much shorter today and the transaction was successfully done - yippee!!
Today, my muscles felt fine and so did my knee. In the last two weeks, I finished the last two 50,000IU Vitamin D2 capsules and I theorize that they caused the unusual sluggishness.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Frustrating Day Except for "Partying" Coyotes
In the middle of last night, there was a very loud thunderstorm that included one particularly close, booming thunderclap. I don't think a thunderstorm was even predicted and, anyway, what's it doing thunderstorming in October like it's the middle of summer? It should be snowing!
Woke via alarm clock by 8am because I had to get moving to meet daughter at motor vehicle office to give her spouse's old car. After breakfast, went out to insurance company to pick up spouse's proof of insurance for his new car, donated our 22 year old stereo receiver to Casa Mesita Thrift Shop, visited senior center and library and then went to the the Route to exercise.
I parked at the Ocean and started walking from there. I walked all the various logging roads south of Camp May Road and turned around at the bottom of Guardrail Hill. It was one of those days like last Monday when I felt sluggish. My left knee objected to any uphill and my leg muscles were lethargic. It was distressing.
I got back home with about one hour to have lunch before I had to meet daughter at 3:30pm at the motor vehicle office. Then, after we waited an hour, it was our turn. The clerk asked where the bill of sale was and I said it was a gift. He then went to get us a gift affidavit and said to bring it back notarized. I had totally forgotten from when we gave our other car to our son-in-law about the gift affidavit business - grrrrr! I felt like such a nincompoop and so sorry that I had wasted daughter's time. She is so busy now with school, work and moving.
The bright spot of the day was seeing on my walk the beautiful, young aspens with brilliant yellow leaves and hearing coyotes that seemed to be having a joyous time exercising their vocal cords! I didn't see them and don't know how many there were but what an amazing sound it was. I stood and listened until the final yip and then there was complete silence. When I got back to my car, they did it one more time.
Woke via alarm clock by 8am because I had to get moving to meet daughter at motor vehicle office to give her spouse's old car. After breakfast, went out to insurance company to pick up spouse's proof of insurance for his new car, donated our 22 year old stereo receiver to Casa Mesita Thrift Shop, visited senior center and library and then went to the the Route to exercise.
I parked at the Ocean and started walking from there. I walked all the various logging roads south of Camp May Road and turned around at the bottom of Guardrail Hill. It was one of those days like last Monday when I felt sluggish. My left knee objected to any uphill and my leg muscles were lethargic. It was distressing.
I got back home with about one hour to have lunch before I had to meet daughter at 3:30pm at the motor vehicle office. Then, after we waited an hour, it was our turn. The clerk asked where the bill of sale was and I said it was a gift. He then went to get us a gift affidavit and said to bring it back notarized. I had totally forgotten from when we gave our other car to our son-in-law about the gift affidavit business - grrrrr! I felt like such a nincompoop and so sorry that I had wasted daughter's time. She is so busy now with school, work and moving.
The bright spot of the day was seeing on my walk the beautiful, young aspens with brilliant yellow leaves and hearing coyotes that seemed to be having a joyous time exercising their vocal cords! I didn't see them and don't know how many there were but what an amazing sound it was. I stood and listened until the final yip and then there was complete silence. When I got back to my car, they did it one more time.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Explore for Next Week's Valle Canyon-Pajarito Mountain Hike
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.
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.
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