The mornings and nights are cooler, and the air is refreshingly crisp.  The summer is almost over.  Where did it go?!  Even though it’s hard to say good bye to the long days and warmth of the summer, we’re looking forward to the Fall and the beautiful colors the season will bring to our mountains.

We, at Santa Fe Walkabouts, are preparing for the Autumn season and scouting new trails we can offer to our clients.  One major addition to our list of offerings is our “Ride and Hike” option.  Ride in our Pinzgauer and take a leisurely hike through aspen forests!  What?  A Pinzgauer?  What the heck, you ask, is a Pinzgauer? 

I had never heard of Pinzgauers until last year but these trucks, built in Austria for the Swiss Army, are truly amazing off road vehicles.  Georges has taken our Pinzgauer on trails that most other SUVs would not dare to venture on.  Having said that, let me assure you that we will not embark on any “à la Georges” crazy Frenchman adventures unless you wish to do so.  We have several dirt roads around Santa Fe (and Taos) that are easy to moderate, leading you to less traveled hiking trails. 

One of our favorite ride & hike destinations, particularly for the Fall, is up towards the Ski Basin.  A little known trail, through a thick grove of aspen trees, leads you to a beautiful open space called Carl’s Meadow.  I never knew until recently (I give full credit to Georges who has this ability to learn and remember out of the ordinary facts) that aspens propagate through their root structure and that an entire clump of aspens are identical, all part of a single living organism. 

Come join us this Fall.  Ride a Pinzgauer and hike amongst the aspens - two unique experiences that I believe you’ll remember for a long time!

For more photographs or videos of the Pinzgauer, check out our Facebook page.

It seems the more mountains you climb, the deeper your desire your reach other summits.  A relative beginner, I have many peaks to bag in the state of New Mexico but I’m hooked and I’m definitely thrilled to have the opportunity to hike to some amazing places with my husband, Georges, and clients of our company, Santa Fe Walkabouts.  As John Muir quoted, “The mountains are calling me and I must go.”

Georges and I hiked Caballo Peak together on May 19th, 2009.  Located in the Jemez Mountains, the trailhead for Caballo Peak is near the Pajarito Ski Basin.  The first segment of the hike is through aspens and Douglas fir, a popular and easy walk for the Los Alamos area residents and their dogs.  In the winter months, some of the trails are restricted to cross country skiers - they’re very well maintained and clearly marked.  On this particular Spring day, we encountered only one other person with her two dogs as we made our way to Cañada Bonita, a lovely meadow that has not been grazed since 1942.

After trekking along the edge of Cañada Bonita for approximately 1/2 mile, we entered a forest of tall aspens, which are absolutely stunning in the Fall when the leaves change color.  We continued walking, passing the aspens, and into yet another forest of Douglas fir - the entire trail to Caballo Peak is well shaded and conducive to hiking in the summer months.  We stopped momentarily to take photographs at an overlook of the Valle de los Posos (the “Valley of the Holes”), part of the Valles Caldera - ”a 12 mile wide collapsed volcanic caldera” or cauldron which was formed by volcanic eruptions over a million years ago.  We then hiked onwards along Guaje Canyon Trail #282 until we reached the edge of the canyon, seemingly unable to go further but with views of our destination, Caballo Peak, rising up above sea level to 10496 feet.  We back tracked a few yards to where cairns marked a steep descent to the canyon floor.

At this point, we were approximately 4 miles into our round trip hike of 15 miles and about to start the toughest part of the outing.  Wooden hiking stick in hand, I carefully descended 800 feet.  There were strawberries plants on the side of the path, and a permanent stream at the canyon floor that accompanied us until we reached the junction of Caballo Trail.  We took a short break at this intersection and then headed up 1900 feet to the summit.  Distance wise, it was only 2 miles to the top but the climb was arduous, switchback after switchback through the forest with seemingly no end in sight!  Then, thankfully, after about two hours of climbing, we emerged from the woods to find a wide meadow with views of the Pajarito ski station, Cochiti Lake, St. Peter’s Dome, Boundary Peak, and the Sandia Mountain further south.  We were also able to see the Sangre de Cristo mountains to the east and closer in, the Black Mesa. 

