Upcoming Activities

Los Amigos has three exciting activities coming up on our Calendar. They are:

1) Valles Caldera Work Party and Volunteer Appreciation BBQ - Sept 19th.

2) GeoTour of the North Rim - Sept 20th.

3) Wildlife Tour - Oct 1st.

Please RSVP for these activities using the Email/Phone # found at the end of this blog post.




Valles Caldera Work Party and Volunteer Appreciation BBQ - Sept 19th

The Sept 19th work party is sponsored by the Valles Caldera Staff. The work will begin at 9am (meet at the La Jara Staging Area inside the main gate). Work will continue till 12 Noon, tools are provided (wear work clothes/gloves). At 1pm, a lunch will be provided. Anyone who has done any volunteer work this year is invited to attended the lunch. Lunch will conclude at 2:30pm. These are the details that Staff has provided so far, I will send out an update as more details emerge. Please join us as we continue our work efforts at the Valles Caldera National Preserve! It's always very satisfying. [Open to all Volunteers of any group.]




GeoTour of the North Rim & Obsidian Valley - Sept 20th.

Join Los Amigos on a fundraising tour of the North Rim of the Valles Caldera and then inside the Preserve to Obsidian Valley. We have done this tour twice to rave reviews. If you haven't gone yet, make sure you go this time. It is spectacular and lunch is provided! More details - click HERE. [Non-Members may join this tour.]





Wildlife Tour - October 1st.

Los Amigos has arraigned to have a Wildlife Tour for our members during the "quiet" week between fall hunts. If you want to see Elk in abundance, this is the trip for you. The tour leaves the La Jara Staging Area at 4pm and returns to the Staging Area at 8pm. Hear and see the Elk bugle into the night. [Members Only Event - Become a Member!]


To sign-up for any of these activities, please email or call Greg Kendall at info@losamigosdevallescaldera.org or (505) 412-3843.

Volunteer at La Jara!

[This Gift Shop at La Jara during a winter event]

A message from our Gift Shop Coordinator, TK Thompson:

Amigos,

Some of you have expressed an interest in helping out at the gift shop if it was at the La Jara location (Valles Grande Staging Area – VGSA) on the Preserve. Well, now’s your chance! The Preserve has changed their policy regarding volunteering at the gift shops to our advantage! We are now being asked to help out at the main preserve store at VGSA. This store is normally open 7 days a week from 7am until 5 pm. Volunteers are needed to help greet people coming to the preserve. The volunteers will not have to handle money (this is good news, since more complex money handling procedures are now in place following an audit). The volunteers will be working with a Preserve Staff person who will do the money handling. They could use volunteers for full or part days. We are now in a position to tell the Preserve what days we want to work!

The Jemez Springs store will now be closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; it will be open the rest of the days of the week. There is still a need for volunteers at the Jemez Springs location. This may appeal if you live in Jemez Springs or vicinity – anything to save gasoline!

The store at Banco Bonito Gift Shop and Information Center is located in the Banco Bonito Staging Area on the southwest corner of the Preserve. This store is not regularly open; it mainly is open for events (equestrian, mountain biking, etc.) originating there. This volunteer opportunity would be ideal for Amigos living in the Sierra Los Pinos, La Cueva, and Thompson Ridge area of the Jemez!

Volunteer duties include greeting visitors and informing them about the Preserve history and the current Trust experiment in public land administration. A positive attitude on the part of the volunteers is essential! Volunteers will also be expected to inform visitors about current and future events in additional to items for sale in the stores. They will also cover the store so the staff person on duty can take a break when needed.

This is an extremely important activity in support of VCNP. Volunteering at the Preserve currently is in the top five income/money-saving activities. The presence of a volunteer in a store will free up a staff person for running events and other Trust business. The extra volunteers will be very helpful to accommodate questions and information requests and assist in merchandise sales when large numbers of visitors descend all at once, which regularly happens. The donated hours by volunteers go a long way to helping the Trust to obtain grants for Preserve restoration; they are a method to quantify support for the Preserve and its projects! The trust needs volunteers to make this experiment in land management work!

NOW IS OUR CHANCE TO SHINE! DO YOU KNOW OF A BETTER PLACE TO SPEND AN AFTERNOON ADMIRING WHAT NATURE HAS PROVIDED US AND MEETING KINDRED SOULS?

If you are interested, please respond to TK Thompson (tktincnm@msn.com) who will be coordinating this worthwhile activity.”

Wetlands Work Weekend Under the Stars

Click on the following update from the Albuquerque Wildlife Federation to see a larger more readable version:


[Note: The Alamos Bog Wetlands Tour has been cancelled. Instead we will be participating in the following Wetlands Work.]


