This ski tour is open to members of the Mountaineers and their guests.  The tour will start from the west end of the Pajarito Mountain ski area parking lot, and skiers can depart anytime between 8 AM and 9 AM.  (If the ski area is open, you may be able to take a bus to the parking lot.)  Before departing, all skiers must sign a Valles Preserve waiver and a Los Alamos Mountaineers Club trip waiver. We’ll also collect the $10 Valles Preserve access fee (in cash) from everyone, so please bring change.
 
This tour will descend into the Valle de los Posos on Valles Caldera Road VC09, like we have done in past years.  But then we will take VC05 through Obsidian Valley, then VC02 to History Grove, and then following existing winter ski tracks to the Valle Grande Visitor Center. In past years, this popular trip has gone around the south side of Cerro Medio, making for an 11-mile-long trip.  This year, for the first time, we will go around the north side of Cerro Medio, a length of 13 miles.  Most of the route will be on north-facing slopes, which should have better snow cover.  We will get to see some new areas like Obsidian Valley, the Valle Jaramillo, and the Buffalo Girls Movie Set.  Also there is usually a packed snowmobile track for the last 3 miles from Buffalo Girls to the Visitor Center.  So this route should be different, fun, and interesting, with better snow conditions.
 
We appreciate that the Valles Caldera staff are allowing us to do this trip, and we are asking all participants to take responsibility for assuring their own abilities to complete the trip. This ski tour is roughly 13 miles, with an estimated 6 to 7 hours of skiing time.  It requires at least an intermediate level of cross-country ski touring experience, and includes a DIFFICULT or MODERATE (depending on snow cover) one-mile-long descent on a narrow jeep road. Skiers should be able to maintain an average speed of 2 miles per hour in order to arrive at the Valle Grande staging area with some margin of safety before closing time.  Specifically, skiers should turn back at the gate where we descend into the Valle de los Posos

• if they cannot cover those first two miles in about an hour, or
• if they have too much trouble with the descent to the gate, or
• if they arrive at the gate after 10 AM.

 
Within the above constraints, skiers can travel at their own pace, staying between the lead group that breaks trail and the sweep group that brings up the rear.  We do ask that no one skis alone, and that each group of skiers carries a cell phone with them.  (Reception in the Valle Grande is pretty good, but there is some missing coverage on the north side of Cerro Medio.)
 
Each group of skiers should work out their own arrangements for getting picked up at the Visitor Center at the end of the tour.  But let me know if I can help you by sharing information about possible drivers or riders.  PLEASE NOTE that if you leave a car in the Valle on Saturday, you must sign in with the staff and leave a note in your car saying that it will be left there overnight.
 
Advanced signup for this trip is required with a deadline of Friday night, February 6th.  This way we will know who to expect at the trailhead and what transportation arrangements you've made.  Please e-mail Norbert at norbert.ensslin@gmail.com or phone at 662-1408 to sign up so that we can communicate back and forth about weather conditions, car-pooling options, skiing experience, etc. (If more snow is needed, we'll postpone to February 22.)

This ski tour was done as a hike last year, and was an enjoyable outing.  Hopefully we will be able to do it on skis this year!  The trip will start from the Valle Grande Visitor Center at 9:30 AM, and is open to members of the Mountaineers and their guests. Before departing, all skiers must pay the $10 access fee, sign the Valles Preserve waiver in the Visitor Center, and sign a Los Alamos Mountaineers Club trip waiver.  A few of us should try to arrive early so we can take one or more cars to the end of the route for a car switch.
 
The route utilizes existing winter ski tracks up to Valles Caldera Road VC02.  Then we will ski west on VC02 through El Cajete to the end of VC02 at State Highway 4 just east of La Cueva.  The trip provides an opportunity to see the El Cajete volcanic basin, the south side of Redondo Peak up close, and Redondo Meadows. This trip is roughly 10 miles, with an estimated 5 hours of skiing time.  It requires an intermediate level of cross-country ski touring experience to negotiate a few short steep downhill stretches and MODERATE fitness.
 
 Advanced signup for this trip is required so we will know who to expect at the trailhead and what transportation arrangements we need to make.  Please e-mail Norbert at norbert.ensslin@gmail.com or phone at 662-1408 to sign up so that we can communicate back and forth about weather conditions, car-pooling options, skiing experience, etc.
 

Update January 12: The snow seems to be heading for Durango and Purgatory, so that will be our destination. I'm booking a house which might be big enough to squeeze in one or two more; else folks can find their own lodging in Durango and join us. BP
 
As we have done many times, we will take advantage of the long Martin Luther King weekend for downhill skiing, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. I will watch the weather reports over the next week and settle on a destination by approx. Jan. 9. Possibliities include Salida/Monarch, Durango/Purgatory, and Pagosa/Wolf Creek. Durango would be a first choice if their snow conditions improve, because we have not skied there for some time, but Wolf Creek and Monarch are always a pleasure, too. Once I have an estimate of participation and a destination, I will look for a house large enough for all of us. Please send an e-mail to bill@priedhorsky.net to hold a slot. I will update this posting as details develop.

There is a lot more snow on the slopes than there was a couple of weeks ago, so let's give it a go. I'm organizing a day ski trip, probably to Santa Fe, leaving Los Alamos 8:30 AM on Sunday. Let me know if you can join us! Bill

Would you (or folks you know) like to learn to X-C ski or snowshoe this winter?  Let me know, and we will schedule dates that you can go!
 
For X-C skiing - we will travel to the Enchanted Forest X-C ski area, located just east of Red River, NM.  The ski area has rental gear, instruction, and packed trails.  For a description of the area, and prices, go to http://www.enchantedforestxc.com
 
For snowshoeing, our very own Los Alamos Parks and Recreation has snowshoes and poles to rent - $5/day.  We will go on a snowshoe hike, hopefully in our local area and try it out.
 
So, let me know if you are interested, so we can schedule some dates - send a email to jdewart@q.com
 
"It is never too early to start thinking about ski season"  Lao-Tse 700 BC

Hi folks,
Come join me in the SNOW!  There is 22" of snow (16" FRESH snow!) at the Cumbres Trestle SnoTel site... I think that snow needs some fresh tracks!
We'll leave the White Rock "Y" at 7:30AM on Saturday morning, pick up Santa Fe ites at 8:10 at the usual NNMC parking lot (Espanola), and be in Chama at roughly 10:00.  We should be on skis by about 11AM.
Please dress warmly, bring lunch and snacks.
Please email if you're interested, rgmorgan@lanl.gov. 
No dogs please.
ron

 
Behind the Rocks, a maze of fins and canyons just over the hill from Moab, is in my experience about as spectacular as any part of the canyon country. See here and here for trip reports.
 
Update Feb. 27: Room is still available on this trip.
 
Dear Mountaineers,
 
I would like to announce the sixth edition of our very successful trips to Moab. We didn’t go in November 2013, and I missed it, even thought I was on a great adventure in Antarctica. So I look forward to returning in November 2014 after a year’s hiatus.
 
As before, we will establish a base in a large, comfortable house in Moab, and from there mountain bike, hike, and scramble in Arches and Canyonlands National Parks and the wild country immediately around Moab like Behind the Rocks. Some of our most rugged adventures takes us no more than two miles from home, yet lies deep in the wilderness. A report of the 2010 trip can be found at: http://lamountaineers.org/237.html ,
 
The activity level can be moderately strenuous and includes optional semi-technical activities, up to low-angle rope work, but there will be less strenuous and non-technical options also. Not to mention the mountain bikers thrashing themselves, but that is up to them.
 
The trip will run from Thursday Nov. 6 through Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, getting away on Thursday at times that will vary car to car. The drive from Los Alamos is about 6 1/2 hours driving straight through.The 11th is a Lab holiday, and Friday the 7th is a "B" day off (trade your Friday?). 
 
After the daytime adventuring, we will socialize in the evening with dinners together, either potluck or hitting the town. We will carpool to Moab to minimize driving expenses and not overstrain the parking.
 
The lodging is called the Moab Retreat House, and details can be found at www.moabretreat.com.  I have rented both sides of the house, north and south, with five bedrooms each.
 
Please let me know if you are interested in this outing. To hold a spot, please send me a deposit of $75 per person. Early signups will get preferred bedroom spots. Final payment will be due by August 1. Depending on the quality of accommodation and just how full we fill the house, costs should be between $100 and $200 per person for the 5 nights (generally no discount for shorter stays, and why would you want to miss the fun anyway?). 
 
Regards, Bill

There is a lovely canyon, between Ancho and Frijoles, that allows an access to the Rio Grande - Chaquehui Canyon.  Let's explore the trail from the Bandelier overlook to the Rio Grande via Chaquehui.  The trail begins at the overlook on the road into the Bandelier Park headquarters.  The Park Service tells us that the trail is brushy - so long pants are a great idea.  When we get to the river, we will do some exploration along the river.  We will return by the same route.  
Plan B - if the trail ends up being impassable, we will ro down to the Park Headquaters and take a hike down the falls trail - there is now an overlook (photo op!) where you can see the falls.
Expect the hike to take about 6-7 hours, with 1000 ft of elevation loss/gain.  Bring 2 quarts of water, sun hat, rain jacket (you never know!), lunch, etc.
If you'd like to come, please send an email to Jean and to Momo - jdewart@q.com and Vuyisich@hotmail.com.  We'd like to meet to carpool at 7:45 am.   Bring your Bandelier or NPS pass.  Carpooling details will be emailed to participants.
 
 

This trip is a bicycle ride on paved roads from Jemez Springs to the Gilman Tunnels and back.  The Gilman tunnels are located in the most scenic section of the Guadalupe River Box.  These tunnels were originally blasted out of the rock in the 1920's for a logging railroad.  The rock is a Precambrian crystalline matrix that is pinkish in color making it a popular area for technical climbing. 
The plan is to meet on Saturday morning at 8:30 AM at the Sullivan Field parking lots to facilitate car pooling.  We will then drive to Jemez Springs and rendezvous at 9:30 AM at the parking area along State Road 4 in front of the Jemez Springs Plaza (on the NW side of the highway just before Mooney Blvd. and the Los Ojos Restaurant.)  From there we will bike south along State Road 4 to the Highway 485 junction.  We will then bike north on 485 (becoming Highway 376) to the tunnels.  After admiring the view we will return by the same route which can be viewed at the following URL address https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zV0irOkY2N58.k27mvHujCT-c  .  The total distance is 26.6 miles and we should be back in Jemez Springs by about 12:00 PM where those who would like can have lunch at a local restaurant. 
The weather forecast for the trip is sunny (0% chance of precipitation) with a high of 66 degrees.  The cottonwoods along the route should be near the peak of their fall colors, making it a most beautiful ride.
Send an email to lemonsra@gmail.com if you are planning to come.

CANCELED BECAUSE OF RAIN
Let's go climbing up near El Rito, again. This time we'll checkout the new area that Jason H. and friends have been developing, the Little River Wall. See http://www.mountainproject.com/v/little-river-wall/109281674. There's a link to the guide there. It's a Sport Climbing area.
 
For those coming from the Los Alamos/White Rock area, we will depart from The Y parking area at 8:35am. If anyone is coming from Santa Fe, we can meet at the Northern NM Community College parking lot. We'll depart from there at 9am.
 
We'll climb until we are done, or it gets dark.
 
You are responsible for your own gear, food, etc. I've been told that since this is a new area there is a lot of loose stuff. So, you should have and wear a helmet and use caution as you climb. If you're going to clean something, make sure everyone below knows it and is clear of the area where the material will fall.

We will be in La Veta, CO this weekend, and would welcome anyone who wants to join Evan and I in a climb of East Spanish Peak on Sunday. East Spanish Peak is the highest 12,000-foot peak in the US. Also the highest 11,000-foot peak. Also the highest 10,000-foot peak. From its summit, one drops to the plains and Kansas. The two Spanish Peaks are the prominent landmark that one sees driving south on I-25 from Pueblo, or from highway 160 going from Walsenberg to Alamosa. Details of the summit climb can be found here. Access is from the north side, not far from La Veta town. We will leave La Veta at about 8 AM. The climb is 3400 feet and 11 miles round trip; 800 feet less if we can make it into the upper trailhead.
I am not arranging lodging for this trip. There is camping near La Veta in Lathrop state park or south of Cuchara in Forest Service campgrounds, as well as lodging options in town like the La Veta Inn. If you are in town the evening before, you can join us for dinner.
This will be a strenuous but interesting climb up a prominent landmark. I hope you can join us.