We sat on a log, close to the trail, looking south towards Los Alamos and the Pajarito Mountain, ate our cheese sandwiches which always taste so much better outdoors, and then headed back.  The return trek was easier although some of the downhill stretches required care.  We reached the intersection of the Guaje Canyon Trail in an hour, climbed back up to the rock promontory from where we had embarked upon the strenuous segment of the hike, and then, tired but happy, walked the remaining four miles back to the car.  Total round trip hike to Caballo Peak:  15 miles.  Total elevation gain: 3800 feet.  I had reason to be delighted with myself.  Georges, who is a far stronger hiker than I am, was equally content.  Each hike we’ve made this year has provided us with wonderful views and we’re always thrilled to be able to name more and more mountains each time we’re on the trails.  There’s still so much to discover in New Mexico - each day is a new opportunity for us and we’re grateful for that!

Georges and I hiked to the Painted Cave on April 27th, 2009 - a hike that most people don’t normally complete as a day trip as it is a strenuous outing into Bandelier’s backcountry. There are two ways to access the Painted Cave: a trail which starts at the visitor center of Bandelier National Monument, and one near the St. Peter’s Dome.  The trek from the visitor center is 22 miles round trip so we (me, in particular) opted to start at the Dome Trailhead which translated into an ”easier” 13 mile round trip hike!

The drive to the trailhead requires a 4-wheel drive as a portion of it is on rough unpaved road. Georges had fun with our Landrover, navigating the ruts and the potholes. Thankfully the road was dry and passable; no fallen trees blocked our path although two mule deer crossed leisurely, unfazed by our presence.

The start of the trail is somber as the April 1996 Dome Fire - started by an “improperly extinguished campfire” - destroyed 16,516 acres of forest. Despite the devastation, the area retains a stark beauty.

What delighted me most along the way down to Capulin Canyon, a descent of approximately 2,400 feet from Boundary Peak, was the Alligator Juniper. Having hiked many trails in New Mexico, I’ve become oblivious of most juniper trees but the Alligator Juniper caught my eye as the bark truly resembles an alligator’s skin.   

As we got down to the canyon floor, we found ourselves in a beautiful forest of ponderosa pine and aspen. We then crossed the Rio Capulin, which feeds into the Rio Grande, one of several crossings as the path followed the river approximately 2.5 miles to the Painted Cave.

 The cave, set in the canyon walls, once inhabited by the Ancient Puebloans (otherwise called the Anasazi), is a marvel to behold. It’s a shallow but wide space, covered in pictographs which are painted rock designs, as opposed to petroglyphs which are carved rock designs. The interior of the cave is covered with pictographs in red, black and white. A novice of rock art, I was only able to make out (and make sense of) some of the sketches: a moose, a coyote or perhaps a dog, a church with a cross, and a serpent. Lots of hands. The inhabitants of the Pajarito Plateau, who are thought to have lived in these canyons from about 1100 AD to 1500 AD, left behind through pictographs and petroglyphs a rich story about their lives. What a different world it must have been back then - no televisions, no cell phones, no laptops! Just nature, ceremonies to honor Mother Earth and Father Sky, and blue skies. Yet life was not easy as the Ancient Ones faced drought and lack of food, and eventually disappeared from the area, moving closer towards the Rio Grande and creating pueblos now known to us as Cochiti, San Felipe, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, and Santo Domingo.

The hike back was challenging for me - the heat, the incline - but we made it! Along the way, we were pleasantly entertained at the Ranger’s Cabin where Georges captured amusing Outhouse Art from the 21st century. As we neared our car, the sun had just set and the light across the canyon floor and beyond was magical. It had been a long day but I was definitely thrilled to have visited a sacred and historical site.

It has been months since my last post!  I took a break from hiking (and blogging) January through March while Georges kept busy teaching at the Santa Fe Ski Basin, and having fun in general on the snow with his friends.  The winter season had its low points.  On February 28, 2009, we lost our beloved Kip to cancer.  It was difficult to begin hiking again without him by our side but we are convinced that he continues to hike with us in spirit. 

We’ve done an amazing numbers of hikes since April - so much to write about but I felt stuck and unable to put words on paper.  Until now.  Having climbed the Cerro Pedernal last Wednesday, I feel motivated to write again about all the beautiful trails in and around the Santa Fe area.

Cerro Pedernal, which means “flint hill” in Spanish, is a magical mountain that Georgia O’Keeffe called her own.  It’s an hour and a half northwest of Santa Fe in the Jemez Mountains, a major landmark in north-central New Mexico.  The initial part of the 8 mile roundtrip trek is fairly easy, a gradual climb on a jeep road through forests of Rocky Mountain Juniper, Ponderosa Pine, Douglas Fir, Pinon Pines and Gambel oaks.  It’s lovely and wild country.  We did not encounter any other hikers that day but we did see bear footprints and lots of other wildlife.

