October Outings
Tuesday, October 4: Ascent to the Alpine Meadows Adventures Above Santa Fe Ski Basin (recurring hike). Weekly burst of 90 minutes ascending 2,000 vertical feet, with variety of scenic rewards at the top. Departure at 8:30 a.m. from De Vargas Mall, meet behind Albertsons (west side).
Leader: Mark Dunham medunham2@msn.com, (505) 795-0199
Location: Santa Fe area
Friday-Monday, October 7-10: Strenuous four-day backpack in Southern Colorado’s South San Juan Wilderness. About 32-mile loop trip starting and ending at the South Fork TH. The second- and third-night campsites will be above 11,000 feet. One or two dogs OK.
Leader: Larry, lorenz.hughes@gmail.com, (505) 913-0589
Location: southern Colorado
Saturday, October 8: Moderate exploratory Chama River Redwall Canyon off-trail scrambling. Seldom seen except by rafters, the Colorado Plateau Chinle formation closes in on the Rio Chama, 4 miles upstream from Christ in the Desert Monastery.
Leader: Mark Dunham, medunham2@msn.com, (505) 795-0199
Location: NW NM
Saturday, October 15: Moderate hike to Placer Peak in Ortiz Mountains, up to 8 miles and 1,700-foot gain.
Leader: Mark Dunham, medunham2@msn.com, (505) 795-0199
Location: Santa Fe area
Saturday, October 15: Strenuous hike to enjoy late autumn in the Cañon del Rio de las Trampas with a hike to the Trampas Lakes. Length 11-13 miles and 2,500 to 2,700 feet of elevation gain, depending on group and conditions. We will visit all three lakes if we do the longer hike.
Leader: Aku, (505) 577-2594
Location: North of Santa Fe
Sunday, October 16: Strenuous hike to Jicarita Peak, a windy, barren top south of Taos. Much of hike will be above tree line. Chances for mountain sheep and elk. Total of 12 miles, 2,800 feet of gain. Limit 8, one or two dogs OK. Early start from Eldorado.
Leader: Dag Ryen, (505) 466-4063
Location: Taos area
Tuesday, October 18: Alpine Meadows adventures above Ski Basin. See October 4 description.
Saturday, October 22: Easy hike in Bear Canyon in northeast Albuquerque. Can be done with a walker or a walking cane; however, trail is sand, not asphalt. Loop hike towards Elena Gallegos can be shortened, depending on the participants. Finish outing with optional potluck. Meet at 2 PM for carpool.
Leader: Odile de La Beaujardiere, email odile@pitot.org and also call (505) 433-4692
Location: Albuquerque
Saturday, October 22: Strenuous hike to Lobo Peak, up via the Yerba Canyon trail and down via Italianos Canyon trail. Nine miles and 3,900 feet of elevation gain. Early start. Two or three dogs OK.
Leader: Larry, lorenz.hughes@gmail.com, (505) 913-0589
Location: Taos area
Sunday, October 23: Easy, short off-trail hike to La Mesita near Embudo. Rescheduled to Oct 30.
Tuesday, October 25: Alpine Meadows Adventures Above Ski Basin. See October 4 description.
Sunday, Oct. 30th: CHANGED TO: Easy hike on the Burn Trail. A 4 mile out and back from the base of Nun’s Corner on Hyde Park Rd (was changed from to La Mesita near Embudo).
Leader: Alan Shapiro, nm5s@yahoo.com
Location: north of Santa Fe
Sunday, October 30: Strenuous hike in the Glorieta Baldy area. Call for details.
Leader: Aku, (505) 577-2594
Location: Santa Fe
November Outings
Tuesday, November 1: Alpine Meadows adventures above Ski Basin. See Oct. 4 description.
Saturday, November 5: Easy hike up a steep, shortcut route to the high ridge along the Hyde Park Circle Trail. Two miles, 550-foot elevation gain.
Leader: Alan Shapiro, nm5s@yahoo.com
Location: Santa Fe
Sunday, November 6: Easy hike to Valle de los Posos overlook near Valles Caldera. Six miles, 650 feet elevation gain. Trail passes through forest recovering from the Las Conches fire, a meadow, and a Douglas fir forest to a view into the preserve. Limit 10 hikers. One or two dogs OK.
Leader: Lisa Bowdey, lisab4628@yahoo.com, (505) 699-2953
Location: Los Alamos area
Saturday, November 12: North Truchas Peak via Rio Quemado. Strenuous 12 miles, 3,600-foot gain. Via Rio Quemado to North Truchas Peak. Limit 12 persons. Significant scree and rock scrambling near the top. Some might want to stay down in the inner basin.
Leader: Mark Dunham, medunham2@msn.com, (505) 795-0199
Location: northeast of Santa Fe
Sunday, November 13: Easy hike in Eldorado Preserve. Four miles, 800 feet gain. Limit 10, one or two dogs OK.
Leader: Dag Ryen, (505) 466-4063
Location: Santa Fe
Tuesday, November 15: Alpine Meadows adventures via Ski Basin. See October 4 description.
