Volume 5, Issue 7
| Top of the Hill | Boots and Blisters | Business as Usual | |||||
| Gearing Up | Member Spotlight | Feature Article | |||||
| Web News | Special Notes | Disclaimer/Copyright |
| Top of the Hill | by Larry Mervine |
Another unwritten tradition that Cibola has is the right of any member to ask another member to do a pack breakdown. This is not to embarrass team members, but for safety reason. For example, if one team member thinks that other team member's pack is to small for the conditions they will be searching in, clearly he/she has the duty to ask that person to open their pack. Or if a new member wants to know what gear an older member has, to not be afraid to ask.
| Boots and Blisters | by Tom Russo |
I hope to see you all out at the mock search on Saturday evening, July 15th. We were on the verge of postponing it the day before the forest closures were ended, but we lucked out and got wind of the rumored reopening about 2 hours before I was ready to call up all our resources and shut the thing down. Fire restrictions are still in place and obviously we're all expected to abide by them. See you out there on Saturday!
No hike of the month was submitted this month, but there is no shortage of hike descriptions in this issue. Please consider reading through and possibly archiving the lengthy "feature article" below. You never know which of those descriptions might come in handy on a search. Hint. Hint.
| Business as Usual | by David Dixon |
This is Melissa's last meeting. She makes an emotional speech praising Cibola and thanking everyone. Larry gives her a certificate and Gene takes a picture. Good luck Melissa.
Larry reminds everyone to think about running for office next year.Some officers will not be running for the same positions.
Team is promoting some PR this Saturday with a Youth at Risk Hike-a-thon.
Need for Pager 1 for June and through summer months. Mike volunteers.
MEMBERSHIP Eric Jaramillo is an active member, Doug Davenport and Dennis Barnhart prospective members. Welcome.
Member guide is now on website.
Susan asks for member profiles for the newsletter.
Some officers can't be at next meeting. See one if interested in helping with their meeting duties.
There will be a six month review of members by officers at next officer meeting. Training attendance and certification sheets are available for perusal.
TREASURER Mike gives the current financial report.
Give Escape reimbursement forms to Mike.
WFR class reimbursement when we get certificates. Probably by next month.
Mail June missions vouchers to Mike by June 30.
There have been lots of pager problems in last five months. Usually associated with new service. Notify an officer if you do go in for service, especially for any team pagers. New accounts will now be $10, no more. Mike has done spending sheets for Committees and given to Committee heads.
VP/TRAINING June Navigation Training is two parts. Must go to both classroom and field to get credit for training.
Training/evaluation schedule for Aug-Dec is in newsletter.
July training is Mock search on 15th.
At some events members sometimes have put out pink trail tape to identify locations and not taken it down when they left. If you put it up please take it down yourself. Don't use unless necessary.
There will be informal get togethers for those interested in man tracking. Every other Wednesday.
EQUIPMENT James has some new CSAR labeled shirts and caps available for a team donation.
James would like to get some non-cotton team shirts. Anyone interested?
PR No PR meeting in June. Next one on July 27th.
August events: August 19-Open Space Fireside Chat on Outdoor Preparedness. August 20-Accompanying Host of Open Space Hike. August 25-UNM Day August 26-27-East Mt. Rendezvous.
ICS Jeff. Officers have been given a copy of Cibola's page in the resource directory. Needs a number of revisions. Larry, Don and Jeff are putting together an addition to membership guide for base camp protocol.
PACE Susan is organizing a PACE session in Albq. in September.
OLD BUSINESS Old Medical. CE Coordinator position needed. Description on pages passed out. Proposing to put into member guide that we do medical. Vote is for. Kevin Nufer is medical director. Have a copy of med agreement if interested. WFRs need to register with state through team. CSAR must have a copy of everything for team archives. David has developed a Patient Assessment form/SOAP notes for team. Copies are passed out. Need any feedback by next Wed. Another WFR class will be in October. Class team reimbursement is probable. Also need med equipment purchase.
NEW BUSINESS ICS round table before meeting tonight was canceled.
