Outings report – Pecos backpack
May 27-28
Trip leader Larry Hughes No matter where you start, getting up to the Santa Barbara Divide requires much effort. Once you are there, the effort is paid back in the form of beautiful panoramic vistas. In our case, we started at Iron Gate and arrived on the Divide a day and a half later. Along the way, we were treated to beautiful displays of wildflowers. We were back at Iron Gate around 1:30 on our third day, just ...
Trip leader Larry Hughes No matter where you start, getting up to the Santa Barbara Divide requires much effort. Once you are there, the effort is paid back in the form of beautiful panoramic vistas. In our case, we started at Iron Gate and arrived on the Divide a day and a half later. Along the way, we were treated to beautiful displays of wildflowers. We were back at Iron Gate around 1:30 on our third day, just ...
Outings report – Deception Peak
June 18
Trip leader Dag Ryen It was more like Veterans Day rather than Father’s Day as four experienced hikers (Nancy, Robert, Larry S. and Dag) set out Sunday for Lake Peak, and for a few precious hours, we escaped the summer heat in City Different. Pleasant company and a slight breeze made for a relaxing outing. The trail up Raven’s Ridge was steep as always, but rumors of massive snow banks proved unfounded. There were easy walk-arounds for the ...
Trip leader Dag Ryen It was more like Veterans Day rather than Father’s Day as four experienced hikers (Nancy, Robert, Larry S. and Dag) set out Sunday for Lake Peak, and for a few precious hours, we escaped the summer heat in City Different. Pleasant company and a slight breeze made for a relaxing outing. The trail up Raven’s Ridge was steep as always, but rumors of massive snow banks proved unfounded. There were easy walk-arounds for the ...
Explore the Durand Open Space Bosque
Sunday, July 9, 5:30 to 8:30 pm
Leader: Richard Barish The Bosque Action Plan, the City plan governing the bosque, designated the southernmost part of the Rio Grande Valley State Park as a “Wildlife Preserve.” The County created the Durand Open Space on the west side in the far South Valley, giving access to the Wildlife Preserve area. The residents of the far South Valley now have local access to lovely bosque trails, but ...
Sunday, July 9, 5:30 to 8:30 pm
Leader: Richard Barish The Bosque Action Plan, the City plan governing the bosque, designated the southernmost part of the Rio Grande Valley State Park as a “Wildlife Preserve.” The County created the Durand Open Space on the west side in the far South Valley, giving access to the Wildlife Preserve area. The residents of the far South Valley now have local access to lovely bosque trails, but ...
Hop on board with Global Warming Express
You might have heard of Global Warming Express, the award-winning New Mexico program by and for kids that was the driving force behind bag-free Santa Fe and the Acequia Madre solar shade structure; maybe you saw these kids testify at the Roundhouse or at EPA hearings about coal mining on public lands. Now the Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter and Global Warming Express are working to join forces to offer more kids the excellent after-school program created by Global Warming ...
Dogs Welcome on Santa Fe NF, But Owners Have Responsibilities
Santa Fe, NM – June 8, 2017. Last week, a visitor to the Santa Fe National Forest was resting on a rock by the trail after hiking up Tesuque Peak Road from the Aspen Vista Picnic Site. His idyllic afternoon took a turn for the worse when an 80-pound pit bull – running free – charged him with teeth bared. The hiker had the wherewithal to thrust his walking stick between his face and the dog’s jaws. Then the dog ...
June 10
Trip leader Larry Hughes Eight hikers (nine if you include the spirit of Miss O’Keeffe) enjoyed a pleasant spring day on our hike to Cerro Pedernal. An occasional breeze helped to keep the warm afternoon sun at bay. The group hopped, skipped, and danced through the scramble, in both directions. We had lunch on the western end of Pedernal and then walked to the eastern end before setting off back to the trailhead. Photo by Larry Hughes: On ...
Trip leader Larry Hughes Eight hikers (nine if you include the spirit of Miss O’Keeffe) enjoyed a pleasant spring day on our hike to Cerro Pedernal. An occasional breeze helped to keep the warm afternoon sun at bay. The group hopped, skipped, and danced through the scramble, in both directions. We had lunch on the western end of Pedernal and then walked to the eastern end before setting off back to the trailhead. Photo by Larry Hughes: On ...
June 10
Trip leader Aku Nine hikers hiked one of the more demanding routes in the Pecos, motivated by wonderful views of the Trampas Valley, to reach Trampas Peak in time for a relaxed lunch with 360º views of the north Pecos. GPS readings agreed: 3,170 feet up, 0 feet down, in the first 2.6 miles. A very hardy group and a great day! Left to right: Christie, Lisa, John, Helen, Jim, Jeremy, Hilary, and Christopher ...
Trip leader Aku Nine hikers hiked one of the more demanding routes in the Pecos, motivated by wonderful views of the Trampas Valley, to reach Trampas Peak in time for a relaxed lunch with 360º views of the north Pecos. GPS readings agreed: 3,170 feet up, 0 feet down, in the first 2.6 miles. A very hardy group and a great day! Left to right: Christie, Lisa, John, Helen, Jim, Jeremy, Hilary, and Christopher ...
Santolina’s water use is a ticking time bomb
By Norm Gaume / Former Albuquerque Water Resources Manager
Published in the Albuquerque Journal, Monday, June 5th, 2017 The Bernalillo County Planning Commission will soon decide whether it will ignore and jeopardize the region’s water supply as it considers the proposed Santolina development. If the panel makes the wrong decision – to ignore water – and the Bernalillo County Commission approves that decision later this summer, the outcome will jeopardize our region’s public water supply, negatively impact local consumers, and ...
Published in the Albuquerque Journal, Monday, June 5th, 2017 The Bernalillo County Planning Commission will soon decide whether it will ignore and jeopardize the region’s water supply as it considers the proposed Santolina development. If the panel makes the wrong decision – to ignore water – and the Bernalillo County Commission approves that decision later this summer, the outcome will jeopardize our region’s public water supply, negatively impact local consumers, and ...
Meet-and-greet: Candidates for MRGCD
On Tuesday, May 23, the Sierra Club will host a meet-and-greet with Karen Dunning and Joaquín Baca. Karen and Joaquín are candidates who have been endorsed by the Sierra Club in the June 6 election for the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District Board of Directors. The MRGCD plays an important role in the management of the bosque, so it is important that we have Board members like Karen and Joaquín who will act to protect the bosque. This is a terrific opportunity to ...