Escobas Canyon bisects the Pajarito Plateau separating Burnt Mesa from Escobas Mesa within the confines of Bandelier NM. It drains a large swath of land South of NM4 and funnels water into Frijoles Canyon. The canyon is rarely visited and its entrances are protected by NM locust, thistle and a variety of local shrubs that will leave their mark on those not properly clothed. Our track will start a few hundred yards E of the Ponderosa Campground. Car pools can be arranged by meeting at Sullivan Field at 08:00 on Sunday morning, and we will then travel to the TH at the Ponderosa Campground. Participants from White Rock might prefer to meet at the TH instead of traveling to Los Alamos. Be sure to bring your Federal Lands Pass to leave on your dashboard if your are driving. After about 30 min. of scrambling the canyon opens up into a broad sandy boulevard flanked by hoodoos and steepening banks. The canyon provides a few additional challenges as we proceed downstream. Shortly after passing a large hoodoo dubbed the Guardian (about 90 min from the car), we will leave the canyon, ascending to the top of Escobas Mesa and return to the cars. Estimated time is 3-4 hours. Bring 1-2 liter of water and a snack. If it is raining or there is a significant risk of rain, this trip will not go. This trip is limited to eight.

Mt. Lindsey has been on my list for awhile... come join me.  We'll leave Friday evening a week from tomorrow (Sept 12th) at about 5PM, carpooling up to the Huerfano trailhead (south of Ft. Garland), picking up some dinner one the way.  We'll camp at the trailhead, and get a dawn start to summit Lindsey, 14,042 feet.  It's a long hike, with 3d class stuff near the top.  Read a trip report here:http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripmain.php?parmpeak=Mt.+Lindsey.  Rachel and I will return Saturday evening after the hike, but some may choose to spend another night at the trailhead.
Must be at least 16 (with guardian).  No dogs please.
Email me if you're interested.
Thanks,
ron

Note Tuesday morning: I've added some additional information, including an excellent link, and hike statistics that are a bit harder than previously advertised.
Let's do a moderate+ day hike on one of the most scenic parts of the Valles Preserve. We tend to under-appreciate this wonderful area in the heart of the Jemez, almost in our own backyard, and it deserves better. Our destination will be La Garita Ridge (map here), which climbs a very seldom used dirt road to an open ridge at the northern boundary of the Preserve, with huge views south across the whole Valles complex. This is an out-and-back hike,  11 miles round trip and a 1900-foot climb if we go all the way. There is a great hike description with photos here. Another on-line trip description, with good photos,  notes that the hike follows "a dirt road up to the locked Garita Gate on the west end of the ridge. You don’t have to go all the way to the gate, though, to get fantastic views--just walk up the grassy face." We will leave Los Alamos at 9:30 AM in order to sign in and catch the 10:30 Valles shuttle to the trailhead. We will each owe the Valles $10 for access ($8 for age 62 and up, free for age 16 and under), and can pay at the Valles staging area. Please write Bill at bill@priedhorsky.net by 8 AM Friday morning to indicate your interest and learn details; we need to let the Valle know how many of us to expect. Participants should bring lunch and regular day hiking gear, including clothing to protect you in all summer weather conditions, which can include heavy rain.

Let's hike the Lake Peak - Penitente Peak loop from the Santa Fe Ski Basin.  Leave Los Alamos Sunday at 6:30 am, to avoid thundershowers, and begin hiking at 8 am from the SF Ski Basin.  (We can meet SF & Abq folks at the Ski Basin)  The hike is approximately 12-13 miles long with ~2800 vertical rise.  Hike up the Windsor Trail to the Raven's Ridge Trail.  Then up to Deception Peak and Lake Peak.  Hike across to Penitente Peak.  Then finally down to Puerto Nambe and back to the Ski Basin.  Almost all of the hike is on a well used trail, but there is a bit of 3rd class scrambling between the Deception and Lake peaks.   Total hiking time ~ 6 hours.   To  sign up (and set up carpooling), email Jean at jdewart@q.com.  Bring rain gear, lunch, and water. 

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We will spend a weekend in the high country of San Juan mountains of Colorado, driving high mountain roads and day hiking.
A 4x4 SUV with high clearance is required for this trip.
Please do not bring dogs on this trip.
On Friday, we will drive to the Uncompahgre Peak trailhead west of Lake City. It's about a 5-6 hour drive (260 miles).
We will start hiking very early (~4AM) on Saturday and summit Uncompahgre Peak. This is a 7.25 mile round trip hike with 3,000 feet of elevation gain. This is a class 2 hike. The views will be spectacular.
We will spend the rest of Saturday and a part of Sunday driving over Engineer and Cinnamon passes, hiking to some peaks, taking photographs of wildflower-filled valleys, and relaxing. We will drive home through Silverton and Durango and arrive in LA on Sunday late PM/evening.
Please e-mail the trip leader directly (vuyisich@hotmail.com) if you want to sign up or have any questions.

We have reserved 21 climber camps on the approach to the Grand Teton for several dates between July 31, 2014 through August 6, 2014. In addition, we have a group camp site to accommodate those not on the mountain. Besides the Grand, multiple and varied recreational opportunities exist in the area. Several spots remain and can be had for a $50 commitment fee paid to the trip leader. Several team building and training exercises will be conducted in between now and our departure in July. If you are interested in participating, or have any questions, please contact the trip leader.

Summer visitors are welcome!  Some old hands could be really helpful, too.
Join Kei and Lisa for a repeat of this hike.  This is the 'lite' version of this hike, stopping at the first big jump-off (jump-off optional) and returning by land.  This more moderate version avoids the need for car-shuttling and assisted descents as chronicled in the latter link (btw, you can interpret Momo's caption "The canyon goes on and on" as "fast forward to the end"--the full hike is a rather long affair).  Our memories are vague and inconsistent about the duration of this version so be prepared for 3-4 hours at a moderate pace.
As Bill wrote in the first linked page, be prepared to get wet.  I learned the hard way the first time I did this that middle of the summer or not, cotton clothing isn't the best choice.  Rubber/plastic sandals are great, sport shoes will work.  Hat and sunscreen strongly recommended, water essential, snacks as desired.  Many find walking poles helpful.
We'll get an early start to avoid the possibility of getting caught in an afternoon storm.  Let's plan to depart Sullivan field, carpooling as preferred, at 8:00a.m. sharp Saturday July 12, so plan to get there by 7:50a.m. to get organized.  From there it's 30 minutes' drive (nearly exactly) to the Las Conchas trailhead.  Note that if the Las Conchas trailhead parking area is full, at that time of the day there should still be plenty of space just short of there at the Cattle Call Wall climbing area.  Sullivan field parking shown with red "x" in first attached map, Las Conchas parking areas in second.
RSVP keidavis00@gmail.com--I'd like some idea of how many people to expect.
 

Join us for an easy after-work walk/hike to the nearby natural arch.
Besides the photo-op at the arch itself, this gives a nice view of Los Alamos and surrounding area, and shows the consequences of the 2000 fire and the ensuing recovery and changes.
Normal walk/hike speed is 25-30 minutes each way, so with sightseeing and picture-taking this will run a little over an hour.  This is nominally targeted at summer visitors but all are welcome--indeed, last year two of our most experienced Mountaineers joined and were extremely helpful with keeping the group on course and answering questions; this year that could be you!
We'll depart from the Mitchell trailhead at 6:30pm sharp, Wednesday July 9, unless there's rain enough to flood the canyon (highly unlikely).
Attached map (LAM website only) shows the location of Mitchell trailhead as a small yellow marker in the upper left corner.  No need to sign up, just show up.

Canyoneering in Zion National Park
(A 2014 trip of the Los Alamos Mountaineers)

Pre-Trip Training: June 21st and 22nd
Trip to Zion National Park: June 28th - July 3rd
Trip Leader: Dan Creveling (plus many people helping!)
 
As of 16 April 2014  :  33 canyoneers attending
 
Have you been to Zion? I mean, have you REALLY been to Zion?? This is your chance to discover all of Zion's hidden gems that most people who visit the park never get to see. We will be hiking, rappelling, climbing, scrambling, and swimming to some of the best that the park has to offer. Prerequisites are good rappelling skills (or willing to learn) and a spirit of adventure.
 
2014 LAM Climbing School students encouraged to attend!
 
*** SIGNING UP ***
 
Send an email to me to sign up: dan@canyoneeringnm.org
If I don't already know you, a short introduction and description of your current technical rope experience would be helpful.
 
Due to permit issues, it would be good to have a rough idea of how many people are going by the beginning of April. Permits are often still available even weeks before a trip (depending on the canyon of course), but please sign up as soon as you can to help ensure we have enough permit space for everyone.
 
!!DISCLAIMER!!

This is NOT a guided canyoneering trip! Although the intent is to be playing on the ropes, this is by no means a guided trip. We will have pre-trip training to allow everyone to become familiar with canyoneering specific techniques and gear. Ultimately though, you are responsible for knowing your own skill level and sticking to it! Having said that, there will be some very knowledgeable people on this trip who will do their best to ensure everyone has a wonderful time and NO ONE gets hurt. The canyons in Zion fill the spectrum from beginner to advanced, so there will be a fabulous canyon for everyone.
 
*** Pre-Trip Training ***
 
!! Pre-trip training is required!! (with some exceptions*)
 
Pre-requisite skills:
 
We will not be teaching rappelling in the pre-trip training. We will be teaching the particular rappelling techniques that canyoneers have adopted that are different from what climbers normally do. It is assumed that you have rappelled 'climbing style' before and are already comfortable with going over the edge of a cliff. Have you been rappelling before? If not, the LAM Climbing School is a good way to get the basic skills needed.
 
Keep in mind that there is usually no turning back once entering a canyon. Ropes are pulled as we move down the canyon, so returning back up the canyon is not possible. Once the group finishes the first rappel, the group is generally committed to finishing all of the rappels.
 
June 21st (9am-noon) : Rappelling practice at “The Y” climbing area.
Canyoneering specific rope rigging, rappelling single strand on 8mm-9mm ropes, adding friction and locking off, guided rappels, self-rescue. Also discussions on the ACA canyon rating system and canyoneering gear/clothing that will be required for the trip.
 
June 22nd (9am-3pm) : Anchor training and descent of Pajarito Gorge
At the top of Pajarito Gorge: discussion and demonstration of common anchors seen in canyoning including bolts, trees, boulders, rock and knot chocks, dead-man anchors, meat anchors. Also discussion of rope management and sequencing. Pajarito Gorge is a short, fun canyon in White Rock. Trailhead parking is located at the end of Kimberly Lane. We will do the canyon in four rappels. The longest rappel is about 120 feet. We will also demonstrate an application of a guided rappel over a deep pothole full of water.
 
(*) An exception to the training requirement may be granted (ultimately up to the trip leader) if one of the following apply:
You fully participated in a LAM Canyoneering course and descended Pajarito Gorge
You participated in previous LAM Zion trips and descended Birch Hollow
You have descended a technical canyon with me, Brett Kettering or Mike Brandt
You have other canyoneering experience that can be validated by the community
 
*** GENERAL DAILY ROUTINE ***
 
June 28th and July 3rd are driving days. June 29th - July 2nd are canyoneering days.
 
