Past Trips

I would like to invite recent climbing school graduates on a descent of Pajarito Gorge in White Rock. Others are invited too, but the 2023 climbing school students get priority. This is not a class or workshop… just a canyon descent. Prior on-rope experience is required, but not canyoneering experience. I will go over some subtleties with single rope rappelling since that probably wasn’t part of the climbing school. This canyon has four rappels, longest is 120 feet. Your feet may get wet during the descent. The hike out has a bit of 3rd class scrambling in the sun.

8.6 miles loop around Banco Bonito which hugs the Western edge of the beautiful El Cajete meadow on Saturday June 3, 2023.

Expected ride time: around 3 hours.

Driving time: 45 minutes each way.

Easy pace: mile 3 is a long uphill on somewhat rugged double track: walking parts of it is ok.

Before leaving home, please ensure that your bike is in good working condition and that you have basic repair equipment (e.g., spare tube and pump).

Bring water, snack and perhaps a rain coat in case the rain comes early.

Let's hike a lovely but not well-known loop in our own neighborhood to celebrate Memorial Day. We will leave from the Pajarito parking lot, go partway up the ski hill to a route that descends into the Valles Caldera, traverse the caldera for a couple of miles to Pipeline Road, then head back up to the caldera rim and through Canada Bonita back to Pajarito. Because the leader has an engagement the evening before, we will have a late start, at 9:30 AM. Plan to be out most of the day, and bring lunch, sun protection, and be prepared should it turn cool and rainy.

We would like to schedule a second climbing afternoon for some of the graduates of this year’s Climbing School.  The goal is to introduce the graduates to other climbers in the Mountaineers and show them some of our local climbing areas.   Let’s go back to Gallows Edge this Saturday, May 27st, from 1 to 5 PM in the afternoon.  We will meet at the public access trailhead between 719 and 721 Meadow Lane in White Rock at 1 PM.

I would like to schedule some climbing afternoons for the graduates of this year’s Climbing School.  The goal is to introduce the graduates to other climbers in the Mountaineers Club, and to show them some of our local climbing areas.   As a start, let’s go to Gallows Edge next Sunday, May 21st, from 2 to 6 PM in the afternoon.  We will meet at the public access trailhead between 719 and 721 Meadow Lane in White Rock at 2 PM.

The spring Mountaineers/PEEC hike will be an 8 mile, one way hike of Frijoles Canyon, from the Ponderosa Campground to the Bandelier Visitors Center on Saturday May 13.  We will meet at 8 am at Ponderosa Campground to set up the shuttle.

Registration is via the PEEC website:  https://peecnature.org/events/details/?id=46808

If you have questions, contact Jean at jeandewart7@gmail.com

Once more returning to the canyon country, our spring 2023 trip will be based in the Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument, in the slickrock hoodoo country above and east of Deer Creek. This is the same area that we explored in May 2013. We will reach our camp by hiking down from the Deer Creek trailhead, east of Boulder, Utah. We will explore the oases, slick rock, domes, and huge views of the canyon country. The outing is fairly physical, with several hours of hiking every day, with a comfortable base camp to return to every evening.

Hey Scouts and Scouters,

   You may know me, you might not.  My name is Danny Younk.  I am a scout with troop 22 in Los Alamos.  I am reaching out to all scouts and scouters in the area who may be available to help with my eagle project this weekend (Saturday, April 29).  I am clearing the invasive plant, called Salt Cedars, from the public boat ramp at Abiquiu Reservoir.  We will be working from 9:30am-4:00pm.  I would love to have your help for all or part of the day.  Every little bit helps. 

To get the canyon trips rolling early for 2023, we will go again to Blanding, Utah, for 3 days of hiking on April 13, 14, and 15, Thursday-Saturday. I’ve reserved lodging in Blanding, Utah, in the same condos as last year (the upstairs ones this time). From there, we can pick our hikes from the northern end of Comb Ridge, Mule and Arch Canyons, Natural Bridges National Monument, and White Canyon. We will have plenty to choose from, and the 3 days will go quickly. We will do our usual cross-country exploring, seeking places that are seldom travelled.