Next meeting there will be only two officers so WFRs won't meet before the meeting. If you are interested in helping with officer duties next month see one of them.
Jeff asked for new medical addition to resource directory including Numbers of Type I, II, III teams. Some comments and suggestions are made about directory and changes.
Snowshoes purchase using REI Grant money. Vote is taken on last month's
postponed motion to buy two sets of snowshoes from Melissa for $100 each. Vote is unanimous for. Still have $300 left of REI money. May be another of same pair for sale from someone else.
| Gearing Up | by James Newberry |
| Member Spotlights |
Katie Avery, prospective member, was born and raised in North New Jersey
(Exit 18!). She undergraduated with a Special Ed degree then switched careers
in her mid-20's to become a nurse practitioner (NP), completing graduate
schooling in that area in 1987. After a couple of years as an NP in a
residential facility for the multiply handicapped, she moved to an outpatient
clinic setting in Yonkers, NY. Tending to the health needs of an urban
population was very fulfilling for a few years until she heard the call of
the wild (west, that is...). A desire to try rural health care and, ideally,
with a unique cultural group brought her out to Albuquerque. A sister, with
whom she could short-tem live, also helped! She has spent the last 6+ years
as a Commissioned Corps Officer in the US Public Health Service (that's
Commander Avery to you, son), working at the Acoma Indian Health Hospital as
a nurse practitioner, and coordinator of the women's health services there.
Her involvement with CSAR started in Fall 1999 and stemmed from the very
personal experience of losing a family member in a wilderness situation. In
the winter of 1976, her brother, Peter, was lost for 36 hours while hiking
alone on a planned day trip in Northern NM. Though the outcome was tragic,
her family was heartened by the knowledge that there was a group of people,
strangers to them, who were looking for Peter in this unknown place so far
away from their home. This experience also underlined for her the attraction
and the danger of the wilderness, but how it can be positively influenced by
an appreciation for those qualities, and the desire to make it a safe and
enjoyable experience for oneself and for others.
| Web News | by Tom Russo |
| Those Were the Hikes that Were, Part I | Edited by Tom Russo |
Hikes prior to April 1998 were written by John Mindock. The remainder have been writen by Susan Corban. UTM coordinates in these hikes are typically referenced to NAD27, the coordinate system used on older maps. Convert appropriately when using newer maps.
Some of these descriptions are very handy, and so I have chosen to use this slim newsletter to reprint those with detailed descriptions in one handy reference. Enjoy.
Due to the length of the article, I've broken these up into a two-parter. Hikes that begin on the East side of the Sandias will be printed up some other time.
| Hike of the Month | Lower Juan Tabo Canyon | 0900, March 29-30, 1997 |
| Trailhead: | Upper Juan Tabo parking lot (La Luz trailhead) | |
| R.T. Distance: @5.0 miles | Elevation Min/Max: 6600/7400 | |
| Hiking Time @3.0 hours | Hazards: Mountain Lion (I saw tracks) | |
| Topos: Forest Service map of the Sandias | ||
A few more minutes will take you to an uphill/downhill choice. (UTM 365.3, 3898.4). Go downhill and across to the other side of the chamisa/cholla flats. Follow a trail that skirts the north side of the flats to the dirt road. You should be about 20 minutes into the trek when you meet the road.
Now go north to the Piedra Lisa trailhead (about 7 minutes). After 7 more tough uphill minutes, you'll go down to a wide rock-strewn arroyo. (UTM 365.3, 3899.5) To the right are Waterfall Canyon, the Movie Trail, and Fletcher Canyon. But we're going to the left, down into lower Juan Tabo Canyon. The first few minutes are spent skirting the lush growth in the wash. The best bet is to stay to the right side. After that, the terrain becomes open and easy to walk on (and to follow tracks). Just follow the sandy wash, crossing the dirt road when you get to it.
In about 45 minutes, you'll end up at the fence to the Sandia Indian Reservation.