Permits issued by the park limit group size to as low as 6 people in some canyons, other canyons have a limit of 12. Depending on the canyon, we may choose to set our limit even lower (for safety and time considerations). Because of these group size limitations, we will not be able to stay together as an entire group – we will be splitting up each day. This is a common routine for canyoneering in Zion, and we will have plenty of experienced volunteers to help lead groups through the canyons each day. I will be making sure that each group on each day has a leader who knows how to get in and out of their canyon safely. I would like us to meet as a group in the evenings to talk about the day, count heads, and prepare for the next day of canyoning. People who have permits in their name are committed to that canyon, but others are able to join in anywhere there is permit space. It is not a very rigorous system, and flexibility is built in on purpose. It will make more sense when we are there :o)
 
*** LODGING ***
 
Plenty of lodging options in the Springdale area and several out past the east entrance of the park too. I will not be organizing any large scale lodging for everyone. I will likely be in a Cowboy Cabin at the Ponderosa Ranch Resort (east side of the park, see below). Many canyons start on the east side and end on the Springdale side, requiring a car shuttle. Other canyons are entered and exited by trailheads serviced by the Zion Canyon shuttle bus on the Springdale side. Still others are entered and exited on the far east side without shuttle service. The point is, no matter where you stay, you will likely be part of a car shuttle. It's a very common thing in Zion.
 
Hotels:
For lodging information near Springdale, Utah (main entrance to the park) a good place to start is:
http://www.utah.com/lodging/zion.htm
 
Camping & Cabins (to list a few... there are more):
My preference is to stay at the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort. They have campsites, Cowboy Cabins that fit up to six, and larger structures as well. The campsites cost about the same (or maybe less) than the Watchman and South campgrounds, but offer nice bathrooms/showers and two pools and hot tubs :o)
http://www.zionponderosa.com/index.htm
 
The Watchman campground is a good place to camp in Springdale.
http://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/watchman-campground.htm
 
Zion has a park campground located at the Springdale entrance/visitor center. It is first come first served, so it's good to have a backup option planned out.
http://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/south-campground.htm
 
*** PERMITS ***
 
Permits are required for most of the canyons we will be exploring. I will give specific details to trip participants on how to obtain permits at a later date.
 
*** CANYONS ***
 
Here are short descriptions (with links to more info) of some of the technical canyons on the menu. There are several more canyons that will be on the manu as well!

Birch Hollow
Description:
4-7 Hours depending on group size and if a shuttle is arranged in Orderville Gulch
10-12 rappels depending on what is down climbed. Longest rappel is 120'.
Dry. Possibly some mud puddles depending on recent weather.

If you only do one canyon on this trip, and want to stay dry, this is it! Birch Hollow is a fantastic introduction to technical canyoneering, with beautiful fluted rappels that are very beginner friendly. This trip starts with a 45 minute hike down Birch Hollow until the first obstacle is encountered. This drop, about 120', can be avoided on the right with a 40' rappel, or on the left with a steep down climb (but where is the fun in that!?). Several down climbs and one 45' rappel later brings you to the 100' fluted rappel which marks the beginning of a long sequence of fun rappels, ultimately ending in Orderville Canyon. A 15 minute hike up Orderville Canyon brings you to a steep trail exiting the canyon on the right. After about 30 minutes along this trail you arrive at a small parking area for 4WD vehicles. If you arrange for a pick-up from Zion Adventure Company or the Ponderosa Ranch Resort, this is where they will be. Otherwise, plan for another 90 minutes or so following a steep uphill 4WD road to another parking area where cars will be staged.

For more information see the links below.

Web Links:
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/zion/technical/birch-hollow
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-birch-hollow.htm

ORDERVILLE
Description:
10-12 Hours. We will plan to start as early as possible.
2 rappels. Longest about 20 feet.
First half of the canyon will be dry, second half will be walking through water with a couple short mandatory swims.
Wetsuit recommended. At least a 3/2 farmer john.

This is a nice introduction to easy canyoneering with water obstacles. This trip starts hiking down the 4WD road mentioned above in the exit of Birch Hollow. The first half of the canyon is hot and dry hiking. The second half involves hiking through potholes and running water, some short swims, and down climbing in the watercourse along small waterfalls. Several log jams to climb over are evidence of the power of recent flash floods. This canyon is very deep and narrow in sections. In some places the walls are close to 1000' high and the canyon is only about 10' wide. Lots of beautiful photo opportunities here, so waterproof your camera and bring it along!! As a bonus, Orderville pours into the one-and-only Virgin River Narrows! The last few miles of hiking is in the Virgin River, which tends to have large rocks hidden underwater. Hiking poles might be useful for this portion of the hike. The hike ends at the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop in Zion NP.

For more information see the links below.

Web Links:
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/zion/technical/orderville-canyon
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-orderville-canyon.htm

KEYHOLE
Description:
2 Hours
2-3 Rappels, longest is about 50' (actually two raps done in a combo)
Wetsuit recommended!! At least a 3/2 farmer john.

This is a great canyon for a fun, half-day adventure to escape the heat! Lots of water, many swims with one potentially 100' long swim in a "slanted corridor." This is a car-to-car hike, so no shuttle arrangements required. The trip begins with a short but steep hike on slick rock to a saddle, then a quick sandy descent into Keyhole. The first section of Keyhole involves hiking and down climbing in a slot. The canyon then opens up for a moment to a sandy area and a nice place for a break. Then, the canyon narrows up again offering its first rappel. From this point on it is rappelling or down climbing into pools of water. The last section is a slanted corridor about 100' long and may require swimming the entire distance. It is narrow, so the walls are available to help keep you afloat and propel you forward. After this section, there is a short, sandy hike to the cars. The slanted corridor is accessible from the bottom and may be checked out beforehand if there is any concern about swimming or water temperature.

For more information see the links below.

Web Links:
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/zion/technical/keyhole-canyon
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-keyhole.htm

PINE CREEK
Description:
5-7 hours
5-6 rappels, some with awkward starts. Longest is a free hanging 100' rappel with some exposure clipping in to the anchor.
Wetsuit recommended!! At least a 3/2 farmer john.

This is a very scenic and wet canyon with lots of down climbs, fun rappels (including a 100' free hanger!), and several pools of water to swim. The hike starts at a parking area immediately after exiting the long Zion Tunnel heading east. Right away you find the first rappel/down-climb which marks the beginning of a short series of pools to wade/swim through. There is the possibility of a "wet disconnect" here, so the first person down should help set the rope length for the rest of the group. The next series of rappels drops into two pools, the last of which is the famous "cathedral rappel." This may also require setting the rope length to avoid a swimming disconnect. More hiking and down climbing through beautiful narrows and then the canyon opens up to some great views of Zion. The last rappel is 100' and free hanging. While on rappel, don't forget to look into the beautiful cave that you just rappelled off. The hike out is boulder hopping and scrambling down the watercourse, and then a final short hike up to a parking area along the road.

For more information see the links below.

Web Links:
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/zion/technical/pine-creek-canyon
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-pine-creek.htm

MYSTERY
Description:
8-10 Hours
11 rappels, longest is about 135'
Small pools of water, but no swimming expected. Last rappel drops into the Virgin River Narrows for about 1/4 mile long hike in the river with tourists.

This is a very beautiful canyon that requires winning a lottery drawing to obtain a permit reservation. The hike starts on the property of the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort. The trail quickly enters Zion NP, and after about 40 minutes you arrive at "The Death Gully." This is a steep and loose hiking descent into Mystery Canyon. Take your time and be careful. Once in the canyon you encounter many rappels and down climbs, and even a section of nice narrows. The canyon opens up again to what is sometimes a small lake formed by a landslide several years ago. It will likely be dry for our trip. Hike up and over the landslide dam back into a beautiful green section of the canyon. You will eventually come to the rappel into Mystery Springs. The rappel starts after traversing a large slab overlooking the remaining section of the canyon. This is a very beautiful spot, so don't forget to stop and take in the view! The rappel will land you into Mystery Springs, which will probably be at least waist deep and the first water encountered during the hike (unless the lake is not dry). Continue down canyon following a small stream down climbing several obstacles. The last rappel is along a waterfall into the Virgin River. Tourists will likely be pointing and taking your picture. This rappel is very slippery, so be careful... you will likely be on camera after all! A short hike down the Virgin River brings you to a sidewalk trail, which ends at the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop.

For more information see the links below.

Web Links:
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/zion/technical/mystery-canyon
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-mystery-canyon.htm

BEHUNIN
Description:
About 9-10 hours
10 Rappels mostly in the 100' range. Longest rappel is 165' and mostly free hanging
Generally dry, but could hold some water depending on recent weather conditions. Plan for some knee deep sections, and possibly a dip into one pothole near the end.

This canyon is more advanced than the others on this list. The hike begins along the Angel's Landing trail located at 'The Grotto' shuttle stop, and returns along the Emerald Pools trail ending at the 'Zion Lodge' shuttle stop. It has a very long and steep entry hike, followed by a complex series of long entry rappels to get to the canyon floor. Several sections of hiking are exposed to tall cliffs. Not recommended for anyone fearful of heights or not 100% confident in their rappelling skills. Prior canyoneering or climbing experience is required.

For more information see the links below.

Web Links:
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/zion/technical/behunin-canyon
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-behunin-canyon.htm

Let's celebrate the summer solstice with a hike up Santa Fe Baldy!  Wonderful views across northern New Mexico from the summit at 12,600 ft.
It is a 14 mile round trip, with 3600 ft elevation gain.  It will be about an 8 hour hike.
We will meet in Los Alamos at 6:50 am to carpool and leave at 7:00 am.  We will be hiking at about 8:30 am.  SF/ABQ folks - we'll meet you in SF at the DeVargas Mall or at the SF Ski Basin (we will work out these details when you sign up).  (if there is a strong chance of thunderstorms that day, we will leave 30 minutes earlier)
Bring lunch, water (2+ quarts), sunscreen.
To sign up and arrange carpooling details, email Jean at jdewart@q.com

We will continue our series of fun trips for Climbing School graduates with an overnight trip to Penitente Canyon in the Alamosa Valley, Colorado.  This area is known for hard climbs, but also has a nice selection of easy and moderate one-pitch bolt routes. Penitente also provides some opportunities to do easy leads in the 5.6 to 5.8 range.
 
 
Penitente Canyon is located about 3 ½ hours drive north of Los Alamos near Saguache, Colorado, and has a nice campground.  We will drive up Saturday morning, climb Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, and drive home Sunday afternoon.  (On Sunday afternoon, my car will be making a detour to Villa Grove to check out snow conditions in that area, so other climbers should bring additional cars so that they can return straight home.)  Bring overnight camping gear and camping food along with rain gear and your personal climbing gear. If you already have a rope, bring that also so that we can set up more climbs for everyone.  Let's depart from the Sullivan Field parking lot across from the High School at 8 AM Saturday.
 
Please e-mail back to Norbert at norbert.ensslin@gmail.com if you would like to come on this trip.  This way we will know how many graduates are coming and how many climbing leaders should also be invited to join us.
 
 
 

Let's head down to the Sandia Mountains and hike the La Luz trail.  This is a hike up a magnificent granite escarpment to the top of the Sandias, with spectacular cliffs and spires and bird's eye views of Albuquerque below.  The hike begins in the desert and climbs to an alpine environment.
 
The hike is 8.5 miles and climbs 4200 ft.  The hike will take about 5 hours.  We'll hike up and take the tram down.  The cost of the tram is $12 per person.  
 
We'll meet in Los Alamos and leave at 7 am.  Bring lunch and 2-3 quarts of water.  Send an email to jdewart@q.com to sign up.  Carpool arrangements will be sent to participants.    
 

Los Alamos folks - meet at LA High School Sullivan Field parking lot at 9 am on Sunday.

Join Annette for a easy bike ride south of Taos. We will start at the Taos Valley Overlook Trailhead and bicycle to the rim of the Rio Grande del Rancho River.  From there, we descend into the gorge, catch the avalanche barricade mountain bike trail and bicycle up the Rio Grande del Rancho Gorge to the Rio Grande Junction Bridge (this portion of the ride will be moderate in technicality). Here we will turn around and go back to the overlook trail and continue the 10 mile loop up on top back to the car.

Bring helmet, lunch, water, and spare tube, etc ..

Email aweyrauch18@gmail.com to sign up.  Los Alamos folks meet at 9:00 at LA High School Sullvian field parking lot.   Others - email Annette for carpooling organization.  

Still haven't made it to the highest point in New Mexico? Join us for a hike to Wheeler Peak!  The Williams Lake trail to the summit is approximately 7 miles round trip and is a steep switchback class 2 trail. Total elevation gain of 2,970 ft; highest elevation 13,161 ft. Moderate pace. We expect to start out on snowshoes, and will finish the peak hiking (with microspikes/yak-traks).