On August 15,16 & 17, join Los Amigos and the Albuquerque Wildlife Federation (AWF) as we work a long weekend doing protection of the rare Bog Birch found in Alamo Canyon on the West side of the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The AWF is the sponsor for this work party. Note: We can arrive no earlier than 3 PM on Friday. [Update: You may work one day or camp and work more days.]

----------------------------------------------
This from the AWF August newsletter: (Which can be found in it's original format HERE).

THE PLACE: The Valles Caldera National Preserve was a private ranch until 2000, when Congress created it from the “Baca Ranch” in New Mexico’s volcanic Jemez Mountain Range. This 89,000 acre property is studded with eruptive domes and features Redondo Peak (11,254 feet). Though open to the public, access to the preserve is strictly controlled. Coming on this project is a great opportunity to stay on the preserve without charge and see areas not generally available to the public.

THE PROJECT: This project will occur at a fascinating location — Alamo Bog! See the Earth shake under foot as you walk across the bog (Hydrosol). Smell the fumes of Purgatory (sulfur gas bubbling up through opal-colored acidic pools). See bears, elk, deer and wild turkey, maybe.

Alamo Bog is home to the rare Bog Birch. This is the species’ only known location in New Mexico. We will build three small exclosures to protect the largest patches, each with about 40 to 60 plants. The structures are to exclude elk, which have browsed the vegetation quite heavily.

EQUIPMENT: Wear sturdy boots/shoes and bring gloves, hats, and sunscreen, and appropriate gear for camping. Be prepared for rain. Knee-high wading boots will be useful, as this is a wet area. Bug repellant, rain gear (just in case) and jacket (it can get cold) are good ideas, too.

FOOD: AWF will supply snacks and drinks during the project day. Please bring food and water for the duration of your stay. Saturday breakfast has breakfast burretos supplied by Scial and NMWA. Snack and drinks are provided during the day. There will be a potluck meal on Saturday evening: AWF will grill burgers -bison and brats (veggie options also), so bring along an appetizer, side dish, or dessert to share.

TO SIGN UP: Glenda Muirhead at 281-2925 g.muirhead@usfamily.net
OR Gene Tatum at 255-1960 gtatum3@msn.com
DRIVING TIME: 2 hours north of ABQ; 2 hours west of Santa Fe
----------------------------

This is going to be a rare opportunity to work in a part of the Preserve rarely seen by the public. Also unique to this work party is the opportunity to camp out under the stars on the Preserve. [Update] We will camp in the Alamos Canyon area near the work site. This is a fantastic turn of events and will make the experience that much more enjoyable for all of us. The map below is of the Southwest corner of the VCNP. You will be given direction on how to get through the gate after you RSVP. You can see Alamo Canyon on the map. It is in the upper center portion of the map, on the right hand (East) side of VC08.


Click on above image for larger copy.


There are still some details being worked out but this is what we know at this point....

Participants will be able to drive to the camping/work area in their own vehicles. More details will be given to you when you signup & RSVP.

There are limited spots available for this opportunity and we expect them to fill quickly so make your RSVP as soon as you know you are interested inorder to secure a spot.

The Albuquerque Wildlife Federation (AWF) is handling the logistics and they will take the RSVPs and provide logistical details. When you RSVP, please make sure they know you are with Los Amigos, as they have set aside a limited number of spots for us on this work party.

Our primary contact with the AWF is Glenda Muirhead [505-281-2925] g.muirhead@usfamily.net. Call or email her to make your RSVP.

She is working with Gene Tatum [505-255-1960] gtatum3@msn.com, who can also help you if you don't hear back from Glenda first.

If you could let me (Greg Kendall) know that you RSVPed the AWF, that would help us keep count of Los Amigos participation. You can email me at: greg_kendall@yahoo.com.

This is a real opportunity not to be missed. I know I won't!

This is Los Amigos' first opportunity to participate in an environmental project and we look forward to getting our hands (and feet) dirty!

August 2nd & 3rd Mt. Bike Event - Volunteers Needed

Dear interested volunteers,

The Valles Caldera Trust is looking for a few good folks to help out with our Cruise the Caldera fun bike ride.