Saturday, November 19: Strenuous hike to Sandia Crest, up La Luz and Crest Spur and return via South Crest and Pino trails. About 16 miles and 4,000-foot elevation gain. Early start and car shuttle. Two or three dogs OK.
Leader: Larry, lorenz.hughes@gmail.com, (505) 913-0589
Location: Albuquerque
Sunday, November 20: Strenuous hike in the Sandias on Whitewash/Tres Pistoles/Embudo loop. About 10 miles and 3,000 feet of gain. Starts and ends at parking at east end of Menaul in Albuquerque. First two miles are very steep and loose. Great views. Two dogs OK.
Leader: Tobin Oruch, tobin.oruch@yahoo.com, (505) 690-6253
Location: Albuquerque
Sunday, November 20: Moderate hike around the basaltic plug of Cabezon peak (but not to the top of Cabezon plug). Gorgeous views. About 2.4-mile loop starts and ends with fairly steep 650 feet trail. End with optional potluck at Odile’s house.
Odile de La Beaujardiere, odile@pitot.org, (505) 433-4692
Location: northwest of Albuquerque
Tuesday, November 22: Alpine Meadows adventures above Ski Basin. See October 4 description. (Last of season).
Saturday, November 26: Moderate hike (eight miles, 1,100-foot gain) on Rio One Way: Ancho Canyon to Red Dot. Beautiful hike through White Rock Canyon, almost all on-trail. Car shuttle from Red Dot to Ancho Rapids, hike from Ancho to Red Dot. Sign up on Sierra Hiking Meetup for automatic updates.
Leader: Mark Dunham, medunham2@msn.com, (505) 795-0199
Location: Santa Fe area
Tuesday, November 29: Road biking around Santa Fe (moderate, less than 20 miles). Moved to Fri 12/1.
December Outings
Friday, December 1: Road biking around Santa Fe (moderate, less than 20 miles). Winter program to get aerobic, in place of the Ski Basin ascents. Series of moderate bike loops around Santa Fe. Not the Tour de France, but abundant hills around Santa Fe. Meet at 9 a.m. Although Sierra Club hiking Meetup has RSVP open, still contact leader.
Leader: Mark Dunham, medunham2@msn.com, (505) 795-0199
Location: Santa Fe area
Saturday, December 3: Moderate hike CANCELED due to necessity.
Saturday, December 3: Moderate/strenuous (11 miles, 1,700 feet of elevation gain) loop hike in Santa Fe National Forest near Medanales (Window Rock area). Significant off-trail portion. Long, sandy arroyo stretches. Climb unnamed peak in the badlands to enjoy great views of the Chama River Valley.
Leader: Aku, (505) 577-2594
Location: north of Española
Sunday, December 4: Moderate (8-10 miles, 1,500 feet of gain) Rio Grande Canyon Rim exploration hike. Canceled due to illness.
Tuesday, December 6: Winter Program for Tuesdays: We still need a winter substitute for the Ski Basin Meadows. It’s easier to walk than ride in this really cold weather, so I am switching to a afternoon hikes in the area, with a noon start. We’ll move earlier if we have a bigger hike proposed. I’ll have to propose each hike separately in the Meetup site comments, so look and see what we’ve got planned each time, up to month in advance (12/6 is Atalaya area). Email medunham2@msn.com to confirm, or call (505) 795-0199 close to event time. Note: This is a test of a new Sierra Club hike procedure, with RSVP open. However please still contact Location: Santa Fe area
Saturday, December 10: Moderate hike to Otowi Peak and Chile Line Trail, 8 miles and 1,000-foot gain. (Buckman Crossing trails), combining moderate ascent of Otowi Peak with excursion out the Chile Line Trail to the San Ildefonso boundary. RSVP via Sierra Northern Meetup for automatic updates. New hikers must contact leader.
Leader: Mark Dunham, medunham2@msn.com, (505) 795-0199
Location: north of Santa Fe
Saturday, December 10: Difficult hike in White Mesa area (5.1-mile loop). Meet at 9 a.m. at the Target Parking lot, intersection of Paseo del Norte and I-25. End with optional potluck at Odile’s house.
Leader: Odile de La Beaujardiere, odile@pitot.org, (505) 433-4692
Location: northwest of Albuquerque
Tuesday, December 13: See Dec 6 for details.
Saturday, December 17: Strenuous microspike/snowshoe outing to Spirit Lake starting from the ski basin, 13 miles and 2100 ft. elevation gain. Two or three dogs OK.
Leader: Larry, lorenz.hughes@gmail.com, (505) 913-0589
Location: Santa Fe
Saturday, December 17 and/or Sunday, December 18: Moderate/strenuous hike or snowshoe in Taos, come for one day or both. Dogs OK.
Leader: Tobin Oruch, tobin.oruch@yahoo.com, (505) 690-6253
Location: Taos
Tuesday, December 20: See Dec 6 for details.
Saturday, December 24 and/or Sunday December 25: Moderate/strenuous hike or snowshoe in Taos, come for one day or both. Dogs OK.
Leader: Tobin Oruch, tobin.oruch@yahoo.com, (505) 690-6253
Location: Taos
Tuesday, December 27: See Dec 6 for details.