Limit of 12 hikers. One or two dogs ok, must have leash. If there's interest, microbrew & dinner stop before heading home. To sign up, please send an email to Kelly - we'll make carpooling arrangements as the date nears.

Hi all - it was too windy, with blowing dust last weekend, so we rescheduled!
This 6 mile hike is #42 in the Sierra Club book on Day Hikes in the Santa Fe area.
The Ojito Wilderness was established in 2005 and is just west of San Ysidro.  The area has beatiful high desert scenery with views of Cabezon and the Red Mesa cliffs.  
This is an off-trail hike, estimated to take 6 hours to complete.  There is no trail - it is a cross country hike over rough terrain.  The guidebook provides 20 waypoints for the round trip hike.  I'll send out the waypoints prior to the hike, so that participants can load them into their GPS ahead of time.
Email Jean to sign up for the hike; I'll send out the meeting place to participants.  We will leave Los Alamos at 7 am, returning about 6 pm.  It is an equal distance drive for folks who live in Santa Fe - we'll help organize carpools from SF also.  Bring water, lunch, sun hat, and hiking gloves might be useful.  (If the weather forecast is for a strong spring wind storm, we might consider postponing, as this area would be exposed to the wind)

Let's hike to the Stone Lions in Bandelier Nat'l Monument. 
 
This hike is number 34 in Craig Martin’s 100 Hikes in New Mexico. This is a 12 mile one-way hike with elevation ranging from 5,670 to 7,580 feet. The hike begins at the Ponderosa camp ground near the intersection of state road 501 and 4. It goes through upper Frijoles Canyon, upper Alamo Canyon, then proceeds to the Shrine of the Stone Lions and the ruins of Yapashi Pueblo. The hike continues through middle Alamo Canyon, through Lummis Canyon, and down into Frijoles Canyon to the visitors center.
 
We'll leave Los Alamos at 7 am.  
 
Bring hiking poles and a daypack with 2 quarts of water, lunch, sunscreen, and appropriate clothing. Email Jean to be included on the hike, and we will work out carpooling details.  

This 6 mile hike is #42 in the Sierra Club book on Day Hikes in the Santa Fe area.
The Ojito Wilderness was established in 2005 and is just west of San Ysidro.  The area has beatiful high desert scenery with views of Cabezon and the Red Mesa cliffs.  
This is an off-trail hike, estimated to take 6 hours to complete.  There is no trail - it is a cross country hike over rough terrain.  The guidebook provides 20 waypoints for the round trip hike.  I'll send out the waypoints prior to the hike, so that participants can load them into their GPS ahead of time.
Email Jean to sign up for the hike; I'll send out the meeting place to participants.  We will leave Los Alamos at 7 am, returning about 6 pm.  It is an equal distance drive for folks who live in Santa Fe - we'll help organize carpools from SF also.  Bring water, lunch, sun hat, and hiking gloves might be useful.  (If the weather forecast is for a strong spring wind storm, we might consider postponing, as this area would be exposed to the wind)
 

We are planning a ski/snowshoe trip to the Tenth Mountain Hut Division – Skinner Hut for February 14-18, 2014.  Sixteen people can be accommodated in the hut.

Skinner Hut is owned by the 10th Mountain organization. Skinner Hut breaks from common design by having only one story. The Continental Divide is close by, as are plenty of other options for high routes and ski descents. A superb view from the hut's east windows includes the 14,036-foot summit of Mount Sherman in the Mosquito Mountains east of Leadville. Skinner Hut is named in honor of William Wood Skinner, 10th Mountain Division veteran. Funding was donated by Skinner's sister Elizabeth Guenzel, with construction completed in 1990.
 
Because of steep terrain and possible avalanche danger, no route to the Skinner Hut is moderate. Indeed, more than one party has realized that the hut's name comes close to that of an essential piece of equipment for every route to the hut: climbing skins. The Glacier Creek route is the most popular ascent to the Skinner Hut, but involves an extremely steep climb and descent. Busk Creek has easier skiing, but involves more route-finding and distance. Skiing from the Skinner Hut to Betty Bear Hut via Hagerman Pass is relatively benign, but does involve plenty of travel above treeline where wind and whiteouts can foil the best mountaineers.  Details can be found here. The deposit/preliminary cost estimate is $120 for hut accommodations.  Send deposit to me at address above.  Make your own hotel reservations for the night of the 14th in Leadville.   I recommend the Columbine Inn.
 
We do group breakfasts and dinners on this trip.  If you have special dietary requirements, please let me know when you sign up.  The rest of us will accommodate as practical, but, depending on the meal planning and your restrictions, you may have to prepare your own food for some of the meals.

Itinerary as follows:
Friday, February 14, dinner and hotel room in Leadville, CO, approx. a 5 hour drive from Los Alamos, Saturday-Monday nights, February 15-17, Skinner Hut, Tuesday, February 18, ski or snowshoe out and drive home.
Please contact the trip leader by e-mail, rather than signing up on this website.

This ski tour is being postponed until Saturday, February 1st while we wait for more snow in the Jemez.  If there is no snow by that date, let's consider doing the trip as a hike instead.  This will give us a chance to see this new area without delaying other ski trips that are scheduled later in February.
 
This trip will start from the Valle Grande Visitor Center at 9:30 AM, and is open to members of the Mountaineers, the Southwest Nordic Ski Club, the New Mexico Cross Country Ski Club, and guests of LAMC members. Before departing, all skiers must pay the $10 access fee and sign the Valles Preserve waiver in the Visitor Center, and also sign a Los Alamos Mountaineers Club trip waiver.  A few of us should try to arrive early so we can take one or more cars to the end of the route for a car switch.
 
The route utilizes existing winter ski tracks up to Valles Caldera Road VC02.  Then we will ski west on VC02 through El Cajete to the end of VC02 at State Highway 4 just east of La Cueva.  The trip is a new one for the Mountaineers, and will give us an opportunity to see the El Cajete volcanic basin, the south side of Redondo Peak up close, and Redondo Meadows.  We appreciate that the Valles Caldera staff are allowing us to do this new trip, and we are asking all participants to take responsibility for assuring their own abilities to complete the trip. Part of the route goes through areas that were burned in last summer's forest fire.  The VC02 road is still in good shape for ski touring, but the road does pass through some areas with burned trees, which skiers enter at their own risk. This trip is roughly 10 miles, with an estimated 5 hours of skiing time.  It requires an intermediate level of cross-country ski touring experience, and MODERATE fitness. 
 
Advanced signup for this trip is required so we will know who to expect at the trailhead and what transportation arrangements we need to make.  Please e-mail Norbert at norbert.ensslin@gmail.com or phone at 662-1408 to sign up so that we can communicate back and forth about weather conditions, car-pooling options, skiing experience, etc.
 
 
 

This ski tour to the Brazos Overlook is a replacement for the El Cajete ski tour in the the Valle Grande, which has been postponed to Saturday, Feb. 1st while we wait for more snow in the Jemez.
 
The Brazos tour starts at the second picnic area along the highway between Tierra Amarilla and Tres Piedras and goes out to a scenic overlook of the Brazos Cliffs. This is a very beautiful, popular area that the Mountaineers have visited in past years.  There is usually good snow because of the 10,000 foot elevation and the more northerly location.  However, this year we may encounter some windslab and a short rocky area to navigate through. 
 
It is about a 2-hour drive from Los Alamos followed by a moderate 7-mile-roundtrip ski tour.  The tour is suitable for an intermediate level of cross-country ski touring experience, and is rated easy to moderate. Skiers who want to just go in a short way and then turn back are also welcome.
 
Let's meet at the Los Alamos National Bank parking lot at 7:30 AM Sunday and depart by 7:45 AM.  We can put together some carpools as needed.  Also we can meet up with any skiers from Santa Fe at the Northern New Mexico Community College parking lot in Espanola at about 8:15 AM.  You can sign up for this tour by e-mailing Norbert at norbert.ensslin@gmail.com, or just showing up at the LANB parking lot before we depart.
 

Dear Mountaineers,
Kathleen G. and I are discussing an outing over the long weekend in mid-January. We would rent a house in Salida, or on the road up to Monarch, and spend the days doing winter sports - downhill skiing/snowboarding at Monarch Ski Area (3 free days with a Pajarito pass), or snowshoeing in the high country. We would drive to Salida Thursday afternoon or evening and stay for 4 nights, traveling back home on Monday the 20th, which is a Lab holiday. Please write Bill at bill@priedhorsky.net if you would like to join in.

I am looking for interest in a Grand Teton Climbing Adventure. For a number of reasons I am limiting the number of participants on this trip to 12. For some activities we may need to limit our numbers to groups of six or fewer. I am interested in targeting one of several weeks: July 20-26, July 27-Aug. 2, or Aug. 3-9. Setting up group campground reservations is an interesting logistical undertaking. If six or fewer are interested, we will not qualify as a group and can apply as a "non-group" for available campsites within the park.
NP campground reservatons open on January 8, 2014. If you are interested I would like put toether coordinated plan to attempt to get campsites within the park across those dates. All lottery and campground registration fees will be divided by the identified participants.
Please email me at mraltherr1@gmail.com by 5:00 PM Monday January 6, 2014. Please only respond if you are really interested and willing to submit requests to the system on Wednesday morning (starting at 12:00 AM) January 8, 2014. I will set up a coordinated group of submissions for the previously indicated dates and distribute them to the group by Tuesday.
The Grand Tetons NP is a jewel in the park system. There are numerous activities that can be enjoyed within its environs. One of my principal objectives is to climb the Grand. However, not all participants need be interested in climbing. Please indicate your interests in climbing, backpacking or other activities, and I will do my best to accommodate all interests in the reservation paradigm. Teams with compatible interests will be formed after we determine if we are able to acquire appropriate reservations.
 

Let's get some fresh air poisoning before the holidays!
Let's ski the Dixie Creek out/back trip or the Spruce Hole Yurt/Pinarealosa Peak Loop.  Both are about 8 miles.
Meet in Los Alamos at 6:45 am, leave at 7 am.  Ski from 10:30 am thru 3:30 pm.  Back to LA by 6 pm.
Email jdewart@q.com to sign up.  Meeting location will be sent to participants.

Hi, I'm looking for folks interested in a weekend run up to Pagosa with a Saturday outing to ski Wolf Creek (80" on the ground there already). We would leave Friday noon-ish, rent a little house in Pagosa to stay Friday and Saturday nights, and go up to the pass to downhill ski on Saturday. And we certainly wouldn't miss the hot springs apres ski. I'm flexible as regards Sunday - ski, do a little snowshoe outing, or head for home. Let me know soon if you are interested. Sincerely, Bill (bill@priedhorsky.net).

Let's do the out/back mountain bike ride, along the Rio Grande gorge.   Start above the Taos Junction bridge, near Pilar, NM.  Bike ride is on a dirt road, along the rim of the gorge.  Some sand on the road.  Very nice views of the gorge and of the Sangres.  It is 8-9 miles to the Rio Grande Gorge bridge - return to cars for a total ride length of 16-18 miles.
Each rider will need a spare tube, patch kit, pump, water, and lunch.  (a fair number of goat heads on this ride).
Leave Los Alamos at 9 am (note - this is the first day of daylight savings time), return about 4 pm.  Email Jean - jdewart@q.com to sign up.  We'll arrange carpooling.  If there is a big snowstorm - we'll go snowshoeing instead!

The weather is nice so why not go to Cortez, CO to bicycle/hike.

I am thinking to leave Friday(10/25/13 ) after work, drive to Cortez stay there overnight at a hotel then ride Phil's World on Saturday.

On Sunday either go to Farmington or Durango and ride there some more, we can decide as a group what people are interested in. The rides are for advanced beginners or intermediate ride with easier sections and some technical parts.

For the hikers there are enough hikes to choose from high desert to forested trails and Mesa Verde.

We will stay probably at the Econolodge in Cortez ($61). 