We looking for the following:

1. 4 volunteers to help set up aid stations
a. Move picnic tables, small tents, and put up signs
b. 9 am – 4 pm on Friday August 1st

2. Aid Station volunteers August 2nd (10 total)
a. 2 volunteers per aid station
b. There are 5 aid stations total
c. Pass out water, give directions, and relay communications
d. 7 am – 5 pm

3. Aid Station volunteers August 3nd (10 total)
a. 2 volunteers per aid station
b. There are 5 aid stations total
c. Pass out water, give directions, and relay communications
d. 7 am – 5 pm

4. Staging Area Volunteer August 2nd (4 total)
a. Greet visitors, check them in/ out, help with parking (like balloon fiesta)
b. 6:30 am – 2 pm

5. Staging Area Volunteer August 3nd (4 total)
a. Greet visitors, check them in/ out, help with parking (like balloon fiesta)
b. 6:30 am – 2 pm

6. Sweepers August 4th (2-4 total)
a. Visit aid stations and bring back tables and chairs
Most of this will be brought back on 8/3/2008
b. 9am – 4 pm

If you are interested or have any questions, please contact me by email (preferred) or by phone at 505 428-7720.

Rob Dixon
Outdoor Recreation Planner
Valles Caldera Trust
W: (505) 428-7720
F: (575) 829-4614
rdixon@vallescaldera.gov
www.vallescaldera.gov

Oldtimers' BBQ - Sunday July 20th

[Note: This event is free for Members. For Non-Members, the price is: Become A Member! You can write a check or pay cash on the day of the event. See our website for membership options at: http://www.losamigosdevallescaldera.org.]



Dear Los Amigos Member (and future members),

We are pleased to remind you about our Members’ and Oldtimers’ Barbeque and Hike on the Valles Caldera National Preserve! This event permits members to enjoy a day on the Preserve, starting with a hike at 9 a.m. Last year, 21 hikers were driven in the Preserve’s vans to the foot of Cerro Abrigo for a seven-mile hike led by Craig Martin. Craig told stories about the Preserve’s history as the hikers circumnavigated the volcanic mound. This year, on Sunday, July 20, we are offering a hike on Cerro Seco, an opportunity to continue our clean-up of the Historic District, and a barbeque for members and oldtimers — people who spent time on the Preserve before it was purchased by the government.


Hike. The Valles Caldera Trust is allowing us to hike Cerro Seco on Sunday morning. This is approximately a four-hour hike.

Hikers should arrive at the Valle Grande Staging Area (off the main gate on Highway 4) between 9:00 am and 9:30 am. The Trust will provide vans to transport hikers to the base of Cerro Seco. Greg Kendall will lead the hike. The hike is seven miles long with a 700-foot elevation gain. It's consider a "moderate" hike by the Preserve (they rate hikes as easy, moderate, strenuous) You will see outstanding views of much of the Preserve. The Preserves website describes the hike this way:

"This hike begins with a van ride along the western boundary of the Preserve through the Sulphur Springs area. The Cerro Seco Trail offers gorgeous views of the Valle San Antonio. You will wander in and out of tall pines and aspens on an old two-track logging road. This trail offers a loop that will circle the Cerro Seco eruptive dome. Enjoy the solitude and the feeling that your are far, far away from civilization."

Hikers will need to bring: rain protection; a snack and lunch; a half-gallon of water (1.9 liters); appropriate clothing, footwear, and sunburn protection.

Space is limited to 25, so let us know soon if you wish to attend the hike.

After the hike, hikers will be transported to the Bunkhouse for the BBQ.

Clean-up. On June 7, 30 Los Amigos volunteers came out to help the Preserve clean up the Historic Headquarters Area in preparation for the summer recreation season. Trust (and Los Amigos) Board member Tracy Hephner and Trust Landscape Architect Rourke McDermott led us as we did maintenance in the headquarters area. We broke into two groups: one painted propane tanks and the other built wooden enclosures around them. Several volunteers from the Forest Service who were chain-saw certified spent their time cleaning up a ponderosa that had fallen in the historic district.

We were missing some latillas and other supplies and so were not able to complete all the tasks we had hoped to get to. Therefore, we plan to continue our work on July 20 and hope you will join us. The Bunkhouse has facilities for showers, etc., to get you ready for the barbeque.

BBQ. Those members who plan to attend only the BBQ should arrive between 3:00 and 3:30 pm. Volunteer vehicles will transport members from the Valle Grande Staging Area to the Bunkhouse. There will be a history talk at 4:00 pm. The BBQ will begin around 5:00 pm. There will be plenty of time for short walks in the area, wildlife viewing, and meeting other Los Amigos members and oldtimers. Volunteers will transport guests back to the Staging Area between 7:30 - 8:00 pm.

The BBQ will include traditional picnic fare such as hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, potato salad, dessert, and drinks, as well as northern New Mexican food such as beans, chips and salsa.

Please RSVP before July 16th so we will know how much food to buy, how many hikers and how many cleanup people we will have!