In spite of the ease of the first few miles, I would rate this hike strenuous because of the steep ascent along a trail with lots of loose volcanic rocks, a trail that is marked by cairns but otherwise somewhat difficult to follow.  There is also a segment of the hike that involves scaling a 15 foot vertical cliff, albeit with sufficient hand and footholds.  You won’t have to use climbing gear but you have to use good judgment and care in making this final ascent to the ridge.

Georges and Fareed had absolutely no problems climbing and, with their assistance, I proudly reached the top of the Pedernal.  It’s a narrow ridge - approximately 20 feet wide and 1/4 mile long, at an elevation of 9,862 feet high - and with the wind blowing all around, I took great pains to stay far enough away from the edge.  What a view!  Three hundred and sixty degree views that include Abiqui Lake and Wheeler Peak.

It felt very special being at the top of Georgia O’Keeffe’s mountain, which she had captured in at least a dozen paintings.  She even joked that “God told me if I painted it often enough I could have it.” 

 Georges, Fareed and I found a sheltered area along the ridge, dined on homemade sandwiches, and delighted in the views before returning to our car.  The entire hike took about 6 1/2 hours, including lunch; not an easy outing but well worth it especially if one loves Georgia O’Keeffe’s work and is up for a challenge.  One thing I’ve learned from hiking as part of Santa Fe Walkabouts is that no matter how far that mountain looks, impossible to reach or climb, if you take one step at a time towards your goal, you’ll get there.  And when you do, what an accomplishment!

As outlined in my August 17th post, Sierra Del Norte, the Dale Ball Trails can easily be accessed from downtown Santa Fe, and they offer both hikers and bicyclists a variety of options, from easy to slightly more challenging paths.  Most trailheads, for the the Southern area hikes, begin off Upper Canyon Road but can also be reached from the Ponderosa Ridge-Wilderness Gate parking lot on Upper Camino Cruz Blanca (near St. John’s College).  The extensive network of trails is well-marked and it is near impossible to get off track.

We’ve hiked a few times in the Southern Section of the Dale Ball Trails, most recently taking two friends and our dogs up with us to Picacho Peak.  For dog owners, note that parts of Trail 170, which starts at the Ponderosa Ridge parking area, pass through private property - please respect the requests of the homeowners by keeping your canine friends on a leash and picking up after them (this is one of the few trails I’ve found where poop bags are available near the parking area - excellent!).

That particular morning, we walked up Trail 170 from the Wilderness Gate and then veered off on an “unofficial” path up towards what is called Sunset Rock by some, and Lookout or Castle Rock by others.  This well-worn but unofficial trail is shorter; it is also more difficult as you climb approximately 600 feet in about a mile.  I had concerns about Derby making it up the steep, slippery slope but my fears were unfounded.  He made it! 

We rested for about 15 minutes at Sunset Rock, enjoyed the views of the city, and then continued on to Picacho Peak.  Picacho Peak (”picacho” strangely enough means “peak” in Spanish) is the highest point on the Dale Ball Trails with an elevation of approximately 8,500 feet.  From this location, you’re able to see the city of Santa Fe, as well as the beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountains.   We lingered at the top briefly, admiring the full 360 degree views and then returned to our starting point.

The roundtrip hike was 4 miles and, except for the first leg, can be rated easy and is extremely enjoyable.  We laughed, we chatted, and felt grateful to be outdoors under the New Mexico skies.  We discussed the book “Last Child in the Woods” by Richard Louv (which I’ve admittedly not read as yet) and concurred that it is so important to get children and adults outside, to enjoy nature.  Georges and I love being in the woods, in the canyons, up on the mountain peaks - anywhere outdoors.  Part of the reason we started our business, Santa Fe Walkabouts, is because we want others to experience the beauty of the blue skies, the majesty of the mountains, the smell of leaves on the ground, and the sound of bubbling streams and brooks.  Our hope that through this connection (or reconnection) to nature, we will all try to protect what is left of our natural spaces.

Kip and Derby’s Pawnote:  We love all the scents along the trails … boy! so much to savor and enjoy … hmmm… who left that enticing smell on the ponderosa pine?  We had fun - do we ever not have fun? - on this walk and except for that initial steep ascent, we agree that it’s an easy hike.  Younger dogs wouldn’t have any difficulties at all.  We rate this trail 4 paws up - great for a quick workout, then it’s time to go home, eat and snooze.