Send me an e-mail (aweyrauch18@gmail.com) if you want to join us with tel # for faster communication

Let's enjoy fall colors and beautiful New Mexico mountain scenery on this two day backpacking trip near our home. This weekend is supposed to provide peak fall colors in the mountains.
The plan:
- Leave Los Alamos at 7AM on Saturday, October 5, and arrive at the trailhead around 8:30.
- Hike 6 miles (2,500 vertical feet) to Trampas lakes and set up camp around lunch time.
- (optional) In the afternoon/evening, we will hike to the north ridge of Truchas peaks and enjoy spectacular views. This adds a couple of miles and 1,000 feet. We plan to watch the sunset from the ridge, which should be very photogenic. The views include the rugged North Truchas peak.
- If the weather does not let us do the ridge hike on Saturday, we will do it on Sunday morning. Otherwise, we will pack the camp and go home.
- Please do not bring dogs on this trip.
 
Please do not sign up for the trip on this website. E-mail the trip leader directly. Thanks.

Let's hike up to the top of the Sandia Mountains via La Luz trail (note - change of date to Saturday).  Begin hike at base of tram.  Hike 2 miles to the north along the base of the mountains to La Luz trail.  Hike up La Luz trail to the Crest and then over to the top of the tram.  Return to parking lot via tram ($12 per person).  Total distance = 9 miles.  Elevation gain =4200 ft.  The hike will take about 6 hours.  We will meet in Los Alamos at 6:45 am to carpool.  Email jdewart@q.com to sign up.  We'll work out car pool arrangements with participants.  

Let's pull together a Mountaineer party to help the Ski Club on their work day, and get in some exercise while doing it. We'll hike up one of the runs side by side, lopping aspen shoots as we head towards the top, then hike down to the barbeque on the deck. Meet at Sullivan Field at 12 noon, and bring a long-handled pruning lopper if you have one. Please RSVP to Bill Priedhorsky at bill@priedhorsky.net.

Join the Opsahls for a 3 day trip exploring the Channel Islands off Santa Barbara, California on a 68 foot 30 passenger motor boat. The trip boards in Santa Barbara at 8 PM, Wednesday, Sept 4 and returns at 5 PM Saturday, Sept 7. All meals are included, and special diets can be accomodated. Activities include naturalist led hikes on uninhabited islands with unique fauna and flora, bird watching, frolicking with sea lions, sea kayaking and snorkeling, even stand up paddling (equipment can be rented). Sleeping in curtained off single or double bunks. For those coming from Los Alamos, the Opsahls can help arrange additional activities before and/or after the boat trip, such as camping/hiking in Pinnacles National Monument and along the Big Sur Coast. Cost is approximately $500 per person.  A You Tube video is attached highlighting prior expeditions in the same boat. Although SCUBA is shown we will not offer SCUBA on this trip. Initial deposit to be $100. After the trip fills we will maintain a stand by list.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahb6KEjHjyI&feature=plcp

Note: trip difficult will be between beginner and advanced, depending on the day trips one chooses.
 
The seventh annual summer weekend trip to a Mountain Hut will be to Francie’s Cabin, August 30- September 2, 2013 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights).  We will pack up and return to Los Alamos on Monday, the 2nd of September (Labor Day holiday).  This Summit Association Hut, at 11,264 ft, is near timberline in the Arapaho National Forest, in central Colorado, 5 miles southwest of Breckenridge. The area offers many opportunities to hike at various difficulty levels.  We are near Burro and Spruce Creek Trailheads.  Nearby climbs include a 14er, Quandary Peak, and 2 high 13ers, Crystal Peak and Pacific Peak. Bring fishing equipment if you like trout.  This will be the first summer visit by the Mountaineers to this Hut.
 
As in previous years, we will drive up the day before, on August 29, and stay overnight.  It is TBD whether we will stay in Breckenridge or Leadville.  A group dinner is planned for those who are in town by dinner time on August 29.  Participants meet at the appointed location at 9:00 AM on August 30, and carpool to the trailhead parking lot, on the road up to the Hut.  One or more 4x4 cars/trucks will drive to the Hut with the coolers and heavy items. The rest of us will hike to the hut with daypacks.  
 
Francie’s Cabin sleeps 20 in several different bedrooms, has a wood-burning sauna, and is fully equipped with propane cooking stoves, cooking and eating equipment, photovoltaic lighting, etc.  Participants cook communal breakfasts and dinners, and provide their own lunches.  Felicia and Evan will have a planning dinner meeting in mid-August to finalize details of the trip.
 
Six places for next September's trip have already been spoken for, so fourteen places remain. You may e-mail your interest in joining us next year to Felicia (see above) with a cc to Bill (bill@priedhorsky.net).  The cost this year is $115/person to cover the cabin.  Checks can be sent to Bill Priedhorsky at 380 Rim Road, Los Alamos, NM 87544, made out to Bill Priedhorsky/Canyon Adventures. Your reservation is made when your check is in Bill’s hand.  After filling the trip we will maintain a standby list to accommodate cancellations. In case of cancellation, refunds will be made when the spot is filled.  Let us know if you would like to join us next Labor Day weekend. We're looking forward to another great Hut trip!
 
Sincerely, Felicia, Evan, and Bill

Let's hike the Penitente - Lake Peak loop from the Santa Fe Ski Basin.  Leave Los Alamos Sunday at 6:30 am, to avoid thundershowers, begin hiking at 8 am from the SF Ski Basin.  The hike is approximately 12-13 miles long with ~2800 vertical rise.  Hike up the Windsor Trail to Puerto Nambe, then up Penitente Peak and across to Lake Peak.  Almost all of the hike is on a well used trail, but there is a bit of 3rd class scrambling between the 2 peaks.   Return to the SF Ski Basin parking lot through the Ski Area.   Total hiking time ~ 5-6 hours.   To  sign up (and set up carpooling), email Jean at jdewart@q.com.  Bring rain gear, lunch, and water. 

Dear Mountaineers,
The trip below will not go due to lack of interest. However, some of us are renting a cabin in Horca (where the gravel road to Platoro turns off from the blacktop). This can be a base of operations for day hiking in the Conejos/Platoro area, and we might squeeze one or two more into the cabin. Let me know if you are interested. Bill
-----------------
TRIP BELOW WILL NOT GO - MAYBE ANOTHER TIME,
I have heard of a summer hut near Telluride that might make for a great long weekend. Details of the hut can be found here. It appears to be a great base for day hikes, and shelter should we be getting our long-sought summer rains. Their web site shows availability for the first weekend of August, so I would propose to drive up on the morning of Thursday Aug. 1 (or partway the evening before), spent 3 nights at the hut and two days exploring, and hike out on Sunday the 4th for our drive home. The hut is just 2.5 miles from the highway, and we can arrange for our gear to be hauled. With gear hauling, I would expect a cost of about $125 per person for the 3 nights if we can get 10 participants (the hut will hold 14). Let me know if you are interested ASAP at bill@priedhorsky.net.
Sincerely, Bill

 
Saturday, July 27 Strenuous hike to Santa Fe Baldy, joint trip with the Sierra Club.  14 miles, 3600’ gain.  Early start, moderately fast pace.  Limit of 8 hikers, one or two dogs.  Dogs must be on leash at lunchtime.  Mary Thompson mary14er@gmail.com
 

THIS TRIP IS CANCELLED AND REPLACED BY A MORE ADVANCED TRIP
This is a good opportunity for beginner backpackers. We will hike to and camp on the Rabbit Ears mountain, which overlooks the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The hike will start from the St. Peter's Dome road in early PM on Saturday, July 20. We will reach the summit in less than two hours (~2 miles, 1,300 ft vertical gain), set up camp, eat dinner, and enjoy great views of Valle Grande. The next morning, we will eat breakfast, break camp, and hike back to the cars.
There will be three trip leaders plus a Bandelier Ranger available to help you pack your backpack, navigate to the campsite, and answer any other questions you may have. The trip is also the practical piece of a three-part "intro to backpacking" course. For more information about the other two parts, visit this page:
http://wildwestluxurytours.com/Blog/Backpacking_2013.html
 Attending the classes is not required to participate in the backpacking trip. However, please register for them if you need a bit of advice on gear choices and other aspects of backpacking.
This trip will cost $10 per person. All proceeds will go to Bandelier to supprt their community cooperative programs.

!!! THIS TRIP IS FULL !!!
 
Canyoneering in Zion National Park
(A 2013 trip of the Los Alamos Mountaineers)

Pre-Trip Training: June 22nd and June 29th
Trip to Zion National Park: July 11th - 16th
Trip Leader: Dan Creveling (plus many people helping!)
 
Have you been to Zion? I mean, have you REALLY been to Zion?? This is your chance to discover all of Zion's hidden gems that most people who visit the park never get to see. We will be hiking, rappelling, climbing, scrambling, and swimming to some of the best that the park has to offer. Prerequisites are good rappelling skills (or a willingness to learn) and a spirit of adventure.
 
2013 LAM Climbing School students encouraged to attend!
 
*** SIGNING UP ***
 

!!! THIS TRIP IS FULL !!!
 
If I don't already know you, a short introduction and description of your current technical rope experience would be helpful.
 
As you will see below, permit reservations become available in April for our trip in July. Therefore, it would be good to have a rough idea of how many people are going by the beginning of April. Permits are often still available even weeks before a trip (depending on the canyon of course), but please sign up as soon as you can to help ensure we have enough permit space for everyone.
 
!!DISCLAIMER!!
This is NOT a guided canyoneering trip! Although the intent is to be playing on the ropes, this is by no means a guided trip. In fact, guided trips are not allowed within Zion National Park. We will have pre-trip training to allow everyone to become familiar with canyoneering specific techniques and gear. Ultimately though, you are responsible for knowing your own skill level and sticking to it! Having said that, there will be some very knowledgeable people on this trip who will do their best to ensure everyone has a wonderful time and NO ONE gets hurt. The canyons in Zion fill the spectrum from beginner to advanced, so there will be a fabulous canyon for everyone.
 
*** Pre-Trip Training ***
 
!! Pre-trip training is a requirement for participation on this trip !! (with some exceptions*)
 
Pre-requisite skills:
We will not be teaching rappelling in the pre-trip training. We will be teaching the particular rappelling techniques that canyoneers have adopted that are different from what climbers normally do. It is assumed that you have rappelled 'climbing style' before and are already comfortable with going over the edge of a cliff. Have you been rappelling before? If not, the LAM Climbing School (registration is currently open until March 17th) is a good way to get the basic skills needed.

Keep in mind that there is usually no turning back once entering a canyon. Ropes are pulled as we move down the canyon, so returning back up the canyon is not possible. Once the group does the first rappel, everyone is committed to finishing all of the rappels.
 
June 22nd (9am-noon) : Rappelling practice at “The Y” climbing area.
Canyoneering specific rope rigging, rappelling single strand on 8mm-9mm ropes, adding friction and locking off, guided rappels, self-rescue. Also discussions on the ACA canyon rating system and canyoneering gear/clothing that will be required for the trip.
 
June 29th (9am-3pm) : Anchor training and descent of Pajarito Gorge
At the top of Pajarito Gorge: discussion and demonstration of common anchors seen in canyoning including bolts, trees, boulders, rock and knot chocks, dead-man anchors, meat anchors. Also discussion of rope management and sequencing. Pajarito Gorge is a short, fun canyon in White Rock. Trailhead parking is located at the end of Kimberly Lane. We will do the canyon in four rappels. The longest rappel is about 120 feet. We will also demonstrate an application of a guided rappel over a deep pothole full of water.
 