Email info@losamigosdevallescaldera.org or call 505-412-3843. If you have a cushion or camp chair, please bring it. Remember, dogs are not allowed on the Preserve.

Please feel free to contact other people who might be interested in becoming a member of Los Amigos. They can join at the BBQ.

We are excited to be able to offer this opportunity for our members and we look forward to seeing all of you!

Best Wishes,


Doug Fraser, Chair
Los Amigos de Valles Caldera
Board of Directors

Cleanup Day

On June 7th 2008, Los Amigos held a Headquarters Cleanup Day. Tracy Hephner lead the group. We heard a talk in the morning regarding historic building integrity, had a nice potluck for lunch and then painted and put coyote fence around several propane tanks. A good time was had by all, but we have more work to do!

See the pictures here:
CLEANUP

2008 Visitor Events

The following was sent to Los Amigos by the Staff of the Valles Caldera NP. It details the special activities that are coming up:

Spontaneous Visitor Activities / Just Show Up!

· No-fee hiking on Coyote Call and Valle Grande trails (along Highway 4). Available 7 days a week, sunrise until dark.

· $5 per person unguided hike (with trail guide) around Cerro La Jara (at Valle Grande Staging Area). Available during gate hours, May thru August, with limited hours (10-2) during the elk hunt in September.

· $5 per person guided, 1 hour geology walks at 10AM and Noon at Valle Grande Staging Area, weather permitting, May thru October.

· $5 per person guided, 1 hour ranch history van tours at 2PM and 4PM, May thru October (2PM only in September and October during the elk hunts).

Advance Reservation-Required Visitor Activities, May thru October
(With space-available possibilities at our Valle Grande Staging Area)

Throughout the Season Fee Events (see our website for dates and details):
· Wildlife viewing van tours most every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening.
· Unguided hiking on three scenic trails.
· Horseback riding opportunities on select weekends (bring your own horse).
· Caldera-wide mountain bike events, and select-trail mountain bike riding on certain weekends (bring your own bike).
· Adult and youth fishing clinics on select dates.
· Seasonal fishing by lottery; fall season closes 6/29.

Date-Specific, Interpreted/Guided Fee Programs
(see our website for details):
· Guided hikes on Cerros del Abrigo, Cerro la Jara, and in the Valle Grande – 6/23, 6/28, 6/29, 7/7, 7/17, 7/25, 8/7, 8/16, 8/24, 9/25

· PLUS THESE INTERPRETED PROGRAMS……

· Rincon de los Soldados
· Come help us search for the location of the 1851-52 U.S. Dragoon fort in the Valle Grande. This fort was established to protect the hay camp used by Fort Marcy in Santa Fe. It was abandoned sometime in 1852, but later reoccupied in 1863 to deter Navajo raiding paths through the Caldera and became know as Camp Valles Grandes. The exact fort location has been lost to history and no known visible remains exist. The thrill of the hike is the search and possibly finding the site. Jim Trout, Preserve Interpreter, will take you on a five-mile hike starting near the headwaters of the East fork of the Jemez River and going across open grassland terrain and into Valle Canyon following the old military road to Santa Fe.
6/19, 7/4, 8/8, 9/1

· Life Under the Partido System
· Jim Trout, Preserve Interpreter, will tell the tale of a now vanished way of life on the early 20th Century Baca Location #1. It was the time of ‘Caporales, Vaqueros, Pastores, Camperos, Partidarios, and Tasquiladores’ under a Partido management system that divided the profits and risks of the uncertain sheep raising business. It was a hard life, of low pay, severe working conditions and danger, in an era when a herder’s influence and stature was determined by the number of sheep that herder owned. Come walk on an easy meander through the History Grove, as Jim spins his tale.
7/11, 8/22, 9/18

· The History of Timbering
· Join Preserve Interpreter Jim Trout on an easy walk through the History Grove, where you will hear the story of how the timber industry got started on ‘The Baca’. The History Grove is a beautiful stand of Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir, with many trees well over 300 years old. That grove was spared the saw thanks to the efforts of one man, Yale Weinstein, who insisted that some of the old growth be preserved for future generations. Had it not been for his efforts, this stand of old-growth trees most likely would not exist. Join us for an opportunity to relax and reflect a bit on the past days of the Valles Caldera before any logging operations altered the native ecosystem.
6/27, 7/19, 8/18