Turn back, and choose the rightmost wash whenever there is a choice. About 30 minutes from the fence, take a trail along the hill on your right. (UTM 364.4, 3898.5) This trail (called the Sandy Arroyo trail) begins in almost the opposite direction of your travel. Soon it widens out and heads more southward, eventually meeting the blacktop. This trail is the preferred evacuation route from this area.
Instead of walking along the road, go up to the top of the ridge 'behind' you, where you'll find an indistinct trail leading towards the dirt road to the Piedra Lisa parking area, then take the trail to the Juan Tabo parking area again.
According to the map, part of this hike passes through private property. However, it is not marked and is certainly not apparent when you're hiking. If someone asks you to leave their property, do so politely.
| Hike of the Month | South Piedra Lisa Trail to Del Agua Junction | 0900, April 26-27, 1997 |
| Trailhead: | South Piedra Lisa Parking area. See member guide for directions. | |
| R.T. Distance: @6.0 miles | Elevation Min/Max: 7000/8200 | |
| Hiking Time @4.0 hours | Hazards: Slippery trail surface. | |
| Topos: Forest Service map of the Sandias | ||
| Hike of the Month | Domingo Baca and TWA Canyon | 0900, May 31/June 1, 1997 |
| Trailhead: | Elena Gallegos parking lot | |
| R.T. Distance: @7.0 miles | Elevation Min/Max: 6400/9000 | |
| Hiking Time @4.0 hours | Hazards: Thorns, stickers, cactus | |
| Topos: Forest Service map of the Sandias | ||
| Hike of the Month | Canyon Estates, South Crest, and CCC trails | 0730, Jun 28/29, 1997 |
| Trailhead: Canyon Estates parking lot - see member guide for directions. | ||
| R.T. Distance: @8 miles | Elevation Min/Max: 6600/9400 | |
| Hiking Time: @4.5 hours | Hazards: Unleashed dogs. | |
| Topo Maps: FS map of the Sandias | ||
| Hike of the Month | Tunnel Springs and North Crest Trail | 0730, Sep 27/28, 1997 |
| Trailhead: Tunnel Springs near Placitas - see member guide | ||
| R.T. Distance: 10 miles | Elevation Min/Max: 6200/8600 | |
| Hiking Time 5 hours | Hazards: The Usual | |
| Topo Maps: USFS map of the Sandias | ||
| Hike of the Month | Embudito Trail | 0800, Oct 25/26, 1997\01997 |
| Trailhead: East on Montgomery to Glenwood Hills. North to Trailhead road. East to Open Space parking lot. | ||
| R.T. Distance: 8 miles | Elevation Min/Max: 6300/8400 | |
| Hiking Time 4.5 hours | Hazards: The Usual | |
| Topo Maps: USFS Map of the Sandias | ||
| Hike of the Month | Three-Gun Springs to South Sandia Peak | 0800, Nov 29/30, 1997 |
| Trailhead: Three-Gun Springs. Old 66 East to Monticello Rd., north to Alegre, west to Siempre Verde, north to Tres Pistolas, north to trailhead. | ||
| R.T. Distance: 12 miles | Elevation Min/Max: 6400/9700 | |
| Hiking Time 6.0 hours | Hazards: The Usual | |
| Topo Maps: USFS map of the Sandias | ||
| Hike of the Month | Embudo Canyon | 0800, Feb 28 - Mar 1, 1998\01998 |
| Trailhead: East end of Indian School Road | ||
| R.T. Distance: 6.0 miles | Elevation Min/Max: 6200/7800 | |
| Hiking Time 3.0 hours | Hazards: Unleashed dogs | |
| Topo Maps: USFS Map of the Sandias | ||
After the boulder portion, the trail will cross the sandy wash and run parallel above it on the south side. As you cross, notice a trail that heads south up the hill straight ahead - this is a 'horse bypass' trail around the waterfall, and is a recommended option for your return route.
Later the trail will cross the wash heading north, and you'll begin a series of long switchbacks. At the top there is a signpost, hence the name 'Post Pass' for this area. You can turn back here or you can add another 1.5 hours to the trek by heading further north to Oso Pass, but there might be too much snow to do it without snowshoes.