(*) An exception to the training requirement may be granted (ultimately up to the trip leader) if one of the following apply:
You fully participated in the LAM Canyoneering Mini-Course in 2011 or 2012
You participated in the LAM Zion trip in 2011 and descended Birch Hollow
You have descended Pajarito Gorge with me or Brett Kettering
You have other canyoneering experience that can be validated by the community
 
*** GENERAL DAILY ROUTINE ***
July 11th and 16th are driving days. July 12th-15th are canyoneering days.
 
Permits issued by the park limit group size to as low as 6 people in some canyons, other canyons have a limit of 12. Depending on the canyon, we may choose to set our limit even lower (for safety and time considerations). Because of these group size limitations, we will not be able to stay together as an entire group – we will be splitting up each day. This is a common routine for canyoneering in Zion, and we will have plenty of experienced volunteers to help lead groups through the canyons each day. I will be making sure that each group on each day has a leader who knows how to get in and out of their canyon safely. I would like us to meet as a group in the evenings to talk about the day, count heads, and prepare for the next day of canyoning. People who have permits in their name are committed to that canyon, but others are able to join in anywhere there is permit space. It is not a very rigorous system, and flexibility is built in on purpose. It will make more sense when we are there :o)
 
*** LODGING ***
Plenty of lodging options in the Springdale area and several out past the east entrance of the park too. Since I want people to have the option of camping for free on BLM land or spending big at the Desert Pearl Inn, I will not be organizing any large scale lodging for everyone. I will be camping at the Ponderosa (east side of the park, see below). Many canyons start on the east side and end on the Springdale side, requiring a car shuttle. Other canyons are entered and exited by trailheads serviced by the Zion Canyon shuttle bus on the Springdale side. Still others are entered and exited on the east side alone. The point is, don't try to optimize your location based on car shuttling. We will likely be doing car shuttles no matter what. It's a very common thing in Zion.
 
Hotels:
For lodging information near Springdale, Utah (main entrance to the park) a good place to start is:
http://www.utah.com/lodging/zion.htm
 
Camping & Cabins:
My preference is to stay at the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort. They have campsites, Cowboy Cabins that fit up to six, and larger structures as well. The campsites cost about the same (or maybe less) than the Watchman and South campgrounds, but offer nice bathrooms/showers and two pools and hot tubs :o)
http://www.zionponderosa.com/index.htm
 
The Watchman campground is a good place to camp in Springdale.
http://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/watchman-campground.htm
 
Zion has a park campground located at the Springdale entrance/visitor center. It is first come first served, so it's good to have a backup option planned out.
http://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/south-campground.htm

*** PERMITS ***
Permits will be hard to get (as expected), some of them are given on a lottery basis (Subway, Mystery). Online permit reservations and online lottery applications for trips in July will become available in April. I encourage anyone interested in Subway or Mystery canyon to apply for a permit on their own. You don't need to be the leader of a trip to have the permit, and the more people who enter the lottery the better our chances of getting one. Permits are not transferable, so people who have a permit and then decide to drop out of the trip will cause problems for the whole group – please don't do that! There are also a small number of "walk in" permits available. If all else fails we can find someone to stand in front of the backcountry ranger office at 3am until it opens :o) Seriously though, I'm not too worried about the permits. There are plenty of hikes that don't require them, and several canyons just outside the park that don't require them either. Having said that, I will try to get my hands on as many permits as I can... and you should too!
 
For lottery (Subway & Mystery) applications:
https://zionpermits.nps.gov/lotteryapply.cfm
 
For non-lottery technical canyoneering permits:
https://zionpermits.nps.gov/wilderness.cfm?TripTypeID=3
 
*** CANYONS ***
Here are short descriptions (with links to more info) of some of the technical canyons on the menu.

Birch Hollow
Description:
4-7 Hours depending on group size and if a shuttle is arranged in Orderville Gulch
10-12 rappels depending on what is down climbed. Longest rappel is 120'.
Dry. Possibly some mud puddles depending on recent weather.

If you only do one canyon on this trip, and want to stay dry, this is it! Birch Hollow is a fantastic introduction to technical canyoneering, with beautiful fluted rappels that are very beginner friendly. This trip starts with a 45 minute hike down Birch Hollow until the first obstacle is encountered. This drop, about 120', can be avoided on the right with a 40' rappel, or on the left with a steep down climb (but where is the fun in that!?). Several down climbs and one 45' rappel later brings you to the 100' fluted rappel which marks the beginning of a long sequence of fun rappels, ultimately ending in Orderville Canyon. A 15 minute hike up Orderville Canyon brings you to a steep trail exiting the canyon on the right. After about 30 minutes along this trail you arrive at a small parking area for 4WD vehicles. If you arrange for a pick-up from Zion Adventure Company or the Ponderosa Ranch Resort, this is where they will be. Otherwise, plan for another 90 minutes or so following a steep uphill 4WD road to another parking area where cars will be staged.

For more information see the links below.

Web Links:
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/zion/technical/birch-hollow
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-birch-hollow.htm
 

ORDERVILLE
Description:
10-12 Hours. We will plan to start as early as possible.
2 rappels. Longest about 20 feet.
First half of the canyon will be dry, second half will be walking through water with a couple short mandatory swims.
Wetsuit recommended. At least a 3/2 farmer john.

This is a nice introduction to easy canyoneering with water obstacles. This trip starts hiking down the 4WD road mentioned above in the exit of Birch Hollow. The first half of the canyon is hot and dry hiking. The second half involves hiking through potholes and running water, some short swims, and down climbing in the watercourse along small waterfalls. Several log jams to climb over are evidence of the power of recent flash floods. This canyon is very deep and narrow in sections. In some places the walls are close to 1000' high and the canyon is only about 10' wide. Lots of beautiful photo opportunities here, so waterproof your camera and bring it along!! As a bonus, Orderville pours into the one-and-only Virgin River Narrows! The last few miles of hiking is in the Virgin River, which tends to have large rocks hidden underwater. Hiking poles might be useful for this portion of the hike. The hike ends at the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop in Zion NP.

For more information see the links below.

Web Links:
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/zion/technical/orderville-canyon
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-orderville-canyon.htm
 

KEYHOLE
Description:
2 Hours
2-3 Rappels, longest is about 50' (actually two raps done in a combo)
Wetsuit recommended!! At least a 3/2 farmer john.

This is a great canyon for a fun, half-day adventure to escape the heat! Lots of water, many swims with one potentially 100' long swim in a "slanted corridor." This is a car-to-car hike, so no shuttle arrangements required. The trip begins with a short but steep hike on slick rock to a saddle, then a quick sandy descent into Keyhole. The first section of Keyhole involves hiking and down climbing in a slot. The canyon then opens up for a moment to a sandy area and a nice place for a break. Then, the canyon narrows up again offering its first rappel. From this point on it is rappelling or down climbing into pools of water. The last section is a slanted corridor about 100' long and may require swimming the entire distance. It is narrow, so the walls are available to help keep you afloat and propel you forward. After this section, there is a short, sandy hike to the cars. The slanted corridor is accessible from the bottom and may be checked out beforehand if there is any concern about swimming or water temperature.

For more information see the links below.

Web Links:
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/zion/technical/keyhole-canyon
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-keyhole.htm
 

PINE CREEK
Description:
5-7 hours
5-6 rappels, some with awkward starts. Longest is a free hanging 100' rappel with some exposure clipping in to the anchor.
Wetsuit recommended!! At least a 3/2 farmer john.

This is a very scenic and wet canyon with lots of down climbs, fun rappels (including a 100' free hanger!), and several pools of water to swim. The hike starts at a parking area immediately after exiting the long Zion Tunnel heading east. Right away you find the first rappel/down-climb which marks the beginning of a short series of pools to wade/swim through. There is the possibility of a "wet disconnect" here, so the first person down should help set the rope length for the rest of the group. The next series of rappels drops into two pools, the last of which is the famous "cathedral rappel." This may also require setting the rope length to avoid a swimming disconnect. More hiking and down climbing through beautiful narrows and then the canyon opens up to some great views of Zion. The last rappel is 100' and free hanging. While on rappel, don't forget to look into the beautiful cave that you just rappelled off. The hike out is boulder hopping and scrambling down the watercourse, and then a final short hike up to a parking area along the road.

For more information see the links below.

Web Links:
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/zion/technical/pine-creek-canyon
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-pine-creek.htm
 

MYSTERY
Description:
8-10 Hours
11 rappels, longest is about 135'
Small pools of water, but no swimming expected. Last rappel drops into the Virgin River Narrows for about 1/4 mile long hike in the river with tourists.

This is a very beautiful canyon that requires winning a lottery drawing to obtain a permit reservation. The hike starts on the property of the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort. The trail quickly enters Zion NP, and after about 40 minutes you arrive at "The Death Gully." This is a steep and loose hiking descent into Mystery Canyon. Take your time and be careful. Once in the canyon you encounter many rappels and down climbs, and even a section of nice narrows. The canyon opens up again to what is sometimes a small lake formed by a landslide several years ago. It will likely be dry for our trip. Hike up and over the landslide dam back into a beautiful green section of the canyon. You will eventually come to the rappel into Mystery Springs. The rappel starts after traversing a large slab overlooking the remaining section of the canyon. This is a very beautiful spot, so don't forget to stop and take in the view! The rappel will land you into Mystery Springs, which will probably be at least waist deep and the first water encountered during the hike (unless the lake is not dry). Continue down canyon following a small stream down climbing several obstacles. The last rappel is along a waterfall into the Virgin River. Tourists will likely be pointing and taking your picture. This rappel is very slippery, so be careful... you will likely be on camera after all! A short hike down the Virgin River brings you to a sidewalk trail, which ends at the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop.

For more information see the links below.

Web Links:
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/zion/technical/mystery-canyon
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-mystery-canyon.htm

BEHUNIN
Description:
About 9-10 hours
10 Rappels mostly in the 100' range. Longest rappel is 165' and mostly free hanging
Generally dry, but could hold some water depending on recent weather conditions. Plan for some knee deep sections, and possibly a dip into one pothole near the end.

This canyon is more advanced than the others on this list. The hike begins along the Angel's Landing trail located at 'The Grotto' shuttle stop, and returns along the Emerald Pools trail ending at the 'Zion Lodge' shuttle stop. It has a very long and steep entry hike, followed by a complex series of long entry rappels to get to the canyon floor. Several sections of hiking are exposed to tall cliffs. Not recommended for anyone fearful of heights or not 100% confident in their rappelling skills. Prior canyoneering or climbing experience is required.

For more information see the links below.

Web Links:
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/zion/technical/behunin-canyon
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-behunin-canyon.htm

For a thorough description of the hike, see Craig Martin's book, 100 Hikes in New Mexico, (#17). Starting at 8:00, we will carpool to the Taos Ski Valley and park by the Bull-of-Woods trailhead (9,430 ft). We will hike to Bull-of-the-Woods pasture and turn north to Gold Hill (12,711 ft). Only at the beginning of the hike, on the way to Bull-of-the-Woods, is the trail moderately steep on a heavily used trail. The view from the top is wonderful, looking at Fraser, Wheeler, Katchina, and the Truchas peaks to the south and as far as southern Colorado, the Blanca peaks, to the north. We will return to the trailhead by way of Long Canyon. Total distance is about 10 miles with a 3,300 ft elevation gain. Count on a 2 hour drive to the trailhead, 5 hours on the trail, and 2 hours to return, not including a refreshment break on the way home.  Email Bart at bart.olinger@gmail.com to sign up; information on carpooling location will be sent to you. 

While we wait for summer rains, the forests are closing one by one. But that doesn't mean we cannot go hiking. Northside across from Taos Ski Valley is a private piece of land that rises from the Ski Valley parking lot to the summit of Frazer Mountain at 12,163 feet, with 2,800 feet of vertical gain. There is an admission fee of $5 - please bring exact change.
We will leave Los Alamos at 8 AM, drive to the ski valley, and hike up the roads and trails to as high as our little legs will carry us. Bring the usual day trip gear - lunch, water, rain gear, clothes suitable for whatever the weather. Interested participants may stop for dinner in Taos or TSV on the way back home. We will decide on carpooling plans and the return schedule at our meeting point. Contact Bill by e-mail to join this outing.

TRIP IS NOW ON HOLD (6/5/13) DUE TO FIRE CLOSURES IN THE PECOS WILDERNESS.  Mary will be in touch with participants.
TRIP IS NOW FULL.  Contact Mary to be put on a wait list.  
Strenuous hike to Santa Fe Baldy, joint trip with the Sierra Club.  14 miles round-trip, 3500' gain, moderately fast pace.  Limit of eight hikers.  One or two dogs ok, must have leash for lunch stops .  Mary Thompson mary14er@gmail.com 

The two trips to Penitente and Tres Piedras will continue John Pianezze's series of trips for climbing school graduates from this year or other recent years. These are intended to be fun, moderate outings to some of our favorite climbing areas so that graduates can continue to improve their climbing skills and get a reward for their hard work during the school! Both areas provide opportunities to toprope climbs in the 5.6 to 5.10 range, and Penitente also provides opportunities to do easy leads in the 5.6 to 5.8 range.
 