· General Archaeology - Van Tour

· People have depended on the bountiful resources available within the caldera for thousands of years. On this van tour, you’ll experience the sites, artifacts, and landscapes of the past with VCT archaeologists as you explore the interior of the Preserve. Once poorly understood, the archaeological record of the caldera is being pieced into a clearer picture of how people lived in the past – how they hunted game, gathered plants, herded sheep, and raised cattle. Don’t miss this chance to see firsthand some of the most unique and previously unseen historic and prehistoric archaeological sites in the Jemez Mountains.
7/24, 9/10

· Obsidian Quarries – Archeology Van Tour
· The large dome near the center of the caldera, today called Cerro del Medio, is the source of some of the finest quality obsidian in the western United States. Obsidian from the caldera was widely transported across North America in the prehistoric past for use as spear points and arrowheads. This van tour will bring you directly to the source – the vast quarries of Cerro del Medio. At these quarries, you’ll walk around with a VCT archaeologist looking at thousands of glittering artifacts while learning how obsidian tools were manufactured.
6/13, 8/4

· Field Houses – Archeology Van Tour
· Banco Bonito, a large volcanic formation in the southwestern corner of the Preserve, was intensively used in the past for prehistoric farming. From about A.D. 1325 to A.D. 1425, farmers built hundreds of small stone structures, called field houses, where they stayed and watched over crops. With a VCT archaeologist, you’ll visit a variety of these farming settlements and learn about the crucial role they played in Jemez prehistory. You’ll also learn about the logging history of Banco Bonito and how folks made a living from the bountiful Ponderosa pine stands.
7/10, 8/21

· Botany Van Tour
· With all the winter and spring moisture this year, we are looking forward to wonderful displays of flowers in the caldera. This botanical tour will visit plants in several different habitats: a wetland, a mature open forest, sunny grassland, stream sides, and perhaps a small canyon. The pace will be relaxed, with only short strolls from van to flowers. Our tour guide is a botanist with over thirty years experience in the Jemez who delights in finding special gems to show lovers of native plants. A botanical tour of the Preserve will allow the public to increase their knowledge of the Jemez plant world while allowing an excellent means of viewing some of the back country areas on the Preserve.
6/21, 8/23

· Geology Van Tour
· The Valles Caldera is one of three active calderas in the mainland United States and the hot magma is only three miles below your feet when standing in the Valle Grande. Fraser Goff, retired geologist for LANL and adjunct professor at UNM, has been working on the Preserve for many years and has authored numerous books and papers dealing with the geology of the caldera. With the help of his geologist wife, Cathy Goff (retired from US Geological Survey), he conducts a fact filled tour of the east and central parts of the Preserve dispelling many of the myths that have grown up locally and providing some thought provoking answers to the public’s curiosity about this wonderful landscape.
6/29, 8/30, 9/28

· The Story of the Hemish
· Come walk the sacred ground of the Valles Caldera with Jemez Pueblo elder Paul Tosa. Mr. Tosa was a four-term Governor for Jemez Pueblo and is a lifetime appointee to the Tribal Council. Paul will share his passion for the history and culture of his people and their ties to the entire Jemez Mountain Range. On this van tour, interspersed with short easy walks, Paul will take you to remembered places on the Caldera where he will share stories of the origin, migration, and survival-against-all-odds of the Hemish; stories that are essential to the preservation of their traditional way of life.
7/26, 8/9, 9/27

· Home, Home, on the Ranch
· Come spend a day with Preserve Interpreter Diana Sellers as we walk among the backcountry cabin ruins of the Valles Caldera. The Baca Location #1 was home to many persons who worked the land such as loggers, cowboys, and homesteaders. We'll journey by van into the beautiful backcountry of “The Baca” and explore the remains of cabins which were the homes for those individuals. One of these sites is a logging camp which contained 24 buildings, including a schoolhouse. We will envision their lives in this high-country land and the contributions they made to this special setting.
7/6, 8/14, 9/20

· The Heart of the Caldera
· Redondo Border is a scenic and remote area deep within the Valles Caldera National Preserve. If you’re ready to expand your view of the Preserve beyond the Valle Grande, then this tour is for you. Along the way, you’ll see stunning views of this quiet heartland. Join Interpreter Jim Burns on this five-hour combined van tour and hike. The high tour route offers six miles of non-stop vistas. Participants will hike from 1.5 to 2 miles through park-like portions along Redondo Border. Tour guide and author Jim Burns has enjoyed a decades-long, year-round relationship with the Jemez high country.
6/22, 7/13, 8/17, 9/21

· COMING SOON!
· Fungi of the Caldera in August / Dates will be announced shortly.
· Astronomy program in August, September and October / Dates will be announced shortly.
· Alamo Canyon guided hike in July, August and September / Dates will be announced shortly.
· Additional interpreted / guided programs to be announced later in the summer.