Throughout the hike, take note of old trails and washes. Search assignments in this area probably would include such 'hasty' routes.
| Hike of the Month | Whitewash Trail area | 0800, Mar 28/29, 1998\01998 |
| Trailhead: East end of Menaul | ||
| R.T. Distance: 4.0 miles | Elevation Min/Max: 6000/8100 | |
| Hiking Time 3.5 hours | Hazards: The usual | |
| Topo Maps: USFS map of the Sandias | ||
At the beginning of this hike, there are many intersecting trails from which to choose. Eventually, they all wend their way along the south rim of Whitewash Canyon, and then up one 'master trail' which leads to the top via steep switchbacks.
The first goal is to reach the top of the ridge east of the parking area. Begin on the obvious wide trail at the southeast end of the parking area, which will turn eastward and wind around the south edge of the ridge. Although there are many routes up the ridge, for this hike, use an arroyo which has metal fence embedded in the ground acting as prevention for soil erosion. Follow this up and keep going north until, about 1/2 hour into the trek, you see a meadow with two prominent trails heading North/NNE. Either of these trails will eventually lead to the south rim of Waterfall Canyon.
Off to the east, you'll see a high tree-lined ridge, which is the eventual goal of this hike. (Actually the trail continues beyond that ridge, across two more ridges, finally ending at the Oso Pass junction, but that's not part of this hike.)
It will take less than 2.0 hours to get to a knoll on top of the tree-lined ridge at the 8130 foot mark. This knoll is conveniently known as 'the 8130', and it provides a view into Three-Gun Canyon and even the cement plant in Tijeras. Its UTM's are approximately 366.5 and 3886.8. From here, turn around and head back, noticing the various arroyos and ridges which might serve as opportunities to head south into the west end of Embudo Canyon.
| Hike of the Month | CCC to South Peak | 0800, Oct 31, 1998 |
| Trailhead: Canyon Estates | ||
| R.T. Distance: 8 miles | Elevation Min/Max: 6600/9782 | |
| Hiking Time 4 hours | Hazards: rattlesnakes | |
| Topo Maps: Tijeras | ||
From Trailhead: Follow the South Crest Trail until you reach the waterfall. Cross the stream and wind up to the top of the waterfall. Continue on switchbacks, passing the Lower Faulty Trail on your right. After about 1 1/2 miles from the start you will reach a fork. The South Crest Trail goes off to the left. Continue right for a few yards to another fork. The unmarked trail to the left is the CCC Trail. Upper Faulty is on the right. Take the left. CCC is steep and crosses a few rocky areas where you need to look for rock cairns. In about 2 miles CCC reaches the South Crest Trail along the crest. Continue to the right when you reach the Crest Trail. At the back of a large meadow to the left there is a trail to the top of South Peak. Return via CCC or, for a longer hike with views of Albuquerque and Tijeras, and some springs, take the South Crest Trail all the way back to Canyon Estates.
| Hike of the Month | Bear Canyon Hike and Map & Compass Practice | 0800, Jan 31, 1999 |
| Trailhead: East End of Spain NE | ||
| R.T. Distance: 4 miles | Elevation Min/Max: 6200/7200 | |
| Hiking Time 2.5 hours | Hazards: | |
| Topo Maps: Sandia Crest Quadrangle | ||
| Special Notes |
Reservation deadline = Friday, September 1. To reserve, call (505) 625-1307 (that's a Roswell number) or email rlathrop@dfn.com
Location: Los Vecinos Community Center, Tijeras, NM.
Directions: From Albuquerque drive east on I-40 through Tijeras Canyon to Exit 175. Bear right on exit ramp to the stop light at Tijeras. Turn RIGHT at the light onto old route 66 and proceed a quarter of a mile to the Community Center which will be on your left.
Evaluators: Cliff Meier, David Frazee, Mike Dugger, Art Bisbee,
James Newberry -- submitted by Susan Corban
| Disclaimer and Copyright notice | the Editors |