Please e-mail back to Norbert at norbert.ensslin@gmail.com if you would like to come on either of these trips. (John will be out of town) This way we will know how many graduates are coming and how many climbing leaders should be invited to join us. Also, these trips can be done in either order, so please let us know if you prefer the two-day trip to Penitente to be over Memorial Day weekend or over the June 8-9 weekend, and vice-versa for the one-day trip to Tres Piedras. Until we hear back from some of you, we have tentatively penciled in the Penitente trip first and the Tres Piedras trip second.
 
Sunday-Monday, May 26-27th: Penitente Canyon is known for hard climbs, but also has a nice selection of easy and moderate bolt climbs. Penitente Canyon is located about 3 ½ hours drive north of Los Alamos near Saguache, Colorado. We will drive up Sunday morning, climb Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, and drive home Monday afternoon. So bring overnight camping gear and camping food along with rain gear and your personal climbing gear. Let's depart from the Sullivan Field parking lot across from the High School at 8 AM Sunday.

 
Saturday, June 8: One-day trip to Tres Piedras, which is located about 90 minutes north of Los Alamos. Tres Piedras has low-angle slab and friction climbing on beautiful granite knobs and slopers, mostly bolt-protected with some gear placements. Let's depart from the Sullivan Field parking lot across from the High School at 8:30 AM. Climbers from Santa Fe can join us at the Northern New Mexico Community College in Espanola at 9 AM. Bring lunch, rain gear, and your personal climbing gear.
 
 

The two trips to Penitente and Tres Piedras will continue John Pianezze's series of trips for climbing school graduates from this year or other recent years.  These are intended to be fun, moderate outings to some of our favorite climbing areas so that graduates can continue to improve their climbing skills and get a reward for their hard work during the school!  Both areas provide opportunities to toprope climbs in the 5.6 to 5.10 range, and Penitente also provides opportunities to do easy leads in the 5.6 to 5.8 range.
 
Please e-mail back to Norbert at norbert.ensslin@gmail.com if you would like to come on either of these trips.  (John will be out of town) This way we will know how many graduates are coming and how many climbing leaders should be invited to join us.  Also, these trips can be done in either order, so please let us know if you prefer the two-day trip to Penitente to be over Memorial Day weekend or over the June 8-9 weekend, and vice-versa for the one-day trip to Tres Piedras.  Until we hear back from some of you, we have tentatively penciled in the Penitente trip first and the Tres Piedras trip second.
 
Sunday-Monday, May 26-27th:  Penitente Canyon is known for hard climbs, but also has a nice selection of easy and moderate bolt climbs.    Penitente Canyon is located about 3 ½ hours drive north of Los Alamos near Saguache, Colorado.  We will drive up Sunday morning, climb Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, and drive home Monday afternoon.  So bring overnight camping gear and camping food along with rain gear and your personal climbing gear.  Let's depart from the Sullivan Field parking lot across from the High School at 8 AM Sunday.

 
Saturday, June 8:  One-day trip to Tres Piedras, which is located about 90 minutes north of Los Alamos.  Tres Piedras has low-angle slab and friction climbing on beautiful granite knobs and slopers, mostly bolt-protected with some gear placements.  Let's depart from the Sullivan Field parking lot across from the High School at 8:30 AM.  Climbers from Santa Fe can join us at the Northern New Mexico Community College in Espanola at 9 AM.  Bring lunch, rain gear, and your personal climbing gear.
 
 
 
 
 

 
Both an Objective Oriented and Exploratory Trip to the Spanish Peaks Widerness.
Overview: As long as I have traveled South along I-25, the Spanish Peaks have callled to me like the sirens of Greek mythology. This has been going on for over 35 years. It is time to answer the sirens call. Attractions: Interesting geologic formations, and stunning views being the eastern most prominences rising to over 10,000’ above the great prairie.
My objective is to complete a circuit that includes the summits of both West (13,500’) and East (12,650’) Spanish Peaks. The difficulty arises in that this circuit is approximately 15 mi in length with 7,000 feet of total vertical gain. We will leave Los Alamos around noon on Friday May 24 and drive approximately 5 h to Cordova Pass Campground. At 11,250 feet, Cordova Pass is an alpine camping experience.
Although objective oriented there are options for those interested in something a bit less strenuous.
Options: The dual summit party will get an alpine start, and plan to summit West Peak in time to view the sunrise. Others could depart later and follow the primary objective group up the West Peak Trail to the summit of West Peak and return the same way (a round trip of approximately 5.5 mi with only about 2500’ of vertical gain). This would be a great opportunity for a new leader to get some independent experience by leading the second party. Those interested in continuing to East Peak will descend 3,000’ toward the East to the saddle and reclaim a little over 2,000’ in 5 miles to reach the East Peak summit. For a real time view of the objectives look at (http://www.discoverbachman.com/webcam1280.html) We will then return to the saddle and traverse on the South side of West Peak on the Wahatoya Trail to return to our camp. Our return will involve some orienteering as the trail exists on only a few (old) maps. Upon return, we will enjoy a leisurely communal dinner to celebrate our success.
I plan to break camp Sunday morning. I am planning to return via Raton with a reconnaissance stop at Sugarite Canyon State Park. It is (was) a jewel in the NM State Parks system. Unfortunately, much of it was burned in a fire two years ago and I am interested in how it is recovering for consideration of a future trip. I will bring climbing gear as there are some beautiful top ropes in the area that we could play on before pushing back to Los Alamos. There is a small lake and there used to be a number of nice trails in the area as well. FYI – there were showers available at Sugarite.
Gear Recommendations:
Sleeping bag, pad, and tarp or tent.
Appropriate clothing and foot wear for alpine conditions (Camp is at 11,250’)
Food for two days of camping. I’ll have a grill and one small stove.
Climbing gear for top roping (if we go on to Sugarite)

Trip is full.  Once again we return to the Canyon Country, in what, according to my best reckoning, is my 100th lifetime trip. Our goal is the South Fork of Ticaboo Creek, accessible by trail from its south rim by people and llamas. Our previous trips to this country have targeted the nearby main fork, and we spent little time in the South Fork (see the 2009 trip report). The upstream terrain in the South Fork offers a new range of adventures - we can expect the usual domes, slickrock, and slot canyons. And a hike a couple miles downstream from camp, to the confluence, takes us to the best swimming hole I've ever found in the canyons (photo in the trip report). In the words of an online report written by Backpacker Magazine, "Among the 2,000 miles of winding shoreline and 96 side canyons, nowhere in Glen Canyon are there more hidden treasures than in the Ticaboo Creek-Fourmile Canyon region north of Bullfrog Marina. Here, a web of canyons cuts deeply into Navajo sandstone, creating well-watered gorges, slots, slickrock bowls, and soaring sandstone domes tucked between the Little Rockies and the lake's cliffy rim." Clearly, a return visit to a new corner of this country is in order.
 
We will once again employ the services of our llama packer BJ Orozco, who will provide 8 llamas to ferry our gear to a base camp in the South Fork. We will leave Los Alamos on Saturday, 4 May, overnight at the Recapture Lodge in Bluff, Utah (make your own reservations), arriving early enough for a late afternoon hike. The next day we drive to Bullfrog, where I will arrange lodging in one or two of the family units (translation: house trailers), and on Monday May 6 we will meet the packer and hike into the canyon. We will have 6 nights and 5 days to explore the South Fork and tributaries, and will move out early on Sunday, May 12 to hike out of the canyon, load into cars, catch the ferry across Lake Powell, and return to normal existence.
 
The packer will cost approximately $300 per person plus tip. There are eight places on this trip. In order to secure a spot, please send a $150 deposit to Bill at 380 Rim Road, Los Alamos NM 87544. In case of cancellation, we will attempt to fill your spot, but if this is not possible, your deposit is likely forfeit.
 

Still haven't made it to the highest point in New Mexico?  Join us for a hike to Wheeler Peak.

The Williams Lake trail to the summit is approximately 7 miles round trip
and is a steep switchback class 2 trail.  Total elevation gain of 2,970 ft; highest elevation 13,161 ft.  Moderate pace. We expect to start out on snow, and will finish the peak hiking.  Limit of 12 hikers.  One or two dogs ok, must have leash.

If there's interest, microbrew & dinner stop before heading home.
Send an email to Kelly and Jean to sign up - we'll make carpooling arrangements as the date nears.  
 

• THIS TRIP IS NOW FULL - SEND US AN EMAIL IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE ON THE WAIT LIST.
• Join us for a car camping weekend at the El Malpais National Monument, to hike the historic Zuni-Acoma trail.   http://www.nps.gov/elma/index.htm
  The trip is a joint trip with the Northern Group of the Sierra Club.  We will limit the trip to 20 participants.  

• We will drive to the Monument on Friday.  There are a number of sites to see, depending upon participant interest - tour Acoma Pueblo ($20), the NM Mining Museum ($3) in Grants, and El Moro Nat'l Monument ($3) 42 miles west of Grants. 

• Saturday we will hike the historic Zuni-Acoma trail.  We may have a National Park Service Guide.  The trail is 7.5 miles one way, takes 6-7 hours, and will require a car shuttle.  The car shuttle may involve a "car key swap" - depening upon participant interest.  More details are found at:  http://www.nps.gov/elma/planyourvisit/upload/zuni%20acoma.pd

• Sunday will include a shorter hike to archeological sites or volcanos within the El Malpais.  This may also be a ranger led hike.  One goal will be to return to Los Alamos/Santa Fe by 6 pm. 

• There is camping at the BLM Joe Skeen campground on the eastern side of the El Malpais.  There are 10 primitive sites for up to 2 cars & 8 people each at the Joe Skeen campground.  Each site has an awning over a picnic table and is within strolling distance of 1 of 2 vault toilets.  Cell service is with Verizon whose tower is to the north.  There are clean rest rooms and limited potable water available between 8:30 AM and 4 PM at the BLM ranger station 2 miles south of the campground.   

• It is also possible to join this trip and stay in a motel in Grants.  There is also dispersed camping in the El Malpais.  

• Sign up via email to Jean Dewart, jdewart@q.com or Mary Thompson, mary14er@gmail.com.  As the trip nears, we will have more information on the hike, car shuttle, and camping details. 

We will explore the top of Buckman Mesa and its summit, Otowi Peak. Buckman guards the entrance to White Rock Canyon, with huge views of the Rio Grande, the Pajarito Plateau, and the Jemez. The trip description can be found in the Sierra Club's "Day Hikes in the Santa Fe Area", 7th edition, hike #30.
We will leave Los Alamos at 9:30 AM, driving past La Tierra to Buckman Road and the trailhead. We expect to be out until 4-5 PM, and folks interested can stop for dinner in Santa Fe before heading back to Los Alamos. Contact Bill P. regarding meeting locations.

One of the classic cool season hikes in our neighborhood is Red Wash Canyon near Abiquiu, which straddles the boundary between the Colorado Plateau and the Santa Fe formation that fills the Rio Grande rift. It is surrounded by colorful rock formations, includes a slot canyon of sorts, and, at the top, opens into the Arroyo del Cobre (Copper Canyon), home for even more spectacular formations. Photos of Red Wash itself can be found here and here. This is an exploration of moderate difficulty that will be 6 to 9 miles round trip, depending on how ambitious we feel. Despite its classic standing, this will be a new trip for me, but I'm sure we can find our way to an interesting adventure.
This time of year, our plans are a function of weather. Things look promising for Sunday, with a prediction of mostly sunny and a high of 66 degrees. We will meet in Los Alamos at 11 AM, carpool to Abiquiu with a stop at Bode's (if you like) for a snack or to pick up lunch stuff, and spend the afternoon exploring Red Wash. Bring lunch, water, hat, sunscreen, and clothing suitable for whatever weather arises. On the way back, dinner at the Abiquiu Inn or in Espanola is an option for those interested.
If you are interested but find Easter to be an awkward day to go, let me know, and we can look at other possibilities. But I'd like to go if we can assemble a party.

Let's go skiing at Cumbres Pass on Sunday March 10.  Out and back X-C ski up the Dixie Creek drainage from Cumbres Pass.  8 miles round trip.  New snow Friday night/Saturday am, so the roads should be OK by Sunday and the snow should be good. 
Meet on the Trinity Drive side of LANB at 7:45.  Leave Los Alamos at 8 am.  (Note:  Daylight savings time starts Sunday March 10!).  Return 6-6:30 pm Sunday evening.  Bring layers of clothing, lunch, water.
Please email me if you'd like to come - jdewart@q.com  When you sign up, I'll contact you with carpooling arrangements.  

Avalanche Standard Level 1 Course at Pajarito Mountain, NM February 21-24, 2013 Taught by
Pajarito Mountain Ski Patrol
Are you a backcountry traveler that wishes to learn how to navigate avalanche terrain, or to rescue your partner should they be caught in an avalanche?  Are you a ski patroller desiring avalanche education, whether for application in the line of duty or for personal recreation in the backcountry?  If so, then this course is for you.
Some of the best winter recreational locales in northern NM are situated amidst avalanche terrain.  If you venture into the backcountry during snow seasons, it is a very good idea to take an avalanche course.
This National Ski Patrol (NSP) Avalanche Level 1 course conforms to the curriculum of the American Avalanche Association (AAA), and includes both classroom lectures and on-the-snow field exercises, including the following topics:

• Avalanche triangle:  terrain, snowpack, weather
• Beacon search, shoveling, and probing
• Safe travel in avalanche terrain
• Practical in-the-field snowpack stability evaluation methods
• Immediate search for buried victims
• Human factor

The class will be taught by Bart Daly, an NSP Alpine Senior Patroller and certified Avalanche Level 1 instructor, with help from several other Level 1 and Level 2 avalanche-trained patrollers who have extensive backcountry ski/travel experience.
Course schedule (all to be held at Pajarito Mountain Ski Area, NM):
Thu., Feb. 21, 6-9:30pm:  classroom
Fri., Feb. 22, 6-9:30pm:  classroom
Sat., Feb. 23, 8:30-3:30pm:  field sessions (outdoors all day)
Sun., Feb. 24, 8:30-3:00pm:  field sessions (outdoors all day)
Course requirements:  A good level of fitness and the ability to ski and move around in deep snow and steep terrain.  You should show up to the field sessions booted up and ready to ski.  You will need to bring a beacon, shovel, and probe, and be prepared to be outdoors (snow or shine) the entire day.  Lift rides to field exercise locations will be included as part of the course registration.  If you do not own beacon/shovel/probe, please acquire or borrow them from friends ahead of time.  As a last resort, we have a few loaners on hand, but their availability cannot be guaranteed.
“Pre-work”:  Upon enrollment, we will make arrangements to get you a copy of Snow Sense 5th edition by Fredston & Fesler (included in the course fee), which you will use to complete a written assignment.  The assignment must be completed and brought to the first classroom session.
Enrollment instructions:  The course slots will be allotted to roughly 50-50% between patrollers and members of the community, first-come first-served according to the date of receipt of the $50 course enrollment fee, which includes the Snow Sense book, lift privileges on the field session days, and an NSP certificate of course completion.
Please contact Bart Daly at: bdaly77@msn.com  to enroll and with any additional questions.
 

 Ski Tour from Pajarito Mt. to the Valle Grande, Sunday, February 10, 2013

NOTE: Sign up for this trip is via email (norbert.ensslin@gmail.com) or phone (662-1408) NOT via the Mountaineers website.

This ski tour is a repeat of the popular trip from Pajarito Mountain to the Valle Grande visitor center that the Mountaineers have done for the past few years. This is a Los Alamos Mountaineers trip, but is also open to members of the Southwest Nordic Ski Club, the New Mexico Cross Country Ski Club, and other guests who are known to the trip participants from these clubs. 

Advanced signup for this trip is required, with a deadline of Thursday, February 7th.  This way we will know who to expect at the trailhead and what transportation arrangements you've made. Please e-mail Norbert at norbert.ensslin@gmail.com or phone at 662-1408 to sign up so that we can communicate back and forth about weather conditions, snow conditions, car-pooling options, skiing experience, etc. If it does look as though there might not be enough snow to do the trip, we have the option of postponing the trip for two weeks to Sunday, February 24. If so, I will notify participants via e-mail by Friday, Feb. 8th.

The ski tour will start from the west end of the ski area parking lot, and skiers can depart anytime between 8 AM and 9 AM. Before departing from that location, all skiers must sign a Valles Preserve waiver and (if not on file already) a Los Alamos Mountaineers Club trip waiver. At the parking lot, we’ll also collect the $10 Valles Preserve access fee (in cash) from everyone, so please bring the appropriate change.

We appreciate that the Valles Caldera staff are again allowing us to do this trip as a "sanctioned group event." We are asking trip participants to take responsibility for assuring their own abilities to complete the trip. The ski tour is roughly 11 miles, with an estimated 6 hours of skiing time. It requires at least an intermediate level of cross-country ski touring experience, and includes a difficult descent on a narrow jeep road. So the trip is not for beginners. Skiers should be able to maintain an average speed of 2 miles per hour in order to arrive at the visitor center with some margin of safety before closing time. Specifically, skiers should turn back at the gate where we descend into the Valle de los Posos

if they cannot cover those first two miles in about an hour, or 

if they have too much trouble with the descent to the gate, or

if they arrive at the gate into the Valle de los Posos after 10 AM. 

Within the above constraints, skiers can travel at their own pace, staying between the lead group that breaks trail and the sweep group that brings up the rear. We do ask that no one skis alone, and that each group of skiers carries a cell phone with them.  (Reception in the Valle Grande is pretty good.)

Each group of skiers should work out their own arrangements for getting picked up at the visitor center at the end of the tour.  There are several options for doing this, including arranging a car shuttle with other skiers, getting someone to come and pick you up, or leaving a car at the visitor center on Saturday, the day before the trip. Let me know if I can help you by sharing information about possible drivers or riders.  PLEASE NOTE that if you leave a car at the visitor center on Saturday, you must sign in with the staff when you get there, and also leave a note in your car saying that it will be left there overnight. If the Valle staff do not know whose car is in the lot at closing time, they are obliged to start a search and rescue effort. This almost happened once, so please help us prevent this!

WE HAVE 9 OPEN SLOTS LEFT.
Wilderness First Responder (WFR) is the definitive course in medical training for outdoor educators, guides, SAR team members, and others who work or play in remote areas. The curriculum is comprehensive and practical, including all of the essential principles and skills required to assess and manage medical problems in isolated and extreme environments. The 5-day format is for individuals and sponsors with less time available for on-site training and requires 25 hours of pre-course preparation.
Students must register at least 2 weeks before the course date. All students must complete all pre-course work prior to arrival on course.
Description
25 Hours Pre-Course Preparation and 45 Hours On-Site Training
Dates

• Friday, February 8, 2013, 4 hours
• Saturday, February 9, 2013,  9 hours
• Sunday, February 10, 2013, 9 hours
• Friday, February 22, 2013, 4 hours
• Saturday, February 23, 2013,9 hours
• Sunday,  February 24, 2013,10 hours

Cost: $625, a deposit of $200 due upon registration
Class size limit: 21
Registration: email or call Carl Gilmore (carl@taosnet.com/ 575-758-2719) then mail deposit to Carl Gilmore, 209 State Rd 240, Taos, NM 87571
Information: email bondslopez@comcast.net or call Lorrie at 505-670-5359
Location: TBD based on registrations; probably White Rock Town Hall
Class Format
This course covers the same material and meets the same criteria as our standard Wilderness First Responder. It is designed for students and professionals who have tight schedules and the self-discipline to complete approximately 25 hours of pre-course preparation.
Students will have access to the WFR Study Guide two to four weeks before the course starts. They are required to complete the assigned reading, case studies, study guide, and tests. The on-site instruction that follows reinforces and expands on the knowledge already acquired. Because students arrive familiar with the didactic material, on-site daytime training can focus on wilderness and rescue scenarios and practical skills. Evenings are reserved for study and assignments. Expect rescue scenarios with made-up victims and simulated wounds to prepare you for backcountry emergencies. Sessions may be videotaped for enhanced learning.
The 5-Day WFR course has been through five years of development and testing. Conscientious preparation, studying, and time prior to the course is essential for success. This is not a short-cut version of our standard course. Established WMA International clients and other groups who are interested in this new format are encouraged to contact us about this offering.
Textbooks
The following teaching materials are provided by WMA International at no additional cost:

• Wilderness and Rescue Medicine: A guide for the basic and advanced practitioner
• Wilderness Medicine Workbook
• The Field Guide of Wilderness & Rescue Medicine
• WFR Class Notes and handouts

More info on the course at; Wilderness First Responder 5-Day - 5-Day

11th Annual Sandia Mountain Snowshoe Race

The 11th Annual Sandia Mountain Snowshoe Race, presented by Friends of the Sandia Mountains, is scheduled for Saturday, January 19, 2013. The race begins at 10:00 a.m. at the lower level parking lot at Sandia Crest and is a 5-km trek through the Cibola National Forest.

Register at REI or by mail. Registration forms and more information are available online at www.sandiasnowshoe.com. The registration fee of $30 ($45 after January 5, 2013) includes a long-sleeved T-shirt, pre- and post-race refreshments, and prizes in several categories.

The race is limited to 150 participants, and racers of all levels are invited to participate. The race filled up early the last years, so don’t delay and miss out on the fun.

Jean Payne

Let's return to Pagosa for a weekend of winter sports - snowshoe, cross country, and downhill at Wolf Creek, as your tastes may take you. In the evenings we can relax at the hot springs. Snow conditions are epochal. Wolf Creek has received 6 feet of snow in the last week, and is boasting a 60-inch base already, which bodes well for excellent conditions for the next few weeks. Our plan will be to drive up to Pagosa in the afternoon or after work on Thursday, January 17, and drive back sometime on the MLK holiday, Monday Janaury 21, which gives us 3 full days for winter sports. I'll rent a house based on the number of participants, which gives fairly low cost housing, when we share out the cost, and a place to share dinners and lies in the evenings. Please e-mail Bill at the address above to register your interest. Your spot will be secured with a deposit of $75. Past experience is that lodging for the whole 4 nights might be in the range of $150 per person, but we won't know the details until we assemble the part and make a reservatoion.

Hello all!  There is 18" of snow at Cumbres Pass and another foot on the way Tues/Wed.  Let's go X-C skiing!  The trip will be to Spruce Hole/Pinorealosa Peak area - and out/back ski tour from La Manga Pass (5 miles past Cumbres Pass on Highway 17).  The tour will be approximately 8 miles - we'll start on the Spruce Hole Road, and then climb up onto Pinorealosa Peak for some great views.  Sunday will be in between snow storms.  Bring layered clothing, lunch, water.   And, if you have them, bring climbing skins - we probably won't need them, but they are always useful to have.  Leave Los Alamos at 7 am, return about 5-6 pm.  Let me know if you'd like to come, at jdewart@q.com - and we'll arrange car pooling. 

While we wait for snow, I'd like to try a trip that is completely exploratory. I've found no mention of the area in any hiking guide. The area in question is the badland country east of State highway 68 that is visible on the drive from Espanola to Velarde, the little settlement just before one enters the Rio Grande gorge. This country shows up on contour maps as heavily corrugated and complex. A typical satellite view of the terrain can be seen here. It is accessed via dirt roads that leave highway 68 in several places. The maps clearly show this as BLM land, all the way from the highway to Truchas in the east, so access shouldn't be a problem.
The plan is to meet in Los Alamos at 9:00 AM on Saturday morning, drive down to the area in vehicles that are good on dirt roads, head up one of the access roads, perhaps the one up Canada Ancha, and set out into the badlands to see what we can see. We can rendezvous in Espanola with anyone who doesn't live in Los Alamos. I'll have an alternative destination in mind if we don't find a reasonable hike, but my experience is that one can often find something interesting with a little patience and poking around. I hope to spend the whole day exploring. If folks are interested, we can stop for dinner in Espanola on the way back.
Please send an e-mail if you would